Tally Report post Posted July 29, 2008 I am here They have computers I am hungry It is nearly time for dinner Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted July 29, 2008 Enjoy it, Tally! K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted July 29, 2008 (edited) Oooh, I would have been there with you, but my DD is going into hospital tomorrow! Very envious! Have a brilliant time <'> Bid Edited July 29, 2008 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted July 29, 2008 Have a wonderful time hun <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikemad Report post Posted July 29, 2008 Have a good time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted July 29, 2008 Have a lovely time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted July 30, 2008 They've got toys and things I am debating whether to invest �12.50 in a marble run! I have heard an interesting lecture on timing and intertia, and we are going to discuss it some more soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted July 30, 2008 Have fun Tally! I really wanted to be there, but couldn't afford it in the end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted July 30, 2008 Tally you've got to get yourself a marble run!!!! We've got one of these and you can sit for hours playing with them. My youngest son has had one since he was 4 and it's one of the few toys that he has consistantly played with (he's 11 now!). Flora Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted July 30, 2008 JP used to love his marble run mesmerising Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted July 30, 2008 I always wanted a marble run as a child, but my mum would never buy me one. She bought my cousin one once, and he was very kind and let me play with it all day long until we had to go home! Maybe next year, SG and Bid! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted July 30, 2008 As I said to you Tally, L really wanted to go but the practicalities were too difficult this time around. If you have any notes from the timing and inertia lecture/ discussion I know she'd be really interested. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted July 31, 2008 I do have some notes on all the lectures, which I intend to write up when I get home. I'm more than happy to share them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted July 31, 2008 Thanks Tally. Also , if there are any book recommendations on this particular subject, please let me know. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted July 31, 2008 I do have some notes on all the lectures, which I intend to write up when I get home. I'm more than happy to share them. That would be great Tally. I would be quite interested in reading that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted July 31, 2008 Tally I would love to see your notes on the inertia lecture. Inertia is one of the major difficulties I have. I had a look at the website and note that the lecturer has based her power point on music. Without knowing much about it, that set me thinking already. Flora Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 1, 2008 Flora, I think that you might have been looking at a different lecture. There was one on Action and Inertia in Music, and this is unfortunately the only one I missed, so I can't tell you anything about that one! The one I did attend was the one by Kalen called "What makes us tick and what makes us stick?" on the Wednesday Morning. She had a model brain that she passed around, and she kept remembering other things to point out on the brain, and asked, "who's got my brain?" She is researching this topic for her MA or PhD (I forget which, but certainly at a HIGH level). The lecture was quite intellectual. There are very few studies on this subject, but they all seem to be revealing the same kinds of results, and the fact that this IS an issue in autism. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted August 2, 2008 I'd like to see the notes too please Tally Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 2, 2008 You can download bits and bobs from the lectures here: http://www.autscape.org/programme/presentations.html Sometimes it is just a copy of the PowerPoint slides used, which may not help you much without having heard it in the first place, but there is some useful and interesting stuff there. Here are my notes from the Timing and Inertia lecture: What makes us tick and what makes us stick: Timing and Intertia in ASD ? Kalen Timing There are three different types of timing interval: Circadian intervals last around 24 hours. They are controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (in the centre of the brain). They control things like sleep/wake cycles, eating and social rhythms. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome ? where the circadian rhythms are out of synch, rather like living on a planet which turns slower than Earth! Appears to be more common in autism. Autistics often have less pronounced rhythms. Sleep disturbance is thought to be more common in autism, but studies do not seem to confirm this. Perhaps it is just more obvious because of the way we think or behave. Interval timing measures periods of time from seconds to minutes. It is controlled by the pre-frontal cortex (the brain in the forehead area) and the basal ganglia (in the centre of the brain). It helps with prospective (future) memory, for example, to take the chips out of the oven. It also helps with episodic memory, putting the memories in time context. It helps us to understand changes over time, for example, the changing seasons, that it is wet because it rained earlier, and the future consequences of what is happening now. Millisecond timing measures short periods of time, up to 2-3 seconds. It is controlled by the cerebellum (at the back of the brain). It controls motor co-ordination by making the muscles all move in the right order and at the right moment, for example, throwing a ball and letting go at the right moment. It controls the speed and order of perception of language. Studies show that when two sounds are made close together, autistics often miss the second sound. Social timing ? at 3 months, babies and mothers respond to each other within 1 second. If babies are played by video link a delayed response from their mother, they become distressed. Autistics respond more slowly, but no studies are yet done on autistic babies, as we do not know they are autistic when they are babies. Time and the autistic brain: There are no known problems with the suprachiasmatic nucleus in autism. The basal ganglia works differently in autism. In autism, the cerebellum is smaller and lacks precingi cells, which communicate with the brain outside of the cerebellum and help with orienting attention, shifting attention, and deciding what we should attend to. Clock genes keep circadian rhythms and other timers going. 11 different clock genes have been studied, and most autistic people have differences in two clock genes (not the same two for each person). Timing affects: Movement Language Resistance to change Social timing Memory Task switching Time perception helps give structure to the world and to interact with it effectively. Very fine time does not appear to be affected in autism. Timing differences in autism affect interaction and responses. Inertia An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest. Inertia is a problem with starting, stopping and changing. NOT inertia: Lack of motivation Depression Fatigue Procrastination/avoidance Laziness All these things can exacerbate inertia. Executive function: the mind's 'boss,' tells the mind what to do, planning, organising, monitoring, inhibition, initiative. Mainly controlled by the pre-frontal cortex. Persevering with something that is no longer useful is a sign of impaired executive function. It is common in ADHD to have problems with inhibition, but not in autism. Lacking initiative = inertia. Attention shifting: autistics are slow at spacial attention shifting (eg. looking in the right direction), often miss cues, and find it easier to do simpler tasks or those which offer immediate rewards. Catatonia is a neurological condition where you get ?stuck,? for example, in the middle of a motion such as pouring. It is more common in autism, particularly those with a PASSIVE communication style. It is related to Parkinson's. Although related to schizophrenia, it can be made worse by antipsychotics. Could inertia be a mild for of catatonia??? Strategies: Reminders ? if these are overused, they become easy to ignore Shock, eg. Loud alarm ? use should be limited as it can be distressing 'Do It Now' principle ? if you are likely to forget something, do it now rather than waiting until later Routines ? can help you go on to the next activity. To add a new task, do it before an automatic one. Follow the 'flow' of perceptual patterns, eg. Make it easier to walk to the other side of the room than to the computer. Make things as easy as possible, don't get bogged down in trying to do everything, nut make a start. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted August 3, 2008 Thanks for posting this, Tally! K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 3, 2008 Here is a link to another article on Inertia: http://www.autistics.org/library/inertia.html And this one was written several years ago by the same person who did the lecture I attended: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support...q=kalen+inertia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Here are a couple of photos of the venue: Giggleswick School Waterfall Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Looks lovely! Where is it going to be next year? I've forgotten. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted August 4, 2008 There are several possibilities, one of which is Giggleswick School again, but I don't know what the others are. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gordon Report post Posted September 2, 2008 How many people go along to Autscape? Gordon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted September 2, 2008 I think there were under 60 this year. The organisers are very conscious that it should not become too big. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites