Giant Steps

Adult Autism Services? Yes, please!

It is the most open secret in the Autism Community: there are more adults with autism than adult service providers. And the problem is only going to get worse. In the next 15 years, an estimated 15,000 people with autism will graduate out of Illinois school systems. That is more than three times the number of adults with autism that Illinois is currently serving. You do not need to be a math wiz to realize that the numbers do not add up. What can we do about it?

Our society faces a huge challenge that will only be met through an intense and focused community effort. That effort starts with Giant Steps’ Replicable Model for Adult Day Programming. The Replicable Model utilizes best practices from the Giant Steps’ Therapeutic Day School to create high quality programming for adults with autism. This model will be shared, free of charge, with any interested organizations to help expand Adult Services in Illinois.

Right now, there are two bills in the Illinois House of Representatives in support of the Replicable Model and expansion of adult services in Illinois.

House Bill 4989 - synopsis as introduced: “Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services for grants to Giant Steps Illinois for adult day programs. Effective July 1, 2012.”
House Bill 4990 - synopsis as introduced: “Amends the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Act. Provides that subject to appropriations, the Department shall create a pilot program for adult day services for persons on the autism spectrum over the age of 22. Provides that the Department shall make grants to organizations that develop a replicable model for quality day services for adults with autism living in Illinois. Effective immediately.”

We need your help. Please contact your legislators and tell them that you support House Bills 4989 and 4990. Visit www.mygiantsteps.org/advocacy to find helpful links to contact your legislators as well as sending an email to Governor Quinn, Senate President Cullerton, and House Speaker Madison.

Visit www.mygiantsteps.org/advocacy today to send a signed petition to your legislator. Together, we can build a better future for adults living with autism in Illinois.

02/27/12

Tips for a successful Holiday Season

Think before you decorate. Some children can become very over stimulated by bright lights, clutter, or change. Think about limiting the amount of lights you use, or limiting them to a specific area. Also, have your child help decorate or show them pictures of what your home looked like during previous holidays to lessen the anxiety associated with change.

Practice Makes Perfect. Plan to have a practice party at the home you will be visiting for the holidays or your own home. Also think to practice waiting to open presents, turn taking while opening presents, and giving gifts. A wait/stop visual or countdown visual by wrapped presents could be helpful and a turn taking schedule for whose turn it is to open presents may be useful.

Be Prepared. After the practice party, determine what visuals (schedule, social story, first/then board), toys, and other items you may need. If food is a difficult time for your child, plan to bring your own food and then have a first/then board to let your child know that when they are done eating they will get a desired item. Also, it may be beneficial to have a specific space for your child where they can have sensory and play items.

Plan For Success. If a successful visit means arriving late and leaving early, let the host know and plan on being present for a specific amount of time.

Prepare Responses to Emotional Questions or Comments. Many extended family members do not understand Autism. To help avoid emotional outbursts, prepare a response to hurtful questions or comments. If a family member asks why you don’t discipline your child, you could reply that you are working on encouraging positive behaviors and not drawing attention to negative behaviors.

Have Fun! Allow your child and yourself to have fun. The holidays usually are not a great time to introduce new demands. Focus on maintaining routines as much as possible. Also, try to limit the stress of everyone else in the family because your child may negatively respond to the stress of others.

Take a Break. If possible, hire a respite worker, babysitter, or enroll in a special needs camp to allow you to get things done and maintain a lower stress level.

Don’t Focus on the Negative. Don’t stress about negative events that may have happened, if anything, think of what you have learned from the event. Discuss the positive events that happened over the holidays and ways your child has grown since the year before.

Have a Happy Holiday Season!

Diane Fialkowski

Social Work, Elementary

12/13/11

This is really fun video. Jack Black and Wyatt Isaacs, who has autism and stars in “Autism: the Musical,” performing a song called Sensitive.

11/4/11

Fall Parent Trainings

Fall Parent Trainings have started. Here is a link to a PowerPoint created by Julia Volm, OTR/L, for our most recent presentation “Sensory Processing Techniques for Home.” Click here to download a complete schedule of Fall Parent Trainings.

11/4/11

Last Thursday, Giant Steps held a mandatory state of school meeting for all parents and families. The purpose was to discuss the ongoing Community Campaign and the need for Giant Steps to pay down the debt on our building. Giant Steps is paying nearly $58,000 each month towards our mortgage. In order to maintain and expand programming, we need to raise an additional $3.5 million. If you are interested in learning more about the Community Campaign or finding ways you can help, please contact Dan Dahlke. And be sure to check out our Community Campaign Video and share it with family and friends. Together we can secure our future!

10/20/11

Risk of Autism Is Five Time Higher in Low-Birthweight Babies

10/17/11

I-Pad Lending Library

We are pleased to announce the opening of The Giant Steps Assistive Technology Trial Center. Funding to start the program was generously awarded through a $7,500 grant from the McGowan Gin Rosica Foundation. The Trial Center aims to give students and their families the opportunity to tryout the latest assistive technologies including iPads and iTouches loaded with Proloquo2Go software. Proloquo2Go is a program developed by Apple that includes a 7,000 word fully functional vocabulary and other supports that are applicable to a student’s everyday functioning, including scheduling and academic applications. These devices will first be made available to students in Giant Steps programming. However, schools, families, speech therapists, and any other community entity will have the opportunity to rent the technology and trial the device. We currently have 6 iPads and 6 iTouches available for rent with plans to add another 40 devices in the near future. The Trial Center is located at the front reception area at Giant Steps and is being administered by Julie Zajac. Please contact Julie at 630-864-3854 or attrialcenter@mygiantsteps.org for more information regarding the program or to rent a device.

09/23/11

It was absolutely stunning day at Silver Lakes Country Club in Orland Park for the 6^th Annual Bronks Limited Golf Outing. The event raised money for Giant Steps, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of children and families affected by autism. Over 40 golfers participated and additional 25 people attended the dinner/after party. Proceeds exceeded $5,000 that will go towards Giant Steps programming. A special thanks to Jennifer Bronk for donating her time and talent to organize this successful event, and all our other volunteers that made it possible. To see photos from the event visit www.facebook.com/mygiantsteps

07/27/11

Giant Steps Renovations to Benefit Students

by: Alexa Vouros

Since Giant Steps is committed to meeting the needs of the expanding autism population in Chicagoland, they were faced with a dilemma last December: How could they serve an increasing number of children while facing space and financial constraints?

Since Giant Steps’ move two years ago into its current facility, the staff has found creative ways to maximize space for the benefit of students. However, as the student population continued to grow, the need for additional classroom space was apparent to all. Last winter break and the most recent summer break allowed the opportunity to construct new rooms throughout the building, including two classrooms, therapists’ offices and a daycare center. Additionally, building space was reconfigured to allow for the creation of a new gymnasium, technology room (containing a SMART Board and touch-screen computers), library and more space for the high school students.

“All these changes are for the students. It’s not to make space for the staff. The space is being enhanced to provide services for the kids,” said Giant Steps Business Manager, Richard Glinka.

In spite of Giant Steps’ limited resources, these additions were made possible by utilizing the talent of in-house staff from the maintenance department and a number of generous donations, such as the partitions from Tellabs that enabled Giant Steps to move the student library into the middle of the school. The renovations were completed in two weeks at a third of the cost.

In addition to new rooms for students, a Controlled Egress System (CES) was installed on entry/exit doors in the building. The CES triggers a 15 second delay on exterior doors when opened without a keycard. The 15 second delay ensures students cannot leave the building without staff awareness, allowing staff to better prevent unsafe situations. Despite the delay, the CES permits all doors to open immediately in emergency situations. “[Giant Steps] worked in conjunction with the Lisle Building Department and the Lisle Fire Department to make sure the system is safe,” said Glinka.

Through donations from generous benefactors, Giant Steps continues to grow and improve services. “The expansion gives the school a greater ability to provide for current and future students”, which, allows Giant Steps to continue to be “a special building for kids to learn,” said Glinka.

07/18/11

Chargers, Giant Steps students savor football experience

ST. CHARLES – Tri-City Chargers youth football players clapped their hands and touched their toes on Wednesday morning in a display that mirrored a typical pregame routine.

Things grew perplexing when the boys’ guest drill instructor called a trick play.

Joy Cooper, educational director at the Giant Steps of Illinois school for autistic children, was actually touching her head – not her toes – leaving players to look around in bewilderment.

“Some of us bent down and then she told us that’s how they feel all the time,” Charger A.J. Jaffe said. “How we just got confused there.”

Wednesday’s Charger camp at James O. Breen Community Park promoted togetherness and interaction, as Cooper’s brief autism seminar for volunteer players gave way to a field day for her students.

Click to read the full article at the Kane County Chronicle

07/11/11