Wednesday 24 January 2018

Adam uses an iPad to communicate





Adam is 24 years old, likes playing on his X-box and creating the most detailed minecraft worlds. He loves special events, in particular Christmas and enjoys decorating his family home with all the festive cheer. Adam also has a learning disability and has recently been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Adam communicates using some words and signs. He will also use the internet to help people know what he is talking about.
Since leaving college Adam has remained at home and became more withdrawn and reluctant to go out. Adam’s mother, Alison, is his main communication partner and carer and was becoming increasingly concerned that Adam was getting frustrated at not being able to communicate effectively with his family. He was also refusing to go to the dentist or attend hospital appointments.
Adam was referred to the Bexley Adult Learning Disabilities Team. He was seen by the Speech and Language Therapy Team and the option of using an iPad with communication apps was explored with him. Adam initially tried using a loan iPad and when this was proven to help him, he was referred to a specialist hub to secure a long term loan of the iPad with specific communication apps.
Adam really likes his iPad and he is able to programme the communication and story apps independently. Adam says: ‘I like it to help get people to understand what I’m trying to say’. Since having the iPad, Adam has started to leave his home and has used it when ordering food at McDonald’s and shopping in supermarkets. He has stayed over at his nan’s house without feeling anxious because he was better able to communicate with them using his iPad and could facetime his mother.
Together Lucy (ALD community nurse) and Yasmin (ALD speech and language therapist) supported Adam to receive necessary dental intervention by creating social stories (an approach used with people with autism) and programming vocabulary onto his iPad about visiting the dentist. This helped Adam know what was going to happen, helped to reduce his anxiety and enabled the treatment to take place.
Alison (Adam’s mother) says: ‘since Adam has had his iPad, it’s helped him so, so much with his frustration. He used to get so angry maybe having serious outbursts of screaming, crying and shouting, even punching himself in the face all because he couldn’t make us understand what he was trying to say.” Since having the iPad with the communication app, these behaviours have reduced significantly. ‘It really has helped us and him so much and I really wish he’d had this 10-15 years ago.’
iPads with different communication apps are being increasingly used to support people with limited communication skills and are seen as more mainstream. However, not everyone with a communication problem or with ASD will benefit from using an iPad and therefore careful assessment from a specialist Speech and Language Therapist is needed before this is recommended.
It has been very rewarding supporting Adam and his mother. Adam now has the tool to support his communication but he continues to need a lot more opportunities to participate in the community and with his peers.
Adam says: ‘Yasmin has helped me to communicate with others easier, as they didn’t understand me before. I still need to use it (my iPad) more in my daily living’.
Yasmin Al-Temimi –Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. Bexley ALD Team)Email: yasmin.altemimi@nhs.net



Thursday 18 January 2018

How to support people with autism

This poster was produced by the RCN and was written by staff at the Estia Centre, who now work at Oxleas. Hope you find it useful.

Wednesday 17 January 2018

Easy read leaflets from the CYUI? team

Here are some examples of the work done by the 'Can You Understand It?' team. They are back to front at the moment - its something we are working on!


Easy read information about my medication

Keep Healthy Clinic


Tuesday 16 January 2018

Friday 5 January 2018

Oxleas Learning Disability Bulletin for January 2018





Happy new year everyone! We hope you had a great festive season and are ready for the new challenges of 2018!





Welcome! The purpose of this bulletin is to keep you in touch with news from the learning disability world in a monthly digest. We hope to include information on the latest policy and research along with easy read information. If you have any requests for information or if you want to share with the Oxleas learning disability community please send them to Steve Hardy or Jill Davies.


If you would like to receive an email alert about future bulletins please email to Steve Hardy.


All links are written in blue or grey and worked on the 5th January 2018.



Jobs at Oxleas
Clinical Lead/Nurse for Transitions Band 8A - Closes 11/01/18
Oxleas Adult Learning Disability Service will soon be looking for a Band 6 FTC Nurse for Transitions and Complex Health Needs. Watch Oxleas website to look out for it!


Contents
1. Stories of the month
2. Blogs
3. Books - new and forthcoming
4. Can you understand it? team of Oxleas news
5. Easy read information
6. Events
7. Guidance and resources
8. Journals
9. News concerning people with learning disabilities and/or autism
10. Newsletters
11. Reports
12. Requests
13. Research
14. Focus - portrayal of people with learning disabilities and/or autism in movies

 
1. Stories of the month!


Autism's Got Talent! Are you a singer, dancer, musician, comedian or gymnast who just happens to be on the autism spectrum? It's time to apply now by the 15th January 2018. Best of luck!




Photo of man with downs’ syndrome holding a baby is a display of pure love

Bright Futures School rated outstanding following Ofsted inspection

Little boy’s touching video explaining his autism to his classmates goes viral

Take a Listen to What “Background Noise” Sounds Like for Many on the Spectrum


2. Blogs




A life-and-death decision - Irene Tuffrey-Wijne


Actors with a learning disability training health professionals in clinical simulation - Karina Marshall-Tate, LDNurse.com


Christina uses a personal health budget to get more appropriate care - Christina, NHS England


Comic Redesigns the Autism Spectrum to Crush Stereotypes - Rebecca Burgess, The Mighty


Extra support to keep children and young people out of hospital - David Gill, NHS England


Growing up with autism - David Cook, NHS England


He’s Not Naughty, He Has Autism - Shelly S., Autism


My biggest challenge - Joe Partfit, Mencap


My fight for disabled equality - Mark Busk, NHS England

My brother was held as a slave for 26 years - Michelle Rawlings, The Guardian



People with learning disabilities want to find love too - Disability Today


Sexuality and leaning disabilities - Darren Devine, LDToday



Stepping up the job ladder  - Henry Ireland, Mencap


Stopping over-medication: Ricky and Andy’s story (video) - NHS England


The associated risk for social care professionals who fail to take steps to promote capacity - Anthony Gold Solicitors, Lexology



The most wonderful (and busiest) time of the year! - Jen Stoneman, Mencap


Transforming Care: Leaving - Chris Hatton blog


What we've been working on in Parliament in 2017! - Rob Holland, Mencap


Why Embracing Autism Is Key to Improving Mental Health Within The Autistic Community - Maxwell Dean, Huffington
Post




Why the Autism Community Needs to Ditch the Terms “High-Functioning” and “Low-Functioning” - A. Stout, The Autism Site


3. Books and training packs


Out now!


10 rules for ensuring autistic people and people with learning disabilities cannot access healthcare - Viki Ainsworth and Jim Blair


Autism and Intellectual Disability in Adults Volume 2 - Dr. Damian Milton and Prof. Nicola Martin


Autism in a Decentered World - Alice Wexter


Behavior Support for Students with ASD: Practical Help for 10 Common Challenges - Debra Leach


Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Thinking creatively - Andrew Jahoda et al


Citizenship Inclusion and Intellectual Disability: Biopolitics Post-Institutionalis​ation - Niklas Altermark 


Making friends at work: Learning to make positive choices in social situations for people with autism - Saffron Gallup


Person-centred Active Support Training Pack (2nd Edition) - Julie Beadle-Brown, Bev Murphy and Jill Bradshaw


Successful Health Screening through Desensitisation for People with Learning Disabilities - Lisa Harrington and Sarah Walker



4. Can You Understand It? Team News












The Can You Understand It? Team are pleased to announce their involvement in a Royal College of Nursing publication 'Dignity in health care for people with learning disabilities '.

5. Easy read information



'Friends and More' group valuable contribution to Prostate Cancer UK

Prostate Cancer UK have recently produced a couple of  easy read booklets. 'Find out about your prostate - a quick guide' and 'My prostate - what changes should I look for'. The booklets were reviewed by the 'Friends and More' group which is run by Sue Charman and Claire Hough and the group have been acknowledge for their input.

Free copies can be ordered by call the Specialist Nurses on 0800 074 8383 or via the website Prostate Cancer UK




Easy News - Dec 2017, United Response


Easy Read Information from BILD


Housing for disabled people: what we want to find out (easy read PDF under 'What is the inquiry looking at?' - Equality and Human Rights Commission


6. Events


19 Jan 2018
Building a Community - Children's Workforce - London


26 January 2018
Building a Community - Adult's Workforce - London


23rd January 2018
STOMP social care implementation conference: making your pledge real - Solihull


5th - 6th March 2018

Restraint Reduction Network Conference: Minimising inequalities in reducing restrictive practice - Birmingham


6th March 2018

Benchmarking & Good Practice in Learning Disability Services - London


7th - 8th March 2018

Mini PAS-ADD & ChA-PAS for mental health assessment of people with intellectual disabilities - London


13th March 2018

Learning Disabilities: Fulfilling Potential and Supporting Better Lives - London  


20th April 2018

Positive Commitment Conference - Dublin


3rd - 4th May 2018

Preparing for Adulthood - London


9 - 10 July 2018
The Patient Safety Congress - Manchester




28 November 2018
Learning Disability Today Exhibition and Learning Day - London

7. Guidance and resources



Care and support of older people with learning disabilities - NICE Draft Guidelines


Forced Marriage of People with Learning Disabilities - Ann Craft Trust


Learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges: service design and delivery - NICE Guidelines - Publish to be due 28th March 2018


Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme (LeDeR) - NHS England


Paving the way: Early intervention for children with learning disailities whose behaviour challenges - A new website resource from the Challenging Behaviour Foundation


Safeguarding adults who have mental capacity: key principles - Community Care


Supporting people with profound and multiple learning disabilities: Core & essential service standards - CMG, PMLD Link, The Sensory Project and Choice Support


The BILD Factsheets relating to people with learning disabilities from BILD


Transforming Care Resources from United Response

8. Journals



Advances in Autism
Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities
Autism Journal
Autism Parenting Magazine 
British Journal of Learning Disabilities
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Learning Disability Practice
PMLD Link
Tizard Learning Disability Review



9. News concerning people with learning disabilities and/or autism

A special new toilet is being installed in this library in Bexleyheath - Dec 20th, News Shopper


A Teen-Ager in Solitary Confinement - Dec 4th, New Yorker


Autism families in Co Durham wait four years for assessment - Dec 4th, The Times


Agenda: Helping to make work a viable goal for the disabled - Dec 20th, Herald Scotland


Autistic boy's film celebrates being different, inspires others - Dec 11th, Taranaki Daily News


Bradford theatre group given £425,000 to make 'epic' production a reality - Dec 22nd, Telegraph & Argus


Colin Farrell Offers Advice to Parents Navigating Their Child's New Diagnosis - Dec 2017, The Mighty


Disabled man's cancer care criticised - Dec 15th, BBC


'Extremely interesting' punk musician died three days after being attacked - Dec 4th, The Argus


Heathrow and Nescot College join forces to make air travel easier for disabled people - Jan 3rd, Get Surrey


Hidden disabilities lanyard scheme launched at Guernsey Airport - Dec 3rd, ITV


High Court challenge over decision to let nurse who broke patient's jaw keep practising - Dec 6th, Bristol Post


'I wish I was normal but I'm not': Autistic boy, eight, who tried to kill himself with scissors writes heartbreaking notes asking his family to 'burn me alive' - Dec 13th, MailOnline


Informed consent - the new law - Dec 2018, Royal College of Psychiatrists


Man with Down's syndrome raises over £1k for Ellingham Employment Services in Leyton by climbing 10m wall - Dec 4th, East London & West Essex Guardian


Meet the inspirational coaches who help disabled footballers - Dec 15th, Gloucestershire Live

Meeting Milo: Robot uses spectrum of facial expressions to engage with autistic students at Kingsbury Elementary - Dec 10th, The Sumter Item


Modelling Agency Aims To Tackle Misrepresentation Of People With Disabilities - Dec 21st, Huff Post UK


New toilets will be first of their kind to help disabled people in Gloucestershire - Dec 13th, Gloucestershire Live 


One in five employers say disabled people less likely to be taken on - Dec 15th, LD Today


'Our autistic little boy lives on two hours' sleep a night and can't stop injuring himself - we need help' - Dec 5th, Mirror


People with disabilities have the right to good health too - Nov 27th, The Guardian


Philip Hammond Was Utterly Wrong About Disabled Employees Negatively Impacting Productivity Dec 7th, Huffington Post


Robot helps children with autism learn to communicate - Dec 5th, Fox 2


Seclusion of autistic boy 'unreasonable' - ombudsman - Dec 18th, Radio New Zealand


Significant boost to learning disability and mental health nurses needed, says HEE chief - Dec 14th, Nursing Times


Specsavers launches autism training for staff - Dec 14th, Optometry Today


Students with autism make music with iPads - Dec 17th, CBS News


Teachers urged to tackle discrimination against pupils with learning disabilities - Dec 7th, The Herald Scotland


Ten-year-old child with autism to record single after wowing Asda shoppers with Smokey Robinson song - Dec 23rd, Independent


The Good Doctor Changes the Way People See Autism  - Oct 30th, Autism Parenting Magazine


Warwick District residents with learning disabilities publish their stories in new book - Dec 3rd, The Courier


Wedding bells for couple who found true love at singles night - Dec 13th, Accrington Observer


10. Newsletters


Challenge Newsletter Winter 2017: Active Listening in Action - Challenging Behaviour Foundation


VODG Winter newsletter 2017/8 - Dec 2017, VODG





11. Reports


Eye Health – preventing sight loss in London - Nov 2017, London Assembly




Learning Disability Services Monthly Statistics Commissioner Census (Assuring Transformation)  - Oct 2017, Gov.UK


New report says what needs to change to make Transforming Care work for autistic people - Sept 26th, National Autistic Society et al




Valuing the Views of Children with Learning Disabilities - Dec 12th, The Challenging Behaviour Foundation

12. Requests







Facing the facts, shaping the future: A draft health and care worforce strategy for England to 2027 - NHS and Public Health England, closes on 23rd March 2018


Raising concerns and making complaints about health, social care or education of people with learning disabilities, autism or both - NHS England survey - closes 31st January 2018


Reducing the Need for Restraint and Restrictive Intervention: Children and Young People with Learning Disabilities, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Mental Health Difficulties (final consultation) - Gov.UK - closes 24th January 2018


Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: a green paper (open consultation) - Gov.UK - closes 2nd March 2018


13. Research
Autism treatment: Social impairments can be corrected by brain stimulation - O'Donnell Brain Institute

Characteristics of prisoners with intellectual disabilities - London Southbank University et al





Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges - Neuropsychiatry Disease and Treatment


Everyday Decisions: Supporting legal capacity through care, support and empowerment - University of Birmingham


High anxiety in young children with autism – study - Griffiths University


Seizure study sheds light on lasting brain effects in children - University of Edinburgh


Social phobia linked to autism and schizophrenia - Swinburne University of Technology


Study shows interventions, though few, can be effective for students with high-functioning autism - North Carolina State University


14. Focus - on portrayal of people with autism on the small screen  


2017 was a great year for autism-inspired TV - Jan 1st 2018, The Guardian


Atypical


Sesame Street


The A Word


The Big Bang Theory 
 
The Good Doctor


Thanks for visiting, see you in early February!

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