Kylie Martin - Understanding Autism

The Full Life Podcast with Melanie Lynam

Today's guest is Kylie Martin - Paediatric Speech Therapist and Founder of Chatter Boxes, a Paediatric Therapy Centre on the Sunshine Coast. Kylie gives us the known facts about Autism and challenges the way that we think about this condition.
“It’s only because it’s different and we don’t understand that we become fearful. If we could push past that fear and connect with the human being who is going through that experience we could change that person’s life.”
1 in 58 children have autism. 1 in 20 children will have some form of disability. How young can a child be diagnosed with Autism? What are the early markers? Autism in girls vs boys. What causes Autism?
The spectrum - instead of mild or severe - think of skills and experiences along a line. Communication, eye contact, range of interests, sensory experiences, how we think, how we process information. Along that spectrum people have different strengths and weaknesses. With high peaks in some areas and low points in other areas. A much more useful way to think of it. A spectrum of skills rather than of severity.
“These kids have the potential - if they have their special interests nurtured around that area - to solve many of the problems that we have in the world today.”

Every person is worth getting to know and understand. It is so worthwhile getting to know the person and looking past the disability.

It’s about changing how we relate to these kids. Slowing the process of life down so that these kids have the opportunity and chance to engage and connect so that over time these skills develop.

Are mental health conditions in young women misdiagnosed? Do they actually have Autism? We’re now starting to see adults diagnosed and they’re starting to understand themselves a lot more.

What causes Autism? Genetic component mixed with environmental components. Is it becoming more common?

How we can help support these families:
Try to understand what Autism is and open arms to embrace family. Create a space that is without judgement, advice, or agenda. Your child can come here, I may not have the answers but I am here to journey this with you. Educate ourselves. Ask Mum in shopping centre is there anything I can do for you? As a larger community listen to these peoples’ experiences and ask ourselves what can we do? i.e.. Woolworths has a quiet hour. Make our environments more accessible like turning down the music and dimming lights. Classrooms can be visually overwhelming for these kids. ‘What can I do to keep this simple and accessible to these kids?” Play Centres are now having special sessions. Sensory Santa at Shopping Centres. Sporting groups are starting to train their coaches to modify how they talk to the kids - less instructions, calm voice, hand signal instead of whistle. It means they can participate with their peers instead of being left on their own. A Church put together a program to help prepare kids for the environment. Simple modifications. Our work place, our sporting groups, turn down the sensory input.

We need to ask ourselves the question, “What can we do?” It’s not too hard. Call your local therapy centre, a psychologist, a speech therapist, the parent. Ask them what we could do.
You can get in touch with Kylie Martin via her website, facebook page or Instagram.
www.chatter-boxes.com.au
Instagram @chatterboxes_speech

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