Tag Archives: spd

Developmental Disability Awareness Ribbons

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Awareness ribbons in recent history began when Penney Laingen used the ribbon as a symbol of vigilance ( from the song, Tie a Ribbon Around the Ole Oak Tree) when she tied a yellow ribbon around the oak tree in her front yard when her husband, Bruce Laingen. a top-ranking U.S. diplomat was a hostage during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. This was followed by the red ribbon during the AIDS epidemic and the pink ribbon bringing awareness to breast cancer.

Ribbons have long been used as a way to bring awareness and raise consciousness for a cause. Ribbons and disability awareness have evolved from bringing awareness to various disability topics such as sensitivity, inclusion and advocacy to including various formats. People are using social media as a means to promote awareness including using hashtags and setting up Facebook pages specifically for disability awareness.

Disability awareness and acceptance is being done through the use of awareness ribbons.

The Ribbons below focus on ribbons that bring awareness to developmental disability and special needs issues.  including individuals with neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities. Awareness is only a part of educating and training people on disability awareness. Training activities should also include acceptance and understanding.

Awareness Ribbons

Autism Spectrum Disorder- The Autism ribbon continues to evolve overtime. The puzzle piece was first used in 1963 by a parent and board member of the National Autistic Society in London indicating the puzzling, confusing nature of autism. In 1999, the puzzle piece ribbon was adopted as the universal sign of autism awareness by the Autism Society reflecting the complexity of the autism spectrum. Overtime, the both the puzzle and ribbon have become a symbol for seeing autism as something that is puzzling an needs to be fixed rather than acceptance. A more positive symbol includes the infinity loop used as a symbol for acceptance rather than awareness.

Angelman Syndrome- Blue

Apraxia- Light Blue

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD)- Orange

Cerebral Palsy- Green

Cri Du Chat- Blue

Developmental Disabilities- Silver or light blue

Di George Syndrome- Teal

Down Syndrome- Blue and Yellow

Dravet Syndrome- Purple

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy- Light Green

Epilepsy- Purple

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder- Silver and Blue

Fragile X Syndrome- Teal

Hydrocephalus- Light Blue

Prader Willi- Orange

Rare Disease- Zebra Stripe

Rett Syndrome- Purple

Sensory Processing Disorder- Blue or Orange

Sickle Cell Anemia- Burgundy

Spina Bifida- Yellow

Spinal Cord Injuries- Green

Tourette Syndrome- Teal

Trisomy 18- Light Blue

Turner Syndrome Purple Butterfly

Williams Syndrome- Burgundy

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Burgundy Awareness Ribbon

  • Sickle Cell Anemia
  • Williams Syndrome

 

Blue Awareness Ribbon

  • Angelman Syndrome
  • Cri Du Chat

Green Awareness Ribbon

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Spinal Cord Injuries

Light Blue Awareness Ribbon

  • Apraxia
  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Intellectual Disabilities
  • Trisomy 18

Orange Awareness Ribbon

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Prader Willi Syndrome
  • Sensory Processing Disorder

Teal Awareness Ribbon

  • Fragile X Syndrome
  • DiGeorge Syndrome
  • Tourettte Syndrome

 

 

 

Purple Awareness Ribbon

  • Dravet Syndrome
  • Epilepsy
  • Rett Syndrome
  • Turner Syndrome

Blue and Yellow Awareness Ribbon

  • Down Syndrome

Light Green Awareness Ribbon

  • Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

 

Silver and Blue Awareness Ribbon

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder

Yellow Awareness Ribbon

  • Spina Bifida

Observance and Awareness Month

February

Turner Syndrome Awareness

March

Trisomy18

Kidney Awareness

Multiple Sclerosis

Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Disabilities

April

Autism

Auditory Processing Disorder

May

Apraxia

Cri Du Chat

Cystic Fibrosis

Williams Syndrome

June

Dravet Syndrome Day

July

Fragile X Syndrome

National Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month

September

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Day

Hydrocephalus

Sickle Cell Anemia

Spinal Cord Injuries

October

ADD/ADHD

Down Syndrome

Rett Syndrome

Sensory Processing Disorder

November

DiGeorge Syndrome

Epilepsy

 

Updated 1/2/2021

Beyond Fire Drills and Shirt Tags

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Source: Psychology Today

Hearing…..Sight…..Smell…..Taste…..Touch

These are what usually come to mind when we think of the Senses-The Five Senses.

Notably, it was Aristotle who defined the senses in this way. He even gave them a name: “The 5 Outward Wits.” The idea stuck and even today we often think of the senses as these 5 independently operating systems that arise from our interaction with the world outside of ourselves. However, a growing body of research demonstrates that the senses are much more varied and complicated than once thought.

Understanding the workings of our sensory system is crucial if we are to properly understand and support children on the autism spectrum. Difficulty with regulating sensory input is a common occurrence in autism. When the brain cannot effectively filter or organize sensory input, the sensations can break through in a manner that is experienced as harsh and overwhelming. This results in sensory sensitivities.  Click here to read the rest of the story.

Sensory Eating is not Picky Eating

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Published by: Speaking of Autism

I want you to imagine that you are a kid once again, maybe ten or eleven years old. You are sitting down in the evening with your family for dinner. The table is set, and your parents bring out what will be tonight’s entree: a cut of cold, raw chicken breast. It’s slimy pink mass slides onto the plate in front of you, and soon after your whole family is chowing down on the raw cuts of meat. You can’t stand to even watch anyone else eat the raw chicken, let alone fathom yourself choking it down. Yet, despite the very real disgust and aversion you feel towards the raw chicken breast, somehow it’s you who are strange for not wanting to eat it. Maybe you’re called “picky” or told that you simply need to and just learn to enjoy raw chicken like everyone else. Maybe you go hungry every night at dinner because the only thing being served are items as aversive as the cuts of raw chicken. Click here to read the rest of the story.

Rethinking Autism and “Picky Eating”

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Published by: Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism
Written by: “Seeking Sara”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been ashamed of what I do and don’t eat. The stigma of being a “picky eater” has followed me my whole life, bringing comments (and no small amount of exasperation) from family, friends, wait staff, and strangers.

I’ve recently been examining why I struggle with certain foods, and have come to the same conclusion as I have with much of my post-autism-diagnosis self-exploration: I’m actually incredibly strong, and my experiences are real and valid.

Why am I so “picky”? Well, if you could experience my senses for a few hours, I bet you’d be more understanding, less judgmental, and I’m fairly certain you’d stop using the word “picky” pretty quickly.

Often times, I want desperately to like a food, to be able to order anything at random, or to just eat whatever is put in front of me without hesitation. But for me, food is almost always a relentlessly overpowering experience. Click here to read the rest of the story.

RESOURCES

4 techniques for picky eaters with autism

8 secret strategies for sensory issues with food

Autism and food issues

Encouraging picky eaters to try new food

How to help your child with autism overcome picky eating

Mealtime and children on the autism spectrum: Beyond picky, fussy, and fads

Picky vs. problem eater: A closer look at sensory processing disorder

The picky eater

When your child with autism is a picky eater

Why children with autism struggle with eating

What Does Sensory Processing Look Like In Adults?

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Sensory Processing Disorder in Adults
Source: (ADDitude)

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) manifests in many small, sometimes maddening ways. Itchy tags may be unbearable. Loud music intolerable. Perfume simply sickening. Whatever the specific symptoms, SPD makes it difficult to interact with your daily environment. This impacts how you relate to others, study and learn, participate in sports and group activities, and follow your dreams. It is a unique and challenging neurological condition associated with inefficient processing of sensory information, and it deserves serious support.

SPD disrupts how the brain — the top of the central nervous system — takes in, organizes, and uses the messages received through our body’s receptors. We take in sensory information through our eyes, ears, muscles, joints, skin and inner ears, and we use those sensations – we integrate them, modulate them, analyze them and interpret them — for immediate and appropriate everyday functioning. Click here to read the rest of the story.