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Summer can be a challenging time for many families, perhaps more so for families with autism. Significant disruptions to daily routines can be troublesome for children with autism, not to mention how overwhelming it can be for some children with autism to readjust to a new routine once again at the end of the summer. And while there may still be snow on the ground, this is precisely the time of year when you want to begin to plan how your child will spend several months of their summer break. One possible option is Extended School Year (ESY) services.
What is ESY?
A common misconception is that ESY is equivalent to summer school. While these services are most frequently provided over the summer, some children receive ESY services over winter or other prolonged breaks. ESY services are provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to children who have an IEP or to those who have a 504 Plan under the Americans with Disabilities Rehabilitation Act of 1973. They are intended to be highly personalized based on a given child’s IEP or 504 goals. Their purpose is to help your child maintain any progress they have made towards their IEP and 504 goals. In other words, ESY services are there to help your child so they do not forget the skills they learned during the prior school year.
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I recently posed this question to the moms in the support group I facilitate: “Do you practice self-care?”
The blank stares on their faces told me all that I needed to know. Questions began to come up. “What is that?” “Who has time for that?” “Are you kidding me?”
I was all too familiar with their responses because for a long time, I had no real clue about self-care either. It wasn’t until after I developed anxiety disorder and started to see my therapist that I knew changes had to be made in my life.
Being a mom to a 14-year-old who is legally blind in one eye, has autism, epilepsy and other health diagnoses can get extremely hectic, from the many doctor appointments, hospitalizations, IEP meetings, advocating for the services and programs he needs… on top of that, I work a full-time job. I recently married and inherited seven grandchildren and assist my aunt with the care of my mother who has paranoid schizophrenia. Not getting adequate rest or time to reboot brought on anxiety and depression. My overall health became negatively affected.
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Curious how music therapy could benefit your child this summer?
Individuals with ASD frequently respond well to routines and schedules so introducing a new activity in the slower months can help the whole family.
“With the change in summer scheduling (either no school or extended school year), music therapy can help fill structured gaps in schedules,” says Ronna Kaplan, Chair of the Center for Music Therapy at the Music Settlement in Cleveland.
Six to eight weeks (during the summer) is also a shorter time frame, which requires less time and financial commitment to any new hobby or therapy service.
In addition, music therapy can also offer a novel way to address goals and objectives in your Extended School Year plan, while preventing regression in certain key focus areas.
8-year-old Calla Whang* has gained fine motor skills, anxiety and anger control since starting music therapy, and has been able to focus on her attention with music therapist Anne Reed, otherwise known as ‘Ms. Anne’.
When asked what she enjoys the most about music therapy, Calla will tell you “everything, especially singing a song and playing an instrument.”
Calla is currently learning how to play flute and is showing significant progress each week.
“During a private music therapy session, we will sing songs, play instruments such as the recorder, piano, Q-chord and more,” says Reed. Reed is the Clinical Director of the Center for Music Therapy and has been able to watch clients like Calla use music to improve their every-day lives.
“Calla’s parents express gratitude that through her sessions, she has learned how to follow directions, build safe zone control for easing her anger and anxiety, and play the recorder nicely and cooperatively, “says Reed. “Calla’s parents share that prior to music therapy, she wanted to be perfect at everything – now she is able to practice at home with self-discipline.
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The Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD) believes that everyone can benefit from a vacation away from home, opportunities to meet new people and to learn new skills, especially during the summer. While CCBDD is not a direct provider of summer programs, they do support eligible individuals and their families by helping to pay for the cost of attending a summer camp program of their choosing, whether it’s a program designed for individuals of certain abilities or a summer camp available through their local YMCA, church or community rec center. In 2018, CCBDD committed over $250,000 to assist with the cost of summer camp opportunities, and they look forward to assisting even more people in 2019!
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Jacob Winkelman is your average fun-loving, sports-obsessed 21-year-old. When he is not attending school at the Monarch Center for Autism or interning here at Milestones, you may find him playing video games, following his favorite local sports team, the Cleveland Indians, or planning for his next cosplay event, a hobby that has brought him a new sense of community and belonging.
“My sister and I went to our first convention together and I met amazing people. I felt like ‘this is something I can do,'” Jacob says. “It’s amazing to know I can have autism and still feel at home.”
That first experience has now sparked a colorful and creative hobby for Jacob where he enjoys trying new costumes and meeting new people in the industry. One of Jacob’s biggest highlights so far since starting cosplay has been meeting Steve Blum of Wolverine and Cowboy Bebop fame, who was excited to talk to Jacob when he mentioned that he had autism.
“To hear Steve Blum say that autism is awesome… that makes you feel good.”
Next year, Jacob will be graduating. In preparation for this new chapter, Monarch and Milestones partnered to create an internship at Milestones to support him in pursuing goals such as mastering Excel, learning more about Photoshop and developing other office skills.
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