Information Exchange - Winter 2006

Issue 70 Winter 2006

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Information Exchange celebrates the journey that we allmake along the 'journey of understanding' about thespecial babies, children, young people and adults whoshare our lives. It exists as a Forum and support for allwho have, along with sensory needs, other complex ones.

Information Exchange is compiled with help from manycorners of the world - ideas written and spoken, ideasseen and experiences shared. It is fully independent andthe Editorial Team work hard on a voluntary basis tobring out the magazine - three times a year. There arealso unseen supporters of the magazine who help inmany ways.

Information Exchange has a buzz that is fostered whenreaders get together through the magazine itself. Thebasic remit of the magazine is the exchange ofinformation in an accessible and unbiased way. There isa delight in newly found discoveries, sensory trinkets,soothing aromas, new ideas, books, technology, issuesto discuss and Rag Bag ideas to share.

Information Exchange is for everyone - family members,parents, carers, educators, therapists or anyone whoneeds to find out more or gain confidence from othersby reading, challenging and discussing. In this inclusiveway, everyone is learning and growing together throughthe medium of the magazine.

Contents

Editors page 3

Contents

2 Issue 70 Winter 2006

Copyright

We have requests to reprint articles that haveappeared in Information Exchange from time to time.Please note that such requests are passed on to theoriginal authors for their decision on publication.

Price - £6.00 per individual copy

Advertising RatesBack Cover £350.00Full Page £250.00Half Page £150.00Quarter Page £75.00

Disclaimer

The views expressed in Information Exchange are those ofindividual authors and so do not necessarily represent theviews of the Editorial Team. Also, neither the individualcontributors nor the team can be held responsible for anyconsequences resulting from the purchase or use ofequipment, toys, techniques or ideas featured or advertisedin the magazine.

Editorial

Editorial The Information Exchange Editorial TeamFlo Longhorn: Managing Editor, Consultant in Special

EducationCatherine de Haas: Parent and Speech and Language

TherapistSara Clift: Subscriptions SecretaryRoger Longhorn: WebmasterKay Evans: Teacher and regular reader of IESue Granger: A volunteer who lives in FranceSally Slater: Consultant in Special EducationKaren Buckley: Teacher working in Sheffield

Additional advice and support from Sally Silverman ourroving reporter

Kate Sullivan, Bronwen Campbell and NaomiRosenberg: Support teachers for the Sensory ImpairedService in Bristol

Evelyn Varma who lives in Somerset: Editing and WordProcessing

And you – the reader, send your ideas and articles to theEditor!

SubscriptionsAll enquiries to:Sara Clift, Subscriptions, Information Exchange,1A Potters Cross, Wootton, Bedfordshire MK43 9JGTel and Fax: 01234 764108Email: [email protected]

Editorial and Administration Address Flo Longhorn: Managing Editor

1A Potters Cross , Wootton, Bedfordshire MK43 9JG

OR

24 Fazantenlaan, Bredene-Am-Zee, B8450 Belgium

Tel/Fax: 0845 127 5281Email: [email protected]

3Issue 70 Winter 2006

Sensory ScienceThe objectives of the science workshop were to give ideas for age appropriate sensory activities for Nationalcurriculum topics. The topics ‘How we smell things’, ‘How we hear things’, and ‘How we feel things’ weredemonstrated with a group of KS3 and 4 pupils who all have Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties andComplex needs.

To represent the fact ‘smells are invisible chemicals floating in the air’, a sari infused with perfume was waftedabove the participants. To represent the fact ‘as you breathe in, smells travel up your nose/, Japanese fans werewafted with force. Giant fennel, grown in the class garden, was explored as a starter activity to the ‘How we smellthings’ lesson.

Hints and tips for including PMLD pupils in other science activities were also discussed.

Pupils experiencing smell (Fennel, grown in the class garden), and wind using a sari and perfume spray.

Sharing Good Practice


MusicThis workshop looked at music as a multi-sensory approach, using music as a tool to access and enhance all areasof the curriculum: including history, geography and maths as well as dance, movement and massage.

Delegates enjoying a hands on experience

Bleasdale House Community Special School is situatedin Silverdale. The school is a residential school andcaters for pupils aged 2-19 who have Profound andMultiple Learning Difficulties, associated sensoryimpairments and complex needs. Many of our pupilshave visual impairment.

Staff within the school are able to use their expertise toshare good practice and advise staff in other schools.

Recently Bleasdale House School played a major role inhosting a CENTRA Conference on Assessment forLearning. The day was devoted to the PMLD pupil anddelegates came from a widespread area, including:

Billingham, Nottingham, Gateshead, Warrington, Wirral,Newcastle upon Tyne, Huddersfield, Blackpool, Leeds,Blackburn, Preston, Middlesbrough, Ulverston,Manchester, Sheffield, Northwich, Consett, andMansfield.

Richard Aird was the Keynote Speaker, along with hiswife, Karen. Staff within the school ran a series ofworkshops with pupils, which included Sensory Science,Literacy, Technology and Textiles and Music, Swimmingand a demonstration of how we adapt the SherborneMovement.



LiteracyThe Literacy workshop gave a brief overview of the school and its Literacy provision designed for pupils workingbetween P levels 1 to 3. Delegates observed a demonstration lesson, where pupils experienced a shared readusing a sensory text in conjunction with an animated PowerPoint. Pupils then demonstrated their literacy skills andparticipated in supported group work where the text was explored in more depth, using a variety of sensorymaterials to represent the story. Key words concentrated on pupils’í senses in order to direct the appropriateresponses targeted, and the plenary provided a focus for Assessment for Learning and the celebration of pupils’íachievements. A display of sample texts, resources and detailed planning was available for delegates to peruse and to share inBleasdale’ís approach to literacy. The examples shown provided delegates with inspiration and ideas to take backto their own school environments.

Pupils experiencing a Sensory Story through the use of Powerpoint, switches and Objects of Reference.

Technology and TextilesDuring this workshop delegates were able to participate in a range of activities alongside pupils from classes withinschool, using a variety of techniques with textiles as the focus. Topics included paper pulp making, fusing textiles,resist work, transfer prints, felt making and ways of enhancing and using textiles. All the activities had previouslybeen used successfully with pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Pupils demonstrated how tooperate the liquidiser using a switch, how to make paper pulp, making this accessible for all. Following this , pupilswere assisted to make their own textiles by demonstrating fusing using a variety of materials sandwiched between2 pieces of clear contact.. The tufting activity proved to be popular with delegates producing some highlyimaginative pictures by pushing small squares of fabric into a polystyrene tile with foam handles. Finally, everyoneparticipated in making a small piece of felt, a very therapeutic way to end the session.

A pupil enjoying making paper pulp using aswitch to activate the liquidiser.

The delegates participated in the fun!



The Sherborne MovementThis workshop showed how the work carried out in the Sherborne sessions at Bleasdale House School is anadaptation of the work of Veronica Sherbourne, to meet the needs of pupils with PMLD. who are unable to access all of the activities within a full Sherborne session.

Movement experiences are fundamental to the development of all children, but particularly important to childrenwith special needs, who often have difficulty relating to their own bodies and to other people. Sherborne sessionsoffer the experience of movement, body awareness and body contact.

Pupils enjoying the relaxation and music.

SwimmingThe lack of information available on swimming courses has led people working in the field to be isolated andunsure of the most effective teaching strategies for pupils with PMLD. Sharing expertise and ideas is a great way todevelop the curriculum for our pmld pupils.

At Bleasdale House School we have our own warm therapy pool and experienced swimming teacher. An extensiverange of curriculum activities are used in the pool, based on the National Curriculum P.E. activity specific(Swimming), with modifications and substitutions to meet pupils’í individual needs. These experiences andappropriate learning opportunities, together with imaginative resources using auditory and visual input, provideexcellent opportunities for individual development.

The whole pool environment is computerised. Music and lighting can be added as necessary and the under waterlights and dancing fountains all add to the effect. It is amazing to see our pupils move independently in the water.

Pupils experiencing freedom of movement in the water

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Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the EarlyYears: A Guide for PractitionersDr. Rita Jordan

The numbers of children with these conditions seem to beincreasing and staff are being faced with the difficultiesof helping these children learn and develop. This bookwill provide you with a practical understanding to helpyou achieve this. Although aimed at those working inearly years settings, this will also be helpful to parents ofyoung children with ASD. Sections include:

• diagnoses; • understanding ASDs; • educational goals and specialist approaches; • working with parents; • building communication; • developing social understanding and enabling play; • managing behaviour.

The main areas of concern are addressed in a clear andreadable style, always with a practical focus, and shortexamples, on what needs to be done and the principlesto guide your practice.

103 pages (Product Code ASD)

Price £8.00 (inclusive of postage and packing)

Tel: 01785 620364Email: [email protected]: www.qed.uk.com

“A Winter’s Tale” by Robert Sabuda

The simple, elegant text is illustrated with breathtakingartwork and extraordinary paper engineering. Stunningvisual effects of foil, glitter and a twinkling surprisefurther capture the magic of winter.

There is also a new book justready for Christmas called:

“The Night beforeChristmas”Both books are exceptionalunder ultra violet light – anenchanting magic land ofexperience.

Price £19.99

Published by Simon and Schuster (ISBN 1-416-90468-9)www.simonsays.co.uk

FFrreeee!!!! BBrriilllliiaanntt!!!!

WWeellll--ddoonnee WWaalleess!!!!

From the WelshAssembly: Routesfor Learning

The Routes for Learning materials will supportschools in assessing the early communication andcognitive skills of learners with profound learningdifficulties and additional disabilities whose progresswill not necessarily be hierarchical. The materialsmeet the very individual needs of these learners byshowing a range of possible learning pathways.

These materials have been designed to be usedacross the curriculum with learners of all ages andmay be a resource for teachers, support staff, schoolmanagers, LEA advisory staff and trainers in InitialTeacher Education and Training (ITET) institutions.

The pack contains:

Routes for Learning – Assessment bookletRoutes for Learning – Additional guidanceRoutemap: example sheetRoutes for Learning DVDCase study DVD

Copies of this pack are available by contacting theWelsh assembly at

0870 242 3207


Book, CD & DVD Reviews

This is the most beautiful pop-up book I have ever seen

~ Flo Longhorn

Book, CD & DVD Reviews

Have you seen the manual

’An integrated pathwayfor assessment andsupport-for childrenwith complex needsand their families’?

Information can be found on www.icwhatsnew.com

This book would be of particular interest to therapistsworking together on updating and maintaining carepathways for children with profound disability.

My granny’s purse’ and my granddadsbrief case’ by P. Hanson

‘My granny’s purse’ and ‘Mygrandpa’s briefcase’ are themost wonderful interactivebooks for everyone. Theybulge with different activities,mementoes, life lessons andjam-packed joy. Withgranddad you will find tonguetwisters, you can use hisfavourite whoopee cushionand you can even tieshoelaces and put on hisspecs.

Granny’s purse is justas exciting as youenter a treasurechest of memories,magic and specialtreats (a little box ofchocolates!) Peekinside her notebook.Try on her leopardskin glasses. Look inher mirror. Tie abow. Open the envelope and put on her rings.

Granny’s motto is ‘be happy and don’t throw anythingaway’

Granddads wisdom says’ count your pennies and countyour blessings’. These books are a treat and you canfind them on www.amazon.co.uk

Or order at a bookshop. They are about £9 each andworth every penny.

A reminder to readers about thisexcellent, well-researched book,all about

Learning ThroughTouchMike McLinden and SteveMcCall are based atBirmingham University and theyhave written a very readablebook that covers every aspect

of our biggest sensory system the tactile system. It coversa variety of areas, which are all very relevant to veryspecial learners. It is available on www.amazon.com orat your bookseller. Highly recommended.


Presenting Puree– presentation skills and ideas for pureed mealsDepartment of Health and Human Services,Tasmania

Pureed food can be very boring…try a fewdays of pureed food and you will understand what it’s like!Even though the texture may need to be consistentconsider the taste and smell. A large percentage ofwhat we call “taste” is actually provided by our sense ofsmell. For example, the smell of an orange providesapproximately 75% of what we perceive as “taste” wheneating an orange!

“Need help and ideas on how to create enticing andappetising pureed meals? Presenting Puree is full ofinformation on nutrition and the pureed diet and tips forpreparing, cooking, blending and presenting pureedfood”.

Cost per Booklet: NZ$20.00 (including GST) + NZ$5.00postage and packaging

For further information contact:Megan Hanley – Ph (03) 6222 7305Email: [email protected] Stansbie – Ph (03) 6230 7600Email: [email protected]

Found in the ECAPPSS newsletter from Austalia

Health


Romeo and Juliet – Dorin Park School style!

Each summer term the senior pupils at Dorin Park Schoolin Chester use performing arts to support the Shakespearethey study in English. A script is created and a dancechoreographed with the pupils and it was so good that itwas performed at the ‘Step up and dance’ festival at theBridgewater Hall in Manchester in July.

Romeo and Juliet is great as it works on so many levelsand the pupils enjoy the teenage themes of parentsnagging you and partying and falling in love! Thelanguage is so musical too and the text was taughtthrough songs and chants and all the pupils couldrecognize and enjoy some bits.

They loved the specially created song that was written tothe tune of ‘There was a princess long ago’. The firstverse went: ‘There was a girl called Juliet, Juliet aCapulet, There was a girl called Juliet, Long long ago’.There were special Romeo and Juliet puppets to go withthe song.

The book was 10 pages of different aspects of the storyand then the very special pupils followed each aspectup with something practical and related to them. Themasked ball was particularly enjoyed with mask makingand making and sampling different foods.

� Here is the story sack and items from it

Here are some pictures of the pupils making the items for the story sack

All the pupils joined in the dances and the music, with some pupils dancing and some playing instruments. Themovements were simple but effective and representing enmity with red and black sticks, then love and reconciliationwith scarves. Here are some pupils performing the dance.

This is the third year that the special pupils of Dorin Park School have enjoyed Shakespeare in this way, previouslywriting and performing Midsummer Nights Dream and The Tempest. They must be excellent at it because they will beperforming the play at the Theatre Clwyd in Mold in February as part of the BBC1 Night of Shakespeare. Good luckto them and well done to all the pupils and staff.

Romeo and Juliet – Dorin Park School style!


Poetry –– ‘The Black Pebble’Have a look at this poem all about the adventures of three children who go down to the beach and discover all sortson the sand and in the sea. The bag has the poem attached for easy reading and it holds the objects found – shells,green glass and a black stone. As the poem is read, the objects are found in the bag, examined and passed aroundthe listeners. They can go to the seaside too...


Dangly activities from Lister Lane School

What an exciting little room full of the most interestingthings to explore when sitting, using a wheelchair orlying on the floor in a cosy enclosed space

A simple frame holds sensory delights from a femininepoint of view, and touch and hold………..and sniff

This is a desk size frame that can encourage reachgrasp…..and investigate

A revolving indoors clothes dryer offers an excitingrange of objects that are interesting to hold, smell, twirland make sounds

This is a teenager mobile using a revolving peg lineand objects of interest to a student

Dangly activities from Lister Lane School

Lots of fishy creatures on this underwater mobile usingthe circular peg holder

A washing up and cleaning mobile using a peg washingline

A simple mobile of interesting articles using a clothesdryer and ribbons to secure the objects


This is the second article sentto Information Exchange, byLilli Nielsen. She lookscarefully at how the child withvisual impairment requiressensitive understanding in

order to enable them to actively learn usingtheir hands. Copies of her books areobtainable from www.lillibooks.com

‘How the Approachof Guiding theHands of theVisually ImpairedChild Can Disturbhis Opportunity toBuild Up Strategiesfor Tactile Orientation’By Lilli Nielsen, PhD Denmark

When a sighted person wants to show an object or anenvironment to a child or an adult who is visually impaired,the sighted person often uses the approach of guiding thechild's or adults hand(s) over the surface of the object orfrom one specific spot of the environment to another one. The person who is visually impaired seems to dislike beingexposed to this approach. Even the infant who is blindreacts to this approach with disappointment or bywithdrawing his hand. Is this reaction just an emotionalprotest or should it rather be seen as the child trying toprotect his cognitive abilities?

IntroductionIn a review of the development ofthe haptic-perceptual modality Vander Poel (1988) states that"Adequate stimulation of the hapticreceptors leads to perception oftouch, pressure, temperature andpain. In this way the surface of theskin becomes prepared for theability to assimilate specific information. This leads to hapticconsciousness. When the child starts to become consciousabout the specific meaning of different haptic experiencesa cognitive coupling takes place and thus prepares thechild for more sophisticated haptic perception". Van derPoel also refers to Warren (1982) who has stated that theinfant, in the beginning, is satisfied with the hapticexperience itself.

Together with the maturing of the cognitive processes amove from performing subjective to more objective andmeaningful activities is taking place, so that the child canacquire knowledge about his surroundings by means of thehaptic-perceptual modality.

This means that the information coming from the hapticreceptors is necessary for the visually impaired child if he isto perceive the qualities of the objects or the environmentsthat he is exposed to. This perception can easily bedisturbed if the child's hand is guided, because some of thechild's haptic receptors will be activated by the touch andpressure of the adult's hand thus bringing to the childinformation which has nothing to do with the object or theenvironment that the child is supposed to perceive.According to Baddeley (1986) the child can only establisha memory if he has opportunity to repeat his experiences.This means that when the child starts to combine theinformation coming from his kinaesthetic and tactilereceptors as well as when he combines new hapticexperiences with those already stored, he will also have torepeat such cognitive activities.

Building up strategies for tactileorientationVan der Poel (1988) mentions thatthe visually impaired child has athis disposal only weak strategiesfor solving cognitive problemsregarding spatial orientation.

Edelman (1994) states that the child learns by selecting.With regard to acquiring strategies for tactile searchEdelman's statement means that the visually impaired childwill have to discover different strategies by means of hisown activities and so develop several strategies to selectfrom.

Observations of blind persons, both children and adults,while performing tactile search of an object or anenvironment show that the blind person develops differentstrategies for different purposes or tasks. The first strategyused for exploring a novel object may be perfunctory. Thesecond, third or fourth time the child explores this object hemay use a strategy which includes more differentiatedexploration, and perform more repetitions of that way ofexploring. Or maybe, in some situations, the strategy ofdifferentiated search is used immediately, followed by amore perfunctory strategy after which the object may havebecome so familiar that only a slight touch is necessary tocall forth in the visually impaired person's mind the imageor the map of the entire object.

While the child is building up strategies for tactileorientation he will also add to the haptic information theinformation he can achieve from other sensory modalities.Although the child during the first year of life will dependvery much on the olfactory sensory modalities whilebuilding up his strategies for tactile orientation he will lateroften prefer to gain support from the auditory sensorymodality.

To build up sensory-based strategies for imagining andmapping objects and environments and to do so on hisown is an important part of the visually impaired child'scognitive development.


Lilli Nielsen writes.....



The following figure shows the steps of the cognitiveprocess of learning to imagine and to map objects andsurroundings.

Information from the Sensory Modalities ofHearing Touch Smell Taste Kinaesthetic Ability

Areby Means of Repetitions Stored in the Child's

Memory

According to the Child's Experiencesa Cognitive Process Establishes in the Memory

Categories, Associations and Connexions and

the Ability to Recognize

From this Storage the Child MakesPlans and Strategies for

Performances of Tactile Search and he Acquires the Ability of

Imagining andMapping Objects and Surroundings

This entire development or process is disturbed orinterrupted whenever anybody guides the child's handwithout his permission. Whenever a sighted person guidesor leads the blind child's hand, it will be the sightedperson's strategy for tactile search that will be used.

The strategy of the sighted person is influenced byher ability to see, as well as by her degree ofcomprehension of how a blind person experiences hissurroundings. Does the person who is guiding the visuallyimpaired child know which sensory elements are mostimportant for this child to discover, or does she know howlong a time this child needs to be able to assimilate tactilesensory information, or does she know how many timesthis child needs to repeat every single action to be ableto relate them to each other and thus finally achieve areasonably good image of the object or environment inquestion? During the period of time in which the child isbuilding up a certain strategy for performing a certainactivity or for mapping a certain object or a certainenvironment, it will surely harm, disturb or delay thechild's opportunity to develop these strategies if adults,that is, teachers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists,parents or others are interfering by guiding the child'shand using a strategy different from the onethe child is trying to achieve.

If the child's hand is guided in one way byone person, say, at eight o'clock in themorning and in another way by another

person two hours later, in a third way by a third person at2 pm, and in a fourth way by a fourth person at 5 pm,the result will be that the child is presented with so manystrategies, that it leads to total chaos, bewilderment andfrustration. This approach will also result in the childhaving too little time for and too few opportunities to buildup his own strategies.

From this point of view it is not surprising that so manyvisually impaired children withdraw their hands, orbecome unwilling to touch anything at all.

Poor tactile and haptic development also affect the child'scontrol over his own body. Guiding the child's hand isrestricting his movements. Since his spatial skills are basedon movements (Nielsen, 1989, 1992, 1994; Van derPoel, 1988) he loses his control over his own body aswell as the environment whenever his movements arerestricted.

So, there is every reason for refraining from guiding theblind child's hands.

The negative effect of guiding the blind child's handsduring the preschool years may only be obvious ordevelop into tactile defensiveness when the child is six,seven or eight years old, that is, when he is not longerwith the preschool teacher who exposed him to the handover hand approach, so it is hard for the preschoolteacher to discover the effect of her or his way ofteaching.

If the child has started to explore an object, and the adultsees that the child's hand is moving in a wrong directionor moving in directions that the adult finds morecomplicated than necessary for searching the object inquestion, or if the adult sees that the child omits exploringa certain part of the object or a certain small detail of it,the adult should refrain from taking the child's hand tryingto show him where he should touch the object or how heshould search it. It would be better to suggest to him tomake a more differentiated search, or allow him to usemore time for his search.

It would also disturb the child's building up of strategiesfor searching if the adult moves the object, even if this isdone with good intent.

Interference or delay also takes place if the adult talks tothe child while he is trying to build up a strategy thatworks for him. If interference happens often or always, itwill be very difficult for the child to succeed in building upstrategies. His knowledge about himself and hissurroundings will be so fragmentary that his cognitivedevelopment will become negatively affected.

If the visually impaired child gets the opportunity toexplore an object without interference from anybody, hecan develop a strategy for mapping, which he later cancorrect and further develop according to his enhancedmotor capability, his enhanced capacity of memorizing,

his enhanced ability to exclude that information which isless important, and his enhanced cognitive development.

While experimenting with different strategies for tactilesearch the child will have to repeat both the "useful" andthe "wrong" strategies. Both kinds of strategies must bestored in his memory, so that he later can consider them,make his choice and exclude those that are less effective.

ConclusionThe conclusion of the above outlined considerationsregarding the visually impaired child's building upstrategies for tactile orientation must be that when the childwithdraws his hand or protests against having his handsguided he is either trying to defend himself from thebewilderment caused by this, or he is trying to protect thestrategies for tactile orientation he has already achieved.The conclusion must also be that it would be of benefit forthe visually impaired child if his teachers would exclude theapproach of guiding his hands from their educationalmethods.

The only strategy for tactile search which is of value for thechild who is visually impaired is his own.

LiteratureBaddeley, A. (1986): Working Memory. Oxford SciencePublications.Edelman. G. (1994): Bright Air. Brilliant Fire. A Matter ofthe Mind. Penguin.Nielsen, L. (1992): Space and Self. SIKON, CopenhagenNielsen, L. (1994): Early Learning, Step by Step. SIKON,CopenhagenNielsen, L. (1989): Spatial Relations in Congenitally BlindInfants. SIKON, CopenhagenVan der Poel, J. (1988): Die visueelgestremde kind vangeboorte tot nege jaar: 'n Ortopedagogiese studie.Universiteit van Stellenbosch, South Africa.Van der Poel, J. (1997): Visual Impairment. Understandingthe needs of young children. SIKON, Copenhagen.Warren, D. (1982): The Development of Haptic Perception,in W. Schiff & E. Foulke, Tactual Perception. London:Cambridge University Press.

Don’t forget to look at the recent research and work atBirmingham University by Mike McLinden and SteveMcCall. They follow Lilli’s lead and promote this method ofactive learning using the hands. The book to look for is‘Learning through touch’ and can be obtained onwww.Amazon.co.uk or a good bookseller.



Ten white snowmen

Ten white snowmen standing in a line,One toppled over, then there were nine.

Nine white snowmen standing up straight,One lost his balance, then there were eight.

Eight white snowmen in a snowy heaven,The wind blew one over, then there were seven.

Seven white snowmen with pipes made of sticks,One slumped to the ground, then there were six.

Six white snowmen standing by the drive,One got knocked down, then there were five.

Five white snowmen outside the front door,And icicle fell on one, then there were four.

Four white snowmen standing by the tree,One slipped and fell apart, then there were three.

Three white snowmen underneath the yew,One crumbled overnight, then there were two.

Two white snowmen standing in the sun,One melted right down, then there was one.

One white snowman standing all alone,Vanished without a trace, then there was none.

Making special sensory books – Flo Longhorn


Some readers are at a very early stage of learning readand need lots of simple sensory materials to engageand attract them to the pages of the book.Here are some homemade books, which fulfil thesensory needs of the reader and are attractive and fullof interesting experiences.

This first book is a book oflogographic reading. Eachitem can be ‘read’ withoutknowing any ABCs! See ifyou can ‘read’ the bookitems-the beginner readerwill be able to read them intheir surroundingenvironments-the shop, theTV, the takeaway.

A snowy day story inside a shoebox

A ‘one page ‘ book which helps in reading, as it is 3Dand stereoscopic to view and touch.

Here are two pages taken from a beautiful book allabout the four seasons. The pages are woven withnatural sheep’s wool and have a whiff of sheep on eachpage

A rich reading resource securely fastened to a strongcovered board (photo from Lister lane School)

Rag Bag To Buy


Physical education for all

Here is a range of equipment thatwill enable everyone to participatein a sports lesson, physical playactivity or just for sheer fun. They arevery sensory and enable veryspecial children to participate well ina physical activity. The materials are carefully chosenwith regard to ease of handling, sensory qualities andattractiveness. They will appeal to any age and will helppromote spontaneous active movements.

The main stockist is ‘Spordas’ and you can order acatalogue from0845 1204 515Email [email protected]

Beanbag scarves

These small beanbags are just theright size for small or weakhands. The attached scarves givean extra chance of catching

£9.99 for a set of 6

Ribbon tail ball

This is a coated foam ballwith ribbon tail attached.The ribbon allowsincreased catching and throwing success and it is fun tosee the tails fly!

£12.99 for a set of 6

Coloured fluff balls

Easy to hold, throw or catch.They glide slowly throughthe air and can be trackedmore easily.

A set of 36 costs £19.95

Nobbly Wobbly

This colourful ball has 6interwoven strands of brightlycoloured squashable resilientplastic. Easy to handle and twist.

Costs £3.25 each

Squidgie ball

An innovative ball that is almostindestructible, being bite andchew resistant. It features acrushed vented surface with aunique texture that makes it veryeasy to catch. Will float inwater.

Costs £4.95 for one

Colour morph molecule ball

Multicoloured small spheres inside acoloured outer skin just waiting to besqueezed. It would be useful for handsthat need to practise squeezing andfinger tip pressure.

Costs £2.75

Tippin’ target

The angles of the targets areadjustable and can be usedby wheelchair users. They canbe altered to different degreesof difficulty. Use with a rangeof objects such as beanbagsor a large ballCosts for a set of 4 is £29.95

Butterfly scarves

These are excellent for teaching thebasics of throwing and catching.The super light nylon scarves willmove very slowly through the air,allowing more time to catch them.

They are supplied in a set of 6 for £4.25

Catch Loop

These catch loops are great forthrowing and catchingactivities. They are softlypadded for those who arereluctant to catch or hold. Thecombination of straight sectionsand loops enables easy handling and exploring

They cost £4.99

Rag Bag To Buy


You saw them first in Information Exchange!These are acommercial idea called Storyboxes. They cost £30 eachso think about how easy they are to make! Here is anexample, ‘the magical World Storybox’.

I had a look and found them very plasticky andwith very little sensory input, you may disagree –the editor

Magical World StoryboxThe Magical World Storybox could be an enchantedisland, misty mountain, palace or parallel universe. Itcould be a dragon’s cave or the entrance to anotherworld. Add the mythicalcreatures and ‘jewels’, andyour children will bemotivated to tell stories thatare out of this world!

Price £30.00www.yellow-door.netTel: 0845 603 5309

The little white houseThe Little White House is aneasily transported anderected sensory space in theform of a small house builtfrom 6 foam sectionscovered in white PVC, whichis wipe-clean. The sectionsvelcro together to make asmall house with a door. Thisprovides a space for a child

to experience a cosy intimate space. The suppliers saythat the white walls are perfect for many light sourcesincluding their projectors and interactive accessories. (Iwould ask about ventilation with using suchequipment in an enclosed space as certainlyprojectors throw out a huge heat – the editor)

This little house would be useful as a retreat for thosechildren needing a ‘chill out’ space and also anenvironment of preferred choice by a very special child.I like the idea of a mini-topic room that can be exploredjust by reaching out or turning over.

The house costs around £900 – further details from

ASCO education suppliers on 0113 2707070Email [email protected]

Twilight umbrellasFrom the editor– I have justreceived one ofthese umbrellas, and it issmashing. It is a full sizebrolly with a grey silverlining –very sturdy andworks easily with aswitch in the handle. Thefibroptic lights twinkle orstay on in continuousmode and the brollyglows so well in the dark.It can be twirled or

brought up close to explore. The only criticism is that itwould have been nice to have twinkles inside theumbrella as well.

The brolly comes in 2 styles, fibroptic and also one withglowing tubes attached as in the photo.

They cost £ 19.99 and can be obtained fromwww.dzinedirect.com

If you would like a child to have theopportunity for a sniff of a very nice smell,then just put the smell on a piece of cottonwool or small piece of muslin and clip ontheir clothes with a clothes peg. This is excellent forchildren who do not move very well and need tospend time in passive positions-brightens up the nose!

Handy hint


Rag Bag To Make

‘Makeup remover pads’ finger puppets These simple easy to makefinger puppets are made frompastel coloured round makeupremover pads. These can bepurchased from any chemist orsupermarket cosmetic counter.

Just staple two sides and thetop together and insert afinger! Now it is time to decorate and make them cometo life.

Use collage materials to make faces, a bird with featherson its head, a rolled pad to make rabbits ears for arabbit or a flower with petals of tissue glued on thepuppet shape.

Just put a number on each finger puppet to match thenumber of fingers on a hand and enact ‘1 2 3 4 5 –once I caught a fish alive….’ or make two dickey birdswith feathers who will fly away – but come back whenyou call them…..

A shower of scented tissues • Buy boxes of scented tissues• Enjoy the very different

smells-rose, menthol,lavender….

• Throw them in the air and letthem drift down

• Sniff as they fall near a nose or face• Use a fan to let them float fragrantly around the room

Soap bags You will need some laundry netbags, the small ones used forinside a washing machine and avariety of highly scented soaps• Cut into the soaps with a sharp

knife to release the fragrance• Pop a soap into each bag• Hang on a wooden mug stand• Choose the one you want • Explore the smell• Exchange for another fragrant bag on the stand

Fly swatter paintings

All you need for this zanypainting is to find old fly swattersleft over from summertime.• Put different coloured thick

paints into individual containers(soup plates are ideal)

• Then stick a very large piece of paperto the wall; a roll of thick wallpaperwould do nicely.

• Now get ready to carefully place the swatter end ofthe fly swat into the paint- take aim and swat the

paper! You should get some very interestingimages and colours. A person in a wheel chaircan really get some speed to splat at the wall!Here are some splats for you to examine….

Feed the birdsHere is a very easy way to feedthe birds in wintertime-You will need:• Slices of bread• Cookie cutters• Peanut butter• Wool or string• Birdseed on a plate

• Toast the bread• Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes in the toasted

bread• Keep the leftover bits to put out for the birds as well• Make a hole in the shape and thread string through

and tie in a loop• Spread peanut butter on the bread, then turn over

and push into the birdseed-you can do both sides ifyou wish

• Hang outside for the birds to enjoy – look through thewindow and watch the different sorts of birds feed

Very easy to make and use, make a lovely gift for family or friends

Handmade Candles Tealight Stars

Both from Early Year Resources Call 0160 873 8080 for catalogue www.earlyyearsresources.co.uk

Sensory Science activities – Kay Evans


Leaf printingEquipment needed• Paints (Bright colours and white)• Aprons• Trays for paints• Sponges- apt shapes• Brushes- various

Use fingers, brushes or the sponges to spread the painton to the leaf (back is more detailed). Place the leaf onto the paper and press down. Remove the leaf.

Leaf silhouettesPlace the leaf on to the paper. Use fingers, brushes orthe sponges to spread the paint on toand around the leaf. Remove the leaf.

Equipment needed• Variety of coloured papers• Paints (Bright colours and white)• Sponges- apt shapes• Brushes- various

Printing Equipment needed• Apples/ potatoes/ oranges cut into

segments• Variety of coloured papers• Paints (Bright colours and white)

Use fingers, brushes or the sponges tospread the paint on to the Apples/ potatoes/ oranges.Print with the piece.

Clay/ dough imprintsEquipment needed• Aprons• Tools• Boards• Clay• Natural objects such as shells, leaves

Use fingers or tools to press the objects in to the clayand remove.

Egg SplattingEquipment needed• Egg shells• Paper- white or black• Paints• Washing facilities!!!!

Fill the egg shells with paint and drop or throw them on tothe paper. This is a very messy activity but is great fun!!!

Food colours on linenEquipment needed:• Food colours• Water• Pipettes/ syringes• Sheets of linen or old bed sheets

Lay the sheet on the table or floor. Mixthe food colours in the water boldly. Fill the pipettes withthe mixture and squirt on to the sheet. Watch as thecolours mix and mingle.

Food Properties

• Melting/freezing• Heating/cooling• Mixing

Equipment needed:• Chocolates- plain, milk and carob• Balloons full of water & frozen• Salt• Butter & Eggs• Honey• Ice lolly molds & sticks• Bowls, Pots/pans• Samples of all to compare before/during and after

Explore all the materials and heat them gently or poursalt on them (the balloons). Watch the effects.


Nativity Story

The Nativity Story told in pictures by children and staff of Baytree School.

Christmas ideas and activities


Cinnamon scentedornaments

If you love the scent ofcinnamon then this is onefor dangling on theChristmas tree- see which is

the favourite spice smell in the cooking group.Remember this is not for eating, only smelling anddecorating the Christmas tree

You will need:•A mixing bowl•Rolling pin•Cookie cutters•Fine ribbonIngredients:•1 cup cinnamon (*hint-buy spices from a local Indian

supermarket-much cheaper than the big names)•1 tablespoon nutmeg•1 tablespoon ground ginger•1 cup of drained applesauce•2tablespoons white glue•White flour•Food colouring (optional) Let’s cook:•Combine the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in the

mixing bowl•Add the applesauce and glue•Work in all the ingredients with helping hands until

mixed thoroughly•If desired, divide into sections and mix a little food

colouring to desired colours•Roll out dough mixture on floured surface until about

1/4” thick•Cut with cookie cutters•Make a small hole at the top of the ornament•Lay out flat to dry for a couple of days•When completely dry, thread the ribbon through the

hole and you have a lovely scented Christmasornament

Christmas Ice cream cone trees

These are quick and easy to make and lookreally Christmassy!

You will need:•Sugar ice cream cones (the thickest you can get)•Ready made icing (or make your own with icing sugar,

green food colouring and a little water-well mixed)•Smarties, sprinkles, hundreds and thousands….•Small paper plates

•Stand the cone upside down on a flat surface•Cover with sticky green icing •Add sprinkles and sweeties•Place on the paper plate•And you have a very sweet Christmas tree!

Rice Christmas tree cakes

Here is another way to make some edible Christmastrees

Ingredients:•5 cups of rice krispies•1/4 cup margarine or butter•4 cups min-marshmallows (look in baking section at

the supermarket)•10-12 regular marshmallows•Toothpicks•Green food colouring•A selection of small sweets such as smarties •Sprinkles•Ready made plain sponge cakes in cake cases from

the supermarketMethod:

•Melt the margarine in the microwave for about 30seconds-use a clear bowl so you can see it melt

•Add 4 cups of mini marshmallows return to microwaveand stir every 30 seconds until syrupy

•Remove from microwave, place in a big bowl and adddrops of green food colouring until fairly dark green

•Add cereal and stir and stir until well covered•Cover hands in cool melted butter so the mixture does

not stick too much •All hands in to grab a handful and shape into a

conical tree-make sure the mixture is cooled beforediving in

•When cooled, stick a toothpick into the bottom for thetree trunk

•Decorate with sprinklesand candy

•Stick trees into a ready-made sponge cake –what a lovely Christmascake!

The Dee Banks Art Project You may have spotted some smallpictures of this lovely art project in thelast edition of Information Exchange.Sally Slater sent them for everyone tosee. Here they are in a much bigger format and theyshow a class of older students at Dee Banks School whotook part in a whole school project week. Each day wasa different theme-oceans, the Artic, caves, rainforest,desert-they did a recycling sensory activity for eachtheme to produce a wonderful wooden wall for theiroutside area at school.


Chillout Zone – Teenagers

Salad Spinner art

This is a great way to make modern art images, asplattery activity everyone can join in and enjoy!

You will need:

• A salad spinner (used to spin and dry lettuce)

• Small paper plates

• Drippy paints of all colours – a squirty containerof paint is the best

This is what to do:

• remove the plastic insert of thespinner

• Place a small paper plate in thebottom

• Experiment and drip or squirt some paint into thespinner

• Put on the lid• Turn and turn the handle so the paint will fly about

inside the spinner• Open up and see the modern art result!• Experiment and try adding glitter, sawdust, some

lentils, and a lettuce leaf???

Chillout Zone – Teenagers


This article was sent all the way from Australia. I had thepleasure of meeting with Sheridan this summer and sheis a most dedicated person and has a different view ofthe world of special people

In Memory of Something That Once Was ThereSheridan Forster

[email protected]

How often do you hear people say, "He used to do that,but he doesn't anymore"? Behaviours, often seen to beinappropriate, like flicking of strings, lip smacking, orthrowing objects, were treated as behaviours that should beshaped into new more "appropriate" activities. However, asthe person ages these idiosyncrasies sometimes seem todisappear, not to be replaced by anything else. The personbecomes more withdrawn, less active, and less responsive.Then we remember these things that the person used to do.Only then do we, sometimes, recognise these behaviours aspossible skills. Below is an obituary to one possible skill.

R.S.Berry R.I.P.Born: unknown

Died: some time last year

Rest in peace RaSp. I shall miss you. Many people nevervalued you when you were around. In fact, many tried toget rid of you. Some people yelled "Stop!" at you. Someignored you. But some people valued you and exploredhow to be with you. We saw you as an avenue forreaching your owner. Her eyes lit up when we brought outour Sound friends to interact with you. There seemed to bea different, stronger understanding, when you and otherSoundBerry friends got together; a warmth andunderstanding that did not occur with other sounds likeSoundTalk and SoundWords.

Oh, I remember with fondness our times spent together.You would be soft RaSpBerry and then I would bring inloud Raspberry. You, not being outdone, responded withthe loudest, longest, RaSpBerry ever heard. We had somegood times together. But now you're gone.

We hardly noticed your slipping away, your callsbecoming softer and more infrequent over time. Was it thepeople telling you to go away, or was it just age that tookyou away, leaving us with the silence and withdrawal ofyour owner.

It's funny you know, some of those people who wanted youto go away now say, "She used to have RaSpBerry, but it'sgone now; she used to do so much more." Why is it weonly notice some things when they have gone?

If we had played with you more would we now be left withsilence? If we had valued you more when you were therewould we still be saying "She used to, but now she doesn'tdo much?" How do we learn from our mistakes and trulyvalue the many different ways of being?Rest In Peace RaSpBerry

The Tuna Can TurtleHere are the directions:This little tin turtle is very simple tomake.

You will need:• An empty tuna fish can• 2 buttons or beads for eyes• A selection of different textured buttons and

beads• Green paint-add a dash of liquid soap to help

the paint stick• The shape of the can drawn on green paper

with 4 legs and a head and tail drawn on(have this cut out ready beforehand or do whilstthe paint is drying on the turtle tin)

Here’s how to make your tin turtle • Paint the can green and leave to dry• When dry, glue to the turtle outline• Stick the eyes on the head• Now choose the buttons you like onto the shell

of the tuna turtle• Touch the turtle and feel his rough shell


Books, storytelling and theme work

Bag Books60 Walham Grove, Fulham, London SW6 1QRTel/Fax: 020 7385 4021Email: [email protected]: www.bagbooks.org

Story-packs designed for children, young people andadults who are at an early developmental stage in theacquisition of language and communication skills. Eachpage of the story is a strong board with an objectattached, which can be explored by each personlistening to the multisensory story. Many titles aresuitable for teenagers and adults.

Price range from £35.00 to £50.00 plus p&p.

Books Beyond WordsBook Sales, The Royal College of Psychiatrists17 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PGTel: 020 7235 2351 ext. 146 Fax: 020 7245 1231 (mark FAO Book Sales)Web: www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/bbw

The books can be used by anyone who understandspictures better than words, people with learning orcommunication difficulties or literacy problems andcarers and staff who support them. Titles cover issuessuch as bereavement, health, abuse, relationships andthe criminal justice system. Supporting text andguidelines on how to use the book are given at the backof the book.

Each book £10.00, UK p&p free.

ClearVision ProjectLinden Lodge School, 61 Princes Way, London SW19 6JBTel: 020 8789 9575Email: [email protected]: www.clearvisionproject.org

Nationwide postal lending library of over 12,000 bookswith added braille, designed to be shared by visuallyimpaired and sighted children and adults. These booksare lent to schools, families, libraries, and visualimpairment services. There is also a new collection ofbooks labelled in Moon and some wonderful tactilebooks (only available for loan to educationestablishments).

Livewire Real LivesHodder Murray, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BHAvailable from Bookshops

Range of books produced in association with the BasicSkills Agency, written for varied reading ages between 6to 10. Each book features a personality from showbiz,music, sport, literature, science or religion. Use the booksto make story bags for teenagers or adults, for example:Ryan Giggs (sports bag containing football, referee’swhistle, Manchester United scarf and magazine, Welshflag, etc); Gareth Gates (glittery bag containingmicrophone, hair gel, CD, calendar, etc.).

Books priced £3.99 or £4.25.

Story SensationsVocal Image, PO Box 759, Woking GU23 6BFTel: 01483 211711Fax: 0870 787 7532Email: [email protected]: www.vocalimage.co.uk

Range of sensory stories designed to provide anaccessible storytelling experience for pupils with severeand profound multiple disabilities. Some titles aresuitable for older pupils.

Teacher’s pack includes:• audio CD with the narrative, music and sound effects

required for the story• story script• guide with step by step notes on presenting the story

and a list of suggested props and potentialalternatives.

Each pack costs £49.99 plus p&p.

StorysackResource House, Kay Street, Bury BL9 6BUTel: 0161 763 6232Fax: 0161 763 5366Email: [email protected]: www.storysack.com

Each sack is based around a picture storybook andcontains a range of props and supporting materials.Wide range of titles available – consider adding moremultisensory props to make the stories more interestingfor children with severe disabilities.

Price range approx. £30.00 to £80.00 plus p&p

Books, storytelling and theme work


DIY BooksYou can make books for individual clients with complexneeds by:

Placing different items in display wallets and sealing theopen edge with sticky tape. Try lentils, shiny card,fluorescent kite fabric, bubble plastic, netting, foil –whatever will interest the client. Give the book aninteresting cover (e.g. brightly coloured corrugated card)and tie the “pages” together with cord.

Using laminating pouches. The pouches may be sealedusing a hot iron, instead of putting them through alaminating machine. Place a piece of paper over thepouch (to protect your iron) and seal three edges. Usethe point of the iron to seal two triangles on one longside of the pouch, where the holes will be punched forbinding the pages (otherwise liquid fillings will leak outround the holes!). Experiment with different fillings e.g.hair gel and glitter, fluorescent paint, black paint andseal the last edge of the pouch. Laminate a piece ofblack paper, white paper and foil paper (using thelaminating machine in the conventional way). When youassemble the book, place the white page next to thehair gel, black page next to the fluorescent paint andfoil page next to the black paint, so that moving theliquids around with a finger will reveal an interestingbackground (a bit like the old magic drawing boards).

Further information and resources

•Bag Books (see above) runs small workshops instorytelling.

•Storysack Manual (£15.00 plus p&p) gives detailedadvice on making storysacks, funding, organisingvolunteer help, and training workshops for parents.Available from Storysack (see above).

•Storytime (£2.25 including UK p&p) is a leaflet thatgives ideas to make storytime an inclusive and sensoryexperience for disabled children and young people.Available from AFL Training (see below).

This leaflet was originally published by Action for Leisureand is now distributed by

AFLTraining39 KelvinbrookWest MoleseySurreyKT8 1RUTel: 020 8783 0173Fax: 020 8783 9267Email: [email protected] 2005


Playing safely with play dough – Flo Longhorn

One of the joys of childhood is getting stuck into piles ofcolourful appealing play dough. The dough can becommercially bought or even better, made by thechildren themselves. There is nothing more multisensorythan warm, freshly made, sticky, the reason for thisscented play dough to set the senses racing andboosting creative play. However, with the increasinginclusion of children with special needs into all earlyyear settings, it is time to take stock of the safety of playdough. The reason for this is that many special childrenwill be at an earlier level of understanding than many oftheir peers. This may reflect in how they approachmaterials and some may be at the stage of mouthingand tasting anything to hand-for quite a while. Theremay be also children in early years settings who havean allergic reaction to certain foods or additives.Commercial varieties of play dough, from reputablecompanies will ensure that their brand will be as safe aspossible. With regard to home made play dough, someof the recipes may contain ingredients that could causea problem if chewed or eaten.

Three ingredients, salt, borax and food ingredients maybe found in the recipes used in early years settings.

SaltSome homemade play dough recipes have a lot of saltin the mixture. Yet, even the ingestion of small amountsof salt dough-as little as two teaspoons-could makes anaverage two-year-old child quite ill.

BoraxSome recipes for play dough or slime may list addingborax as a preservative. Borax is also poisonous and isabsorbed on contact with the skin- used as a means ofcockroach control. Borax is toxic- - and there aredocumented cases of long-term, low level exposurecausing a range of reactions including conjunctivitis andskin rashes. Play dough made with either of theseingredients will taste unpleasant and most childrenwould spit them out. However a special child may nothave reached the level of discriminating between tastesand may munch away quite happily unless closelysupervised

Food ingredientsCare also has to be taken that play dough does nothave any food additives that may cause a reaction in achild. An example of this would be play dough madewith wheat flour, which is eaten by a child who requiresa gluten free diet. Peanut butter cannot be used if a childin the group has a nut allergy.

The important thing is to continue with the wonderfulcreative use of activities using play dough but to makesure that a check is made:• Use recipes that do not require salt or borax

• Watch children carefully to make sure children donot eat too much of the play dough they areinvestigating and enjoying

• Encourage the use of the other senses in investigatingthe dough-smell and touch, especially haptic touch

• Check the ingredients before making play dough toensure there is nothing that might cause an allergicreaction for a particular child

• Watch out for the eyes if the play dough has addedingredients such as glitters, in case a child goes torub their eyes during use

• Most of all carry on providing exciting but safe playdough for everyone to enjoy!

Here are some examples of play dough recipes that aresalt and borax free. They use the senses of taste andsmell as well as textures. You need to check if there areother additives, with regard to the needs of any child inyour setting. Enjoy!

Remember that the process of making the dough is asimportant as the play dough itself, enable all thechildren to participate together.

Icing play doughYou will need:• A can of ready made chocolate frosting• A cup of peanut butter• 1 1/2 cups dry powdered milkYou have to:• Mix all the ingredients together with a

big wooden spoon• Place on a board and knead with the hands• If it is too sticky, add some more dried milk• The play dough can be rolled and shaped and made

into sweeties

Glitter play doughYou will need:• 2 cups flour• 2 cups water• 3 tablespoons cooking oil• 1 cup caster sugar• 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar• Food colouring and essence-e.g. blue colour and

peppermint• GlitterYou have to:• Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a

spoon-add glitter to suit• Put the mixed ingredients into a food processor and

blend well• Put the mixture in a microwavable bowl and

microwave fro 5 minutes Leave to cool

Playing safely with play dough


Cinnamon spice play dough – all things niceYou will need:• 2 cups flour• 1 cup caster sugar• 5 teaspoons cinnamon• 1/2 to 1 cup warm water (try half the

liquid replaced with pureed apple for a change)You have to:• Mix flour and cinnamon in a large bowl• Make a well in the centre and pour in the water• Mix using hands until a ball is formed• Knead and bash it for a few minutes• Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for ? an hour

Tasty play dough – you can have a nibble at this You will need:• 2 1/2 cups peanut butter• 1 cup powdered milk• 1 cup runny honey1 cup porage oatsYou have to:• Mix the ingredients with lots of different spoons• Adjust the texture by adding more/less of the

ingredients• Munch squish and enjoy!

Snow dough – a squishy experience You will need:• 1 cup of Lux soap flakes (found in

the detergent section of thesupermarket)

• 2 cups warm water• Electric hand mixer or old fashioned egg beaterYou have to:• Place soap flakes in the bowl• Add water• Mix until fluffy and squishy and play with just like

play dough• (Add a few drops of food colouring to add a

contrast)

Sand play dough – for a tickly scratchy texture You will need:• 4 cups clean white sand• 3 cups flour• 1 cup water• 1/2 cup cooking oilYou have to:• Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl

Oatmeal Play DoughYou will need:• One part flour• One part water• Two parts oatmeal (porage oats are ideal)What you do:• Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth• Knead and play – it smells good, feels really good

and stays soft for quite a while• (For a different warm feel and a good smell, warm

the mixture in the microwave…mmm!)


Changing places – Changing lives

A new nationalcampaign, ChangingPlaces has beenlaunched by a consortiumof organisations includingcharities Mencap andPAMIS, and is calling forsupport from peopleacross the UK.

Thousands of people withprofound and multiplelearning disabilities needChanging Places toilets.These are roomsequipped to allow people to use the toiletwith assistance or havetheir continence pads changed. They include an adult-sized height adjustable changing bench, a hoist, a toiletwith space either side for a carer, and plenty of space.

Without these facilities carers are often forced to changefamily members on a dirty toilet floor with little or noprivacy. This is unhygienic and is also extremely dangerous,as carers must physically lift the person they care for on andoff the floor. However the alternative is to limit outings toa couple of hours or to not go out at all.

Paid carers are not even allowed to attempt this,meaning that many people with profound and multiplelearning disabilities are unable to take part in activitiesenjoyed by others at their day centre, school or college.

While many buildings now include an accessible toiletas standard, this facility does not meet everyone's needs- including people with profound and multiple learningdisabilities, some people who have had a severe stroke,some people with acquired head injuries and some frailand elderly people.

There are almost no public Changing Places toilets in theUK. The campaign is calling for Changing Places toiletsto be installed in all big public places, including citycentres, shopping malls, arts venues, hospitals, motor-way service stations, leisure complexes, large railwaystations and airports. Changing Places toilets should beprovided in addition to standard accessible toilets.

Disabled artist and author Alison Lapper who issupporting the campaign explains: "From my ownexperience I know how frustrating and humiliating it canbe to come across toilets which just don't meet yourneeds. For someone with profound and multiple learningdisabilities this is a common occurrence - resulting inpeople having to be changed on a dirty toilet floor orbeing forced to return home. The Changing Placescampaign is so important because it is about more thanjust toilets; it's about people's quality of life."

The Changing Places campaign wants groups andindividuals across the UK to get involved. For moreinformation visit www.changing-places.org

The Changing Places Consortium includes Mencap,PAMIS, Nottingham City Council, Dumfries andGalloway Council, the Department of Health ValuingPeople Team and the Scottish Executive Same as YouTeam.

Two real life stories:

Toby, aged 8 and his mum JulieToby is 8 years old and has severe and multiple learningdisabilities. Toby needs to use a Changing Places toiletwhen he is away from home – but there are virtually noChanging Places toilets in the UK. This places a hugerestriction on where the family can go and what they cando - and they find it is virtually impossible to do things onimpulse.

When they are away from home Julie carries an aerobicsmat so that she can change Toby on a toilet floor if there isno alternative. This involves Julie lifting Toby from his chairto the floor and back again - a very dangerous move forboth her and Toby.

"I slipped a disc 20 years ago - my back just seized upand I couldn't move" Julie explains. "I'm terrified that it willhappen again. Getting on the floor to change Toby is theworst position for me to be in. What would I do if ithappened while I was changing him and I couldn't get up?

"If more Changing Places toilets were installed it wouldmake such a difference to our lives – we could do normaleveryday activities. Things that other people take forgranted."

Matthew, aged 16Matthew, from Wrexham enjoys doing lots of activities, likegoing to concerts or on day trips. But Matthew faces greatdifficulty when he wants to go out and do things – becausehe can never find a toilet that meets his needs.

"I have cerebral palsy and am quadraphlegic", Matthewexplains. " I need a lot of support when I go to the toilet asI cannot stand or transfer out of my wheelchair on my own.I need enough room in the toilet for me and two carers, ahoist system and a height adjustable changing bench. Ifthere is not a toilet that meets my needs unfortunately wecannot go to that place. It is very difficult and veryrestricting."

Matthew desperately needs Changing Places toilets to beinstalled in public places. As Matthew explains, this wouldopen up a whole world of possibility to him."If there were Changing Places toilets in public places itwould make such a difference to me, in fact I would say itcould be life changing. For some disabled people likemyself it can mean the difference between getting out andliving your life, or staying in."

Alison Japer, Jo Williams with Craigand Jenny Whinnett at the launch ofthe campaign

The Oily Cart Company


Recently, The Oily Cart Company sent their beautifulfolder of past and future events to Information Exchange.They perform especially for young people with profoundand multiple learning disabilities. From its beginning in1981, the company has been at the forefront indeveloping work for young children and then in 1996began their pioneering work with very special youngpeople. They found that highly interactive performanceswith specially created installations work very well forthese special people.

These environments, their WONDERLANDS transform aschool or theatre space. Whilst they are fascinating tolook at, and are filled with music, they also appeal tothe senses of touch and scent which traditional theatreneglects.

Within the installations, the performers draw in theaudience to gain their confidence, and gently draweach individual into their own imaginary world. Theparticipants are encouraged to talk in their own way tothe performers, join them on their adventures through themagic labyrinths and help solve any problems theyencounter. There is also magical laughter and heaps offun. Pictures tell a thousand words so enjoy these photosof the Oily Cart productions. If you would like toparticipate or find out more, then contact them onwww.oilycart.org.uk020 8672 [email protected]

The Big Splash – the first water-based WONDERLANDwhen the pool was transformed into an enchantedlaundry. The students were invited to join the charactersand find the missing sock. Where could it be? If it wasn’tin the warm lavender scented drying room, it must havebeen in the water!

Boing! Welcome to the legendary nightclub. Prepare totake to the air on a flying carpet ride! One at a time, thestudents join actors on a trampoline, and then visit theDome of delight or other exotic multi-sensory treats.

Hunky Dory - the theme was the earth and the wonderfuldelights to be found under the ground. The charactersClay, Crystal, Root and Sand encouraged theparticipants to explore sights sounds, textures and smellsto be found in wonderland.


Electronic exchange

Massage in Shool A PowerPoint presentation has been produced by CarolTrower, Chairperson of the Massage in SchoolAssociation, which is aimed at highlighting the benefitsof this approach.

http://tinyurl.com/jjdr5

Some exciting toiletingprogrammes for those involvedin this absorbing subject –

www.autismtoilettraining.com

www.nas.org – do a search onthis one, they have a bookabout toilet training as well

Information Exchange - Winter 2006

Documents

Transcript of Information Exchange - Winter 2006