Dan, a charming and kind grownup whom I meet once a week for the last four months, has an asperger syndrome. He has a communication disorder and learns in a special education classroom. His parents came to me with a wish to improve his physical capabilities and to extend daily motor skills. When I meet Dan's mother she has described the status: “After many experiences in different methods and techniques he still remains a couch potato”. Dan’s mother’s true wish is for her son to ride a bicycle on his own (like a normal kid). Dan rides a tricycle and refuses to try a bicycle, due to his fears that are common in asperger syndrome. In order to pave my way to Dan’s heart I found myself watching all the star wars episodes. This enabled me to connect to his closed world from which we found ourselves developing conversations in any subject I choose. Dan’s mental flexibility improved compared to the fixation asperger syndrome is known of. Physiologically, I have chosen exercises, which I have developed, to reach his awareness and increase his trust and confidence in me and in the new physical world.

 

Today, Dan rides his bicycle in variable trails with me riding by his side. From time to time we invite a friend to join and together increase the communicative aspect as well. Both Dan and his parents are enjoying the new world and share their joy with their peers and family.

 

All my life sport is a part of whom I am. I was the Israeli champion in mountain bike, I won Israeli triathlons and I served as a gymnastic trainer in the IDF. I always knew I will work with special education children as their world is close to my heart; therefore it was clear I will graduate Wingate as B.Ed in gymnastics with a specialty in special education. For me it is hard to explain how I understand these children, I can feel what they want and I can easily bring them to trust me and respect me. It took me ten years to develop exercises that can gather their attention while enabling them to enjoy the games we are doing. Each exercises purpose is both to get their physiological capability to match their age and to improve their cognitive behavior (decrease fears, improve mental flexibility (for example, I will purposely change the riding route), create interest in social activity and more).

With autism patients with low functional capabilities (they can’t speak) I use the sign language to help improving the communication in such way that the patients pay attention to

what I say. A detailed care for the right timing in which each exercises and reaction should be given is critical; else the patient might reject me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to learn more and get more video games which you can do and train your child. please contact me and I will mail you my DVD with many more video examples all in English

 

About me

Shelly Palermo Sarig holds M.A. degree in education from the IAC Israel collage and B.Ed degree in gymnastics with Expertise for special need children from Wingate institute, Israel in 2004.
Since 2004 she has developed the Sport Therapy and Communication Method which its center is based in Israel. Since 2004 she has been treating children with Autism and Asperger both in here treatment center and at children’s environment (indoor and outdoor). Shelly treated children in public and privet schools in Israel and in the US. She specialized in the sign language. She has graduated the son-rise program. During the years she won triathlons and has been Israeli mountain bike champion.

 

Shelly Palermo Sarig

 

Ha-Limon 2/2, Kadima, ISRAEL

Mobile: +972-523-592826

Email: Shelly@ShellySport.com