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e EDUCATION & TRAINING
SPECIAL NEEDS
EDUCATION
The Rainbow Room, situated in Kloof. Amber
Chipps and her incredible team deal specifically
with Autism and learning developmental delays
from as early as 20 months to 8 years of age.
When given the diagnosis by a doctor, Autism or
mile stone delay, is a scary topic for most parents.
The world of the unknown and questions come
rushing in. Many parents become overwhelmed
and immediately start questioning:
“Will my child ever talk?”
“Will my baby be able to lead a normal life?”
“I can’t afford a child with a disability, how will I hyper focus and do things that were not taught,
provide for him/her?”
“Does this mean my child is now mentally or
physically disabled?”
“What are my friends and family going to think?”
“Did I do something wrong when I was
pregnant?”
“Did I cause this by the way I parent or have
raised my child?”
“Why do others criticise me instead of
supporting me?”
The answer to the above is…”FIND YOUR
TRIBE”.
Included in your tribe needs to be the therapist
and doctors that will work closely with you and
your family, a paediatrician; speech therapist;
sensory occupational therapist; psychologist;
dietician and specialized teachers. These are
all offered to you as part of your Rainbow Room
journey to help make sure that the intensity of
the focus is on early intervention, which are
your building blocks for these formative years
for Autistic children. These people will help
you navigate the way your child learns and
communicates. Finding the best environment
that is filled with love acceptance and boundaries
will be your key to success.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is not a disability
but a different ability and way of thinking from
the norm. Some behaviours can range, like a
Rainbow, from severe to moderate and less
48 | THE RAINBOW ROOM
severe. Many behaviours of Autistic children can
be worrying or disturbing to others, but to them,
we are strange and unpredictable. It's normal
for them to stim, (this means the repetition of
behaviours or actions that are seen as different),
it is normal for them to scream or sing and flap
their arms when excited or feeling overwhelmed,
which leads to dysregulation. Although there are
3 diagnostic levels to Autism, it’s not always a
correct reflection of your child’s capabilities
when diagnosed. There is a super power to
Autism that is not mentioned. The ability to
like read and write or to do math, is amazing. If
channelled and worked with these children WILL
become our future.
The key to channelling the power of autism is in
regulation. If your child is able to self-regulate
they are able to communicate and be educated,
expanding their potential vastly. The Rainbow
Room will not only help regulate your child, but
provides a safe and secure environment for
them to learn how to self sooth and regulate
with the guidance and help of the teachers and
therapists.
Schools find it very difficult to accommodate
children on the Autism spectrum. Not only do
these families struggle with social acceptance,
but overall acceptance of their children. We
create a Tribe you can be proud of and feel
comfortable enough to share daily wins and
struggles. To have the support as a family, not
just for the child. The Rainbow Room is fully
inclusive in all aspects of therapy to provide the
best early intervention and environment for your
child who is ASD or developmentally delayed.
If your child is diagnosed or suspected to be
Autistic, don't be afraid. This is not something to
fear, “This is a special gift you have to learn how
to unwrap”.
Editorial supplied by The Rainbow Room