Spending the day with the different age groups reinforced the obvious, but easy to disregard, fact that autism is a life long difference. Yet there is some chance for improvement - behaviorally, emotionally, developmentally. I am lead to wonder whether each individual child with autism has the same potential for improvement..
Is there a possibility that the child can be cured of autism - and is that a possibility for all autistic children? If so, when would treatment need to begin - what would treatment entail?
These questions began to circulate as I took note of the different levels of affect. Some of the younger kids seemed more able, communicative, and aware than the older -supposedly- more developed children.
- So is autism something that gets worse as it progresses - with or without treatment?
I also had the chance to further note the many odd - and characteristic of the individual - behaviors. Some clients engage physically - holding hands (with myself or staff) - others search the rooms for particular objects - some spit, some scream, some pinch, some laugh. I was most affected by a teenage male client who took a napkin and balled it up - He tossed his head backwards and in one swift movement, shoved the napkin into the back of his throat. The napkin had to be removed by the staff before the client could swallow it. The staff was not as surprised as I was - as they were aware of his characteristic need to gag himself / inflict vomiting.
Each art therapy group was short - 1/2 hour. We began as usual by passing around a bean bag and introducing ourselves. We then reviewed the rules and demoed the activity for the day. As Lauren had been working with the circle/containment theme with the Saturday group as well - we introduced the plaster craft strips to further substantiate the border of the circle.
The pre-cut strips were dipped into a shallow bowl of water, often with guidance b myself or Lauren. After the excess water was squeezed away - which was done in varying ways depending on the client (some balling it up and squeezing it in the hand repeatedly until pasty, to gliding the fingers along the strip to squeegee the water off) - The clients rolled the strips into a long coil, and wrapped it along the circular outline which we provided. Some clients were able to smooth the plaster strips when they had completed the circle.
As was expected, there were various reactions by the clients to the plaster craft. Some clients outright refused to attempt the activity, some tried it at first and discontinued - complaining about the feeling of the plaster strips. Yet others very much enjoyed the feeling and the process. Individuals with autism are very affected by sensory stimulations. Texture/Touch being a very strong sense, the plaster craft was expected to be taken to or disliked depending on the individual.
Once the plaster activity was completed the children spent the remaining time coloring the regularly drawn circle or human figure, or free drawing. When the activity took the majority of the session, the children colored calmly - more calmly than they did, and with more focus than if the activity was quickly completed.
Art-ing about it :)
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