Rooting for Melanie Roach, Olympic Weightlifter, Autism Advocate, Mom

If you see Melanie Roach in one of those made-for-TV profiles of Olympic athletes in the next couple of weeks, believe her when she says that it's a world-class victory for her to have made it to Beijing at all.

Roach, 33, is on the United States women's weightlifting team that is due to compete when the summer Olympic games start this week with the finals scheduled to be held on Friday, August 8. As reported in The New York Times and NPR, Roach has battled for the past three years—after having three kids, including one with autism spectrum disorder—to return from back surgery to train, compete and finally, make the Olympic team.

Roach told NPR that having a son with autism has taught her to focus on the moment, and the things that are possible, rather than the long term and what is not possible. From the story:

Roach's Olympic quest has been both complicated and enriched by her son Drew, who is autistic. Not long after Drew was diagnosed three years ago, Roach went into a near depression.

A devout Mormon, she prayed her son would get better. When he didn't, she went to her bishop in tears. He told her to stop focusing on what Drew couldn't do.

It was, she says, a turning point. She began to truly embrace who Drew was — living in the moment with him and not dwelling on the past or the future.

"I really feel like that concept of enjoying the now and not worrying about the future is what my coach has been trying to teach me for 14 years — and that is what has made me such a different athlete 10 years later, and that is what has made me strong enough mentally to make this Olympic team."

If you have about seven minutes, check out this video The New York Times did earlier this year profiling Roach, visiting with her and her family and watching her train. She is matter of fact about her 5-year-old son Drew having autism (and her husband Dan being a state representative in Washington, and owning a gymnastics business). She says Drew is challenging, and you can see some of that in the video.

Roach voices what many parents of kids with autism spectrum disorder feel:

"It's difficult to let go of the expectations you have for your child. You have to kind of come to the realization that the things you thought he might become, or the experiences you think are normal for your children, sometimes don't happen for a child with autism," she says, adding that for her, "It was about letting go, and finally embracing who he was and to not think too much about the future and just enjoy who he is now."

"People look at me funny when I say that weightlifting is the easiest part of my day, but it's true."

She also adds: "I would trade every minute in international competition for a cure for autism."

(Photo from melanieroach.com.)

How Far Would You Travel for a Successful Outing With Your Autistic Child?

On Sundays near where we live, there's an "open gym" for children with autism and their families. The program is free -- supported by grants from organizations such as the Autism Alliance of Metrowest and Toward Independent Living and Learning -- and available on Sunday afternoons for the coldest six months of the year. Its attractions include a mini-trampoline, platform swings and other swings, a couple of pole-vaulters pads to jump into and other play equipment.

It's not what you'd call fancy, and it's mom and dad who provide the supervision here. But in the constant search for constructive activities and supportive environments, we've come to rely on it. So much so that our children, one who is on the autism spectrum and another who isn't, each mentioned the idea of saying goodbye to Paulie, the great guy who acts as host and safety-rules keeper, before we left today, the last session until the fall.

This gym is a place to meet other parents and sometimes you end up giving or gleaning tips about coping with different issues; many other times, you just nod to each other and offer silent support.

Today, one mother told us it was nothing to travel 30-plus minutes with her two kids to visit this open gym and, after thinking about it, I agreed with her. It made me wonder how valuable such a constructive family time is to other parents around the country. And so I'm asking you with this poll below. How far would you travel for a successful outing with your autistic child?

E-mail subscribers who cannot see the poll question can go here to vote.

How far would you travel (each way) for a successful two-hour outing with your autistic child?

1. 
   
   15 minutes
   



2. 
   
   30 minutes
   



3. 
   
   one hour
   



4. 
   
   two hours
   



5. 
   
   overnight
   



6. 
   
   any amount of travel time would be worth it
   

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Also see:

What Do You Tell the E.R. Staff About Your Child's Autism?

Adaptive Sports for Kids with Autism

The New York Times published an article today, "A Can-Do Approach to Autistic Children and Athletics," that parents should read. Embedded in the story's research are some encouraging anecdotes and important health notes for kids who have autism spectrum disorders.

The main point of the article is this: "Autistic children, even those who are considered low functioning, can excel at activities like swimming, martial arts, running and surfing -- sports that don't entail having to read social cues or figure out when to pass the ball."

In the article Georgia Frey, an associate professor at Indiana University, points out that parents of kids with autism have a lot of battles to fight, "So when it comes to getting their kids involved in recreation and physical activity, it can seem too exhausting. But I do think that parents see the value in these programs, because the demand for them is very high."

There are important health reasons for that high demand, the article points out. All kids need exercise of course. But some kids with autism may need exercise more than typical ones, for its fitness and therapeutic benefits. For one thing, rigorous exercise such as running and swimming (more than playing alone with a bouncing ball) can have a calming effect on children who might otherwise spend that time doing repetitive, stereotypical movements with their bodies. A second reason is that the high number of autistic children who take antipsychotic and other drugs are susceptible to side effects that include weight gain.

The Times story refers to a number of experts and adaptive sports programs around the country. Among them:

• Georgia Frey's adaptive physical education program at Indian University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. The program, which offers movement, bicycling and other lessons based on individual child assessments, won recognition from its local chapter of the Autism Society of America in 2004.
• The Aqua Pros Swim School in San Diego, which runs a "pool pals" program for kids on the spectrum.
  
• The North East Westchester Special Recreation Program in Hawthorne, N.Y., which offers swimming, Special Olympics training in a number of sports, as well as social activities, and day-long and weekend outings. It is for both children and adults with developmental disabilities.

That such programs offer both physical fitness and social benefits to kids on the autism spectrum shows their value. Participating in them can be a source of self-esteem for the kids, pleasure and pride for parents. If you see examples of other programs, please drop me an e-mail.

The Power of Team Sports for Autistic Kids

This recent Washington Post story, "The Power of Play" shows the potential for team sports -- in this case, ice hockey -- to be a valuable and enjoyable way for kids on the autism spectrum to get physical exercise, learn something new and establish relationships with peers. Or, as 9-year-old Robby Callihan puts it, the chance to skate at the home arena of the Washington Capitals is nice, but the best part about participating on a youth hockey team "is playing with my friends."

The Post story explains that the NOVA Cool Cats, a youth hockey team based in the Washington, D.C., area, is one of 30 teams for people with developmental disabilities across the U.S. The Cool Cats has 30 members, and each has a parent or sibling or other person to help them on the ice.

The story doesn't delve into how much training these support people and parents get to help the kids play. But a branch of the national youth program USA Hockey has a division called the American Special Hockey Association that provides information about starting such programs and appears to offer some training assistance.

The Special Olympics provides more information about getting people with developmental disabilities involved in athletics. I am interested in learning about other team sport applications, too. Imagine creating a preferred activity for an autistic child that has social benefits and physical fitness attached to it. If you know of activities or programs for soccer, basketball or other sports, please let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me. I will publish another post with more information when I get it.