Learning Soccer: What It Can Do for Your Autistic Child?

Your child will love to experience soccer in a fun way.

Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by challenges in many social interactions, communication difficulties and a usual tendency to engage in repetitive actions. Children under the spectrum usually have a timid behavior and are generally taken as being introvert kids.

These difficulties, including sensory sensitivity, are usually manifested by delayed language development, problems in understanding and using non-verbal communication such as facial expressions or gestures, complications in forming and sustaining friendships and sensitivity to loud noises, bright lights, and strong scents.

That’s why soccer is a great sport, because it can help improve your child’s motor skills, strength, coordination and some other aspects like self confidence. Since Soccer is a teamwork sport, it enables your child to work on his social skills and communications with his or her teammates as well, it is a great option to face the spectrum with different and effective tools.

Here are some of the reasons why soccer is a good sport for your autistic child to play:

Motor skills development

• Soccer is a great sport for helping in the development and further improvement of motor skills in autistic children. Soccer requires a certain amount of concentration when playing because the child has to focus on the ball while concentrating on his body movements.
• This sport is an ideal activity to help children develop motor skills because it requires practice that, with the help of a coach who teaches step by step the movements, provides the necessary help in the development and improvement of these skills. Also, soccer practice will help with the child gain strength and coordination with the ball.

Social skills and communication, teamwork and cooperation

• Practicing sports can help develop the ability to cooperate with others, and this will grant major success with the child's relationships. Since soccer is a sport that has a coach looking after everything that’s going on, he will motivate the children to work as a team to make the plays, instead of promoting solo performances.
• Soccer also helps to develop social skills and establishing good communications because the child will need to interact with his or her teammates in order to achieve the desired play.

Self Esteem and confidence

• For a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, practicing a sport can be very meaningful and bring positive aspects in the self-esteem and confidence fields. When playing soccer the child can, as said before, interact with other children and at the same time this will allow him or her to get to know their self better and improve their confidence and self-esteem.
• Since soccer is an activity that requires control of the ball and the entire body, self-esteem plays an important role because as the child starts growing comfortable with his or her body and his surroundings, it will allow him or her to perform different tasks correctly when playing. When playing team sports, confidence plays a fundamental role.

Children can learn social skills. They can also learn how to control their impulses and deal with stress.

Autism Soccer is a project created to help autistic children develop happily and in a safe environment by practicing a sport that can be beneficial to their health and ease up the love for sports. For more information about the project and how to enroll your child in this activities, do not hesitate to contact us through our social networks or website.

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Benefits of Soccer on Children with Disabilities

These are all the ways Autism Soccer can help children!

When our CEO, Oscar Amuz, started Autism Soccer, he did it because he was a soccer player himself and he wanted to give something back to his community. That way, this project was born. Five years have passed since then, and we’ve been blessed to see with our own eyes how our plans and activities make children happy and improve their lives. Who knew soccer could have such power?

No child is the same, whatever their condition is. However, autism spectrum disorder covers a range of common characteristics and behaviors, such as repetitive movements, failure to respond to one’s name, obsessive attachment to objects, difficulty in speaking or socializing and motor impediments. We wanted to create an environment in which children could improve their skills and overcome some of their challenges. We’ve grown, and now we help kids with a wide variety of disabilities.

How does soccer help them?

Soccer is a team sport. It’s supposed to be fun! Through social interaction and a team spirit, we help kids improve their social skills and boost their confidence. They enter a space in which they can be themselves, laugh and enjoy a great time with their friends. Being physically active raises dopamine levels as well, so it can also be great to get in a better mood.

Families can also benefit from these activities because they can rejoy on seeing their children grow up healthy and happy. It helps parents or guardians have a better relationship with them and get involved in the sports their kids enjoy. They can practice at home and spend time with them.

It’s great for motor skills!

Kids with autism spectrum disorder and many other physical or mental affections often suffer from motor challenges. They can affect their agility, balance, strength, and dexterity. A sport like soccer is perfect for improving these skills, as they have to focus on an object (the ball) and concentrate while keeping control of their bodies and movements.

All this while having a cooperation mindset, to win, children need to work together and understand their strengths. Defensive players support the midfield and offensive positions during attacks on the opponents’ goal. Offensive positions must return to their own goal to help the defensive positions when they are under pressure from the other team.  To pass the ball, they need constant communication among each other. It’s great for learning about themselves and the capabilities of their bodies!

They behave better

Sports like soccer encourage kids to learn team values, sportsmanship, and patience. They learn that winning is not everything, they learn to wait for their turn and tolerate others. Children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other types of affection often have behavioral issues, and soccer is ideal to help mitigate some of those effects.

If you want to help our kids or enroll your child in one of our activities, find out more about Autism Soccer by entering our website or following us on social media! We’re a non-profit organization working every day for our kids in Florida. Give us a call and join our movement!

Always give them the opportunity to spend time doing what they love.

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Los atletas especiales: ¿cómo cambió el deporte sus vidas?

Para muchos niños con necesidades especiales, a veces solo se necesita un pequeño impulso y una plataforma para lograr sus sueños.

Las discapacidades intelectuales son algo para lo que ni la vida ni la sociedad nos prepara, ya sea que nosotros mismos, o miembros de nuestra familia, nazcamos con ellas o las desarrollemos. Es algo que sencillamente sucede, y es en el camino que aprendemos a sobreponernos a sus dificultades. A veces, cuesta entender que, a pesar de que se es diferente, la vida sigue estando llena de oportunidades y posibilidades. La verdad es que siempre seremos capaces de escribir increíbles historias de vida si nos lo proponemos, sean cuales sean nuestras circunstancias. Si no lo crees, quizá sólo te falta hallar un poco de inspiración y motivación. Y de eso, los atletas especiales tienen mucho.

En el mundo, al menos 300 millones de personas viven con algún tipo de discapacidad intelectual.  Para millones de ellas, el deporte representa una ruta posible, llena de sueños por cumplir, metas que superar y competencias que ganar. Lo mejor es que, en el campo de juego, todos los atletas son iguales. Sin importar su condición, si tienen o no alguna discapacidad, si son más o menos experimentados que otros, todos buscan alcanzar el mismo objetivo: superarse a sí mismos y demostrar que no hay límites cuando la mente aprende a deshacerse de ellos.

No será diferente si eres un atleta especial. Desde que se crearon instituciones como los Juegos Paralímpicos o las Olimpíadas Especiales, los individuos con discapacidades han encontrado un lugar donde ponerse a prueba y demostrarle al mundo y a sí mismos todo lo que tienen para dar. Es un hecho: el deporte trae vida, cultura y desarrollo a cualquier lugar o persona que toca y es una actividad que nos llena de alegría y salud para vivir al máximo con nuestras capacidades.

Para Pablo Ulises Lázaro, atleta autista que forma parte de las Olimpíadas Especiales de México, fueron muchas las cosas que mejoraron en su vida gracias al deporte. Según su madre, luego de que Pablo comenzó a entrenar a los 12 años, su autoestima aumentó, se volvió más enérgico, más autosuficiente, ganó medallas en eventos nacionales e internacionales, conoció a muchas personas, logró su independencia y comenzó a vivir solo.

El deporte puede, sin duda alguna, dar un giro de 180 grados a la vida de cualquier persona. Así fue para Israel, quien es jugador de fútbol mexicano: “me cambió la vida; ahora estoy más feliz, tengo muchos amigos y diario hago ejercicio. Puedo relacionarme mejor con la gente y me emociona mucho todos los eventos a los que voy porque cada día conozco diferentes personas, y mi familia cada día está más orgullosa de mí”.

Para otros, la motivación es bastante simple. Cuando a Kim Chandler, de 38 años, le preguntan sobre sus victorias, ella simplemente responde: “Me gusta ganar”.  Es una nadadora olímpica con múltiples medallas a quien el síndrome de Down no ha detenido en absoluto. Asimismo, Chandler también disfruta de ayudar a otros compañeros y jóvenes atletas enseñándolos a nadar y convirtiéndose así en un modelo a seguir para ellos.

Y así, millones de atletas especiales a lo largo de 140 países han hecho del deporte su pasión y su vida, alcanzando metas que destruyen cualquier prejuicio sobre quiénes son y la forma en que viven su vida. En Autism Soccer, buscamos proporcionar las herramientas necesarias para iniciar a nuestros niños en el divertido e increíble mundo del deporte. Con entrenamiento, amor y confianza, ¡cualquier cosa es posible!

Tener una discapacidad no ha hecho a estos atletas perder la meta de sus vidas.

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Autism Movement Therapy

This therapy helps them improve their ability to learn through movement sequence and patterns, tempo and rhythm.

When it comes down to choosing ways to help your children, either as a parent or relative, you always seek for the best. We know how difficult it is to see children with autism struggle because of their condition, but there’s always a way to support them. Today, we’ll show you an alternative therapy that has proved to be very effective: the Autism Movement Therapy.

Joanne Lara: the mind behind AMT

This therapy was first developed by Joanne Lara, a severe education specialist teacher with a master in special education. She was a professional dancer whose advocacy focused on improving the lives of autistic individuals, helping them through movement and musical lessons. All her efforts turned towards the foundation of Autism Movement Therapy.

Joanne is an adjunct professor at National University in LA, California, where she helped in the design of the Autism Certificate. Lara teaches Autism Movement Therapy classes in Van Nuys, CA, where she has private consultation practices of her AMT. She’s also produced a documentary called Generation A: Portraits of Autism and the Arts.

The Organization

Autism Movement Therapy, Inc is an organization (nonprofit) that focuses on supporting those with neurological disabilities and peers on the autism spectrum. The program follows a structured musical method based on re-mapping, a sensory integration technique. Also, there’s the Positive Behavior Support, a strategy that aids individuals with the disorder in the development of their speech and language.

Not only this organization seeks for helping individuals improve their quality of life. AMT also seeks for expanding the awareness and advocacy to raise the voices and dignity of the autism community. As a nonprofit organization, their value can be seen in the many testimonials which are the living proof of its success.

If you’re willing to support causes like this one, you just have to access their website and collaborate. No matter how little your donation is, it will help.

Autism is a complex disorder that demands support and attention. When your children get the assistance and love they need, the odds are they’ll have a better outcome in life. Autism Soccer is a nonprofit organization that puts passion and love in what they do, so if you’re looking for a place for your children to improve their skills, then your choice is to contact them!

This is a sensory integration strategy that can help with the development of children with autism.

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Robison: An Example for Autistic Advocates

The life of John Elder Robinson was full of struggles and hardships due to Asperger and society's misconceptions. He even dropped out of high school but found, later on, an opportunity in the music business.

Every movement or initiative requires an individual as an example to follow. That individual must represent the ideals and will of those who take part of the initiative. Not for personal realization or for a popularity goal, but to raise awareness. Autistic self-advocates are not scarce, but today we’ll talk about an active member of this initiative: John Elder Robison.

Robison was born in Athens, Georgia, in 1957.  He is the author of two books: Look Me in the Eye (2007), a memoir that details his life as an undiagnosed Asperger’s, and Switched on (2016), a chronicle of how TMS changed his life. Added to that, he’s best known for the creation of the special effects the band KISS had in their guitars in the 70s.

In his early years, he was a loner. He spent most of his childhood in solitude, unable to make any friends. His parents often took him to different therapists, and he was sent to several schools in an attempt to understand what the problem was.

The social disability of Robison was taken as a rebellious attitude, and he was soon labeled as a “misbehaving student” and “lazy”. By the tenth grade, he decided to drop high school. The answers arrived much later in his life but turned out to be essential in the decisions he made afterward.

Robison could tell he had a problem to reach and understand social environments. It was by the late 1980s that he quit his job as a manager at a Boston electronics firm. He was tired of feeling like he didn’t quite fit. After that, he got into mechanics. Fixing cars played a big role in his life, as he found himself immersed in the world of machines.

This is where J.E. Robison Service became a successful business. Robison specializes in motor car work for Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Rolls-Royces, and many other cars. His company became widely popular across the nation in customization work and restoration. Customers from all parts of New England pay a visit there just to get their cars pimped by him.

After meeting a therapist that visited JE Robison Service, he was told about Asperger’s Syndrome. That day Robison’s life changed forever, and after that, he would never be the same. With that understanding, he became aware that he couldn’t just stay doing what he used to.

In 2007, he published Look Me in the Eye. The book discusses his life as an individual who lived the autism spectrum without being aware of it. The book was an instant bestseller that propelled him to become a voice of autistic individuals. Autism opened the door for awareness.

Today, he leads initiatives in favor of autism investigation. His main concern is to improve the life quality of those who have this condition. It’s a gift to have someone like Robison working day and night towards the rights of autistic people.

Ask yourself if you’re doing at least a little to help those who need it, and if you’re not, there are many ways to support the community! You can help nonprofit organizations like Autism Soccer by donating or spreading the word. Remember! You’re doing it for future generations. Be an example people will look up to!

Robison continues to work hard in support of autistic individuals and, as an Aspergers' himself, constantly stands up for their rights.

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Differences between Asperger’s and Autistic children

Both of these conditions affect children differently, and knowing how each develop can help you understand your child.

Today’s communities focus on the task at hand: to provide a better place for those who struggle in life. Overall, the mission has succeeded for the most part. Autism and Asperger’s share the spectrum and have some similarities, but they are not the same. Even though many individuals are diagnosed with ASD, there’s still confusion about which condition is which. Early diagnosis isn’t enough: the differences must be explained so they can be fully understood as different disorders.

Asperger

Children with Asperger Syndrome show difficulties in social engagement. They find it challenging to identify and show their feelings. Another feature they show is the lack of eye contact or avoidance, meaning they end up having difficulties to understand and read the faces and gestures of other people.

Autism

Autism presents itself at an early age. It is most noticeable because children expose unusual behavior compared to neurotypical peers. Autistic children avoid social engagement almost entirely. Unless they are high-functioning (which is a condition similar to Asperger’s) it might be hard to communicate effectively with them. Another characteristic of autism is a repetitive behavior in their daily routine and the necessity to follow schedules.

Are they really different?

So far, it seems as these two are not that different after all. The behavior expressed by both Autistics and Asperger’s individuals tends to confuse, and more if we face a case of high functioning autism.

The fundamental difference between these two comes at early stages of growth: whereas autistic children have language's delays and difficulties, Asperger’s show no signs of delay in language development whatsoever.

Later on, children with AS tend to be socially awkward, which isn’t quite the same compared to their Autistics peers. Why and which patterns AS follow? There’s isn’t a clear answer, but they’re unquestionably different in certain behavioral aspects.

Research has come a long way in the attempt to understand what makes Autism what it is and why there are so many similarities with other cognitive disorders. The Autism Spectrum still puzzles scientists today, but there’s yet to be done regarding research and awareness of this condition.

On a brighter note, Autism Soccer happily opens their doors for children with developmental difficulties in manners of social interaction and communication. These challenges and complications are worked on during their soccer practices. Don’t worry! Your children won’t get hurt since they have professionals that will make sure everything comes out right. All you have to do now is give them a call!

These conditions share some similar triats, and you need to learn them.

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Autism and Semantics: People-first Language

Children with autism need help from professors, therapists and parents to change the world to a people-first language.

Language is the most powerful way to reach others and communicate. Communication demands that verbal and nonverbal expressions are in equilibrium to ensure the successful delivery of the message to those who are listening. People-first language has been a matter of debate on the subject of autism. “individual with ASD,” “person with autism,” “person who has autism” are examples of people-first, but why is it used? And what does autistic self-advocates think of it? Let’s start by explaining what it means to use this language in general.

People-first language is, in essence, a way to emphasize the value of the person beyond the condition itself. It means that the individual is more important than any condition that could have. This language respectfully puts the person before the disability in a way people can relate to them without the disabilities getting all the attention.

But as it is widely used, it is also criticized by several autistic self-advocates and members of the autism community, who prefer using “autistic,” “autistic individual” or “autistic person,” as a form of acceptance of the condition as a necessary part of autistics’ identity. The stigma behind these terms is that it feels insulting to parents when people use these terminologies to refer to their children.

All terminologies stated above are widely used in most autistic communities in an attempt to identify children and individuals in society. The debate resides in how people perceive autism: with people-first language focusing on the person-not-the-disability vs. those who claim it’s offensive to deny the condition itself.

It’s understandable to feel the need to protect your children from harm, but you need to keep in mind that your kids' condition is something that they should relate and identify with and not a title to be looked down upon by others. The moment you deny what they are in essence, your children could feel just as bad as you do.

Which choice is better then? It depends on the context: if you’re in a community of autistic self-advocates, people-first might be inappropriate. Nonetheless, if you’re in a group of parents or communities of people without autism, consider using people-first language.

Hopefully, there’ll be a way to find a point in between these two, for the sake of both sides. From understanding comes closeness, further turning into more support for the cause. Search a way to communicate properly, and if your intentions are pure, your message will reach those who need it.

This a oreferred terminology and an initiative present in most of the institutions that work with people with autism.

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