Make Your Own Picture Stories for Kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) : A DIY Guide for Parents and Carers

Picture stories can play a vital role in helping parents negotiate challenging scenarios with kids with ASD. Yet no matter how many books and flashcards you have, they can't cover every eventuality. So, suppose you could draw the stories yourself... Brian Attwood took up pen and paper when his son John's meltdowns became harder to deal with. The effect was immediate and time and time again picture stories have bailed the family out of trouble and saved John from unhappiness and confusion. In this book, Brian describes step-by-step how to create simple yet effective picture stories using basic drawings and short lines of text, and provides examples based on real-life situations for you to adapt for your child. This book will give parents and carers the tools and confidence they need to create individualised picture stories to help their child with ASD cope with social situations, difficult emotions, transitions and other challenging situations. Packed with simple ideas to regulate the emotions and senses, this book will help children tackle difficult feelings head-on and feel awesome and in control! From breathing exercises, pressure holds and finger pulls, to fidgets, noise-reducing headphones and gum, the book is brimming with fun stuff to help kids feel cool, calm and collected. They will learn how to label difficult feelings, choose the perfect strategies and tools to tackle them, and use these correctly whether at home or at school. The strategies and tools are accompanied by cartoon-style illustrations, and the author includes useful tips for parents and teachers as well as handy visual charts and checklists to track learning and progress. Armed with this book, kids will be well on their way to managing difficult emotions and feeling just right in whatever situation life throws at them! Suitable for children with emotional and sensory processing difficulties aged approximately 7 to 14 years. When things don't go our way, the Disappointment Dragon can come to visit and take us down to his home in the Valley of Despair... The Disappointment Dragon sometimes comes to see us all and, if we let him, he can make us feel sad or angry. He visits Bobby when he is not picked for the school football team, he also finds Lucinda when she has to miss an exciting school trip because she has the Chicken Pox. He even tries to take the whole of Class Three down to the Valley of Despair when their favourite teacher moves away. Will the Dragon of Hope be able to chase away the Disappointment Dragon and help them see things more positively? The fun characters in this charming, fully illustrated storybook will help children to cope with, and discuss openly, their feelings of disappointment. There are many creative suggestions on how to banish the Disappointment Dragon and an introduction for adults explaining disappointment in children and how they can help. Have you ever felt a sense of dread and worry creeping over you? That might be the Panicosaurus coming out to play... Sometimes the Panicosaurus tricks Mabel's brain into panicking about certain challenges, such as walking past a big dog on the street or when her favourite teacher is not at school. With the help of Smartosaurus, who lets her know there is really nothing to be afraid of, Mabel discovers different ways to manage Panicosaurus, and defeat the challenges he creates for her. This fun, easy-to-read and fully illustrated storybook will inspire children who experience anxiety, and encourage them to banish their own Panicosauruses with help from Mabel's strategies. Parents and carers will like the helpful introduction, explaining anxiety in children, and the list of techniques for lessening anxiety at the end of the book. Deep inside everyone, a red beast lies sleeping. When it is asleep, the red beast is quite small, but when it wakes up, it begins to grow and grow. This is the story of a red beast that was awakened. Rufus is in the school playground when his friend John kicks a ball that hit him in the stomach, and wakes up the sleeping red beast: `I hate you - I'm gonna get you!'. The red beast doesn't hear the teacher asking if he's okay. It doesn't see that John is sorry - how can Rufus tame the red beast? This vibrant fully illustrated children's storybook is written for children aged 5-9, and is an accessible, fun way to talk about anger, with useful tips about how to 'tame the red beast' and guidance for parents on how anger affects children with Asperger's Syndrome. Deep inside everyone, a red beast lies sleeping. When it is asleep, the red beast is quite small, but when it wakes up, it begins to grow and grow. This is the story of a red beast that was awakened. Rufus is in the school playground when his friend John kicks a ball that hit him in the stomach, and wakes up the sleeping red beast: |I hate you - I'm gonna sort you out!'. The red beast doesn't hear the teacher asking if he's okay. It doesn't see that John is sorry - how can Rufus tame the red beast?. This vibrant fully illustrated children's storybook is written for children aged 5+, and is an Chapter 5: Choosing the Right Strategy is Like Ordering Fast Food ... Sort OfChapter 6: Wow! You are a Body Control and Self-Regulation Expert! But Not So Fast, Your Work is Not Done Yet ... ; Part 2: For Adults; Acknowledgements and Thanks; Some Important Tips for My Fellow Parents; Some Important Tips for Teachers; Some Important Information about the Major Sensory Systems; Tips of the Trade! Ways to Make Your Home or Classroom Most Conducive to Self-Regulated Kids; Appendix 1: I Caught You Calm!; Appendix 2: Self-Monitoring Checklist; Appendix 3: Label That Feeling! Pocket Chart THE KIDS' GUIDE TO STAYING AWESOME AND IN CONTROL; Part 1: For Kids; Hey Kids, Let Me Tell You A Little About Me and This Book!; Chapter 1: Label That Feeling!; Chapter 2: Let's Learn the HOW of Using Anywhere Body Breaks!; Lauren's Self-Regulation Menu of AWESOME Anywhere Body Break "Appetizer" Choices; Chapter 3: Let's Learn the HOW of Using Tools!; Lauren's Self-Regulation Menu of AWESOME Tool "Main Dish" Choices; Chapter 4: Let's Learn the HOW of Using Big Body Breaks!; Lauren's Self-Regulation Menu of AWESOME Big Body Break "Dessert" Choices This illustrated book brings to life the issue of dealing with disappointment through the endearing characters of the Disappointment Dragon and the Dragon of Hope who help children learn about the best ways to manage life's difficult times. There is an introduction for parents and carers, and a list of management techniques at the end of the book. This illustrated book teaches children who experience anxiety about Panicosaurus and Smartosaurus and how to help Smartosaurus banish Panicosaurus when he appears at times of stress by using a range of calming techniques. There is a helpful introduction for parents and carers, and a list of techniques for lessening anxiety at the end of the book. From breathing exercises and pressure holds to noise-reducing headphones and gum, this illustrated book is packed with simple strategies and tools to help children with emotional and sensory regulation difficulties aged approximately 7 to 14 years to stay cool, calm and in control. Suitable for parents, teachers and caring professionals working with children who suffer from anxiety, including children with Asperger Syndrome, this illustrated storybook includes an introduction explaining anxiety in children, and a list of techniques for lessening anxiety An illustrated storybook that can help children to cope with, and discuss openly, their feelings of disappointment. It also includes many creative suggestions on how to banish the Disappointment Dragon and an introduction for adults explaining disappointment in children Presents techniques and strategies that young children who suffer from Asperger's syndrome can use when they find themselves becoming angry Appendix 4: At a Glance: Resource ChartsAppendix 5: Sum it Up Page; Great Therapy Resources and Websites; Blank Page; Recommended Reading Part 1. For kids Part 2. For adults.