Amy Laurent

Supporting children, parents & educators

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Power Packs for Navigating Energy Meter Levels

Power Packs for Navigating Energy Meter Levels

Power Packs are a “go-to” tool for supporting energy regulation in the moment. The cards in these Power Packs are designed to be used as a reference to an individual’s Autism Level UP! Power Plan that can be accessed quickly. There are cards for Powering UP and Powering Down. They are designed to support different regulation needs. You will see that each card has the “degree” of regulation, i.e., the number of levels one needs to shift for active engagement in the ongoing activity or environment. On the other side of each of the cards are generic energy regulation strategies corresponding to the magnitude of the shift needed (i.e., the activities are specific to the direction and number of arrows on the front of the card). Each card has several strategies to provide a range of sensory motor and language-based strategies. The cards also offer both self-regulation strategies (i.e, things that the individual can do on their own) and mutual regulation strategies (i.e., assistance they can access from others). Of note, the cards utilize a wide range of sensory motor strategies that are often highlighted by the autistic community as natural, effective, and efficient. We have also included a set of cards with blank space for individuals or teams to paste their own known most effective strategies into the cards.

Further, we have included two additional cards. These are to help a person communicate with others when they are “not sure” what they need, but know that they need something. The first, the “I don’t know” card maintains the energy focus and includes the strategy for taking a break / getting away from it all to regulate. The second, the “Something’s Different” card can be used by an individual to communicate that something “feels” different in their body and initiate asking for help or taking some time on their own.

Autistic Perspective:

First, I want to point out that “deep breaths,” “meditation,” and “counting to 10” did not make the cut for these cards….and I could not be more amped up to make that statement! I cannot understate the importance of the fact that these cards attempt to use our natural responses like flapping, rocking and echolalia as preferred strategies for regulation. When you teach autistic people that their natural responses are, in fact, very effective, encouraged and valid, you teach them about themselves – and this is not just in terms of understanding their needs and what strategies and tools are effective for them. You are teaching them that they are not broken or deficient. You are sending a message that you want to honor who they are, and you are further teaching their peers and co-workers and roommates and family members that these responses are expected because they support the autistic person! These are the kinds of subtle shifts in education and practice that are needed to spread real awareness and understanding.

Partner Stage:
Appropriate for supporting Language and Conversational Partners (objectives included for Language Partner Stage)

ER Objectives:
MR 2.2 Engages when alerted by partners
MR 2.6 Makes choices when offered by partners
SR 2 (all objectives) Uses behavioral strategies to regulate arousal level during familiar activities
SR 4.3 Uses behavioral strategies to regulate arousal level during new and changing situations

TS Objectives:
IS 1.5 Recognizes signs of dysregulation and offers support
IS 3.1 Allow child to take breaks and move around as needed.
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance a child’s emotional regulation
LS 4.3 Modifies sensory properties of the learning environment

Free Visual Support: Power Packs (PDF)

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Power Plays! (pt.1)

Sometimes, we just need a quick dose of physical activity to Power Up, Power Down to proactively maintain engagement. Power Plays (pt. 1) is a menu of options designed to do just that – to increase, decrease or help maintain energy to support active engagement. It can be used to guide the individual to get the input they need, quickly, and wherever they are. By design, the activities don’t require any equipment, nor does one need very much space. Power Plays can be done in an office, classroom, hallway, bedroom… pretty much anywhere that there is just a little floor space. Our goal is to make sure that individuals, regardless of age and physical fitness level, know they have options for regulatory strategies in almost every environment. As such, this is the first in a series of supports that will highlight regulation strategies to provide vestibular and proprioceptive inputs without equipment. These strategies can be easily incorporated into an individual’s Power Plan. You can use the rating systems from the Regulator 2.0 to determine the effectiveness of these Power Plays on increasing or decreasing energy and how much the person likes or dislikes the activity. Subsequently, any of the Power Play moves (alone or in combination with any or all others) can be used as maintenance before a mismatch occurs, and when there is a mismatch in energy level. When engaging in any physical exercise or activity it is important to modify for individual fitness level and comfort.

Autistic Perspective:

Just check the pictures – doses of physical activity (or PA Bursts as I have come to call them) have become a constant source of regulatory maintenance in my daily routine. Physical activity has always been an important part of my life, but it was structured into my day for me (thank you, competitive soccer). This structure happened to be a perfect fit for my profile and kept me extremely well regulated…but without explicit knowledge of such activities as supports or tools, I had no idea how frequently I needed these inputs. My functioning looks very different when I can access PA bursts (or Power Plays) and when I cannot. This support and the eventual series attempts to increase access, serve as a visual reminder that PA may help, and to ensure autistic people gain understanding about their sensorimotor needs.

Partner Stage:
Appropriate for supporting Social, Language, and Conversational Partners (objectives included for Language Partner Stage)

ER Objectives:
MR 2.2 Engages when alerted by partners
MR 2.6 Makes choices when offered by partners
SR 2 (all objectives) Uses behavioral strategies to regulate arousal level during familiar activities
SR 4.3 Uses behavioral strategies to regulate arousal level during new and changing situations

TS Objectives:
IS 1.5 Recognizes signs of dysregulation and offers support
IS 3.1 Allow child to take breaks and move around as needed.
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance a child’s emotional regulation
LS 4.3 Modifies sensory properties of the learning environment

Free Visual Support: Power Plays (pt.1) (PDF)

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Heightened Perception- Challenge? Strength? Both!

It’s widely recognized that autistic individuals often experience heightened perception of sensory information. These processing differences are often discussed in terms of hypersensitivities and sensory defensiveness. And, while heightened sensory perception can pose very real challenges it can also create remarkable strengths. This support is designed to draw attention to both of these aspects of sensory processing differences. It can be used as a basis of conversation between individuals and/or their teams to understand environments that might be a match or mismatch for them depending on their sensory profiles and the impact sensory experiences have on their energy. This information can then be used to help fill out the Power Plan.

Autistic Perspective:

Our tools focus a lot on understanding the profile of the person (PIC) and we want to ensure that aspects of the profile are considered both in terms of the very really challenges they can pose, and also in terms of the strengths they can offer. I think it is unfair to label autistic people as “too sensitive” or “overly reactive” to stimuli – We could flip the script and ask what is wrong with all the neurotypical people who are numb to the world and don’t perceive certain sounds, frequencies, odors, and textures at all or as intensely? Though the words “hyper-sensitive” or “sensitive” should be neutral, I think they have taken on a negative connotation and so this support is a call to reframe thinking – I’m not hyper or overly sensitive to smells…I’m a Super Sniffer who experiences smells intensely and for long durations after most people think they have gone and this will either be a challenge or a strength depending on the context and it will be a challenge and a strength always – the challenges of it do not disappear just because I can leverage it as a strength!

Partner Stage:
Appropriate for supporting Social, Language, and Conversational Partners

Free Visual Support: Strength and Challenges (PDF)

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NeurodiVERSE ~ Jacquelyn Fede, PhD

Originally presented at the 12th Annual Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton Conference in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for a Neurodiversity in Research Panel (January 23, 2020)

Autistic Perspective:

Listen up to Autism Level UP! as Jacquelyn Fede, PhD discusses how she organizes how she thinks about things with some follow up thoughts by Amy Laurent, PhD- to illustrate the power of the partnership.

NeurodiVERSE (PDF)

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Emoji Communication Log

Emoji Communication Log:

Home/School communication logs are a tool that are frequently used to share information across contexts. They can be very helpful in building understanding of a student’s whole day- but so many times they are filled out by staff and parents. In doing so, we miss out on an opportunity to teach students how to share information across context and to be reflective about their experiences. The Emoji Communication Log was developed at the request of a middle school teacher who was searching for a fun and “age- appropriate” way to involve her Language Partner and Conversational Partner students in the process. Emojis are a communication style all their own and so important in peer interactions these days, so the integration just made sense. There are school day and home logs included for use.

The Emoji Communication Log- Autism Leveled UP!:

When we were discussing The Emoji Communication Log, it became quite clear that we could Autism Level it UP! So we did and created the Energy Communication Log. We’ve switched the original around a bit to highlight energy states. This helps students reflect on their energy state in a given activity, as well as whether their energy matched the situation, and any strategies and tools they used to help maintain engagement. In doing so the support naturally reinforces learning opportunities focused on regulation and helps share effective strategies used between home and school. So, it serves all the functions of the Emoji Log with added bang for your buck. We’ve included a school day and home log here too.

Autistic Perspective:

Growing up, I really valued my privacy and it was not natural for me nor was it desired by me to share what was going on at school with family members (or anyone for that matter)! I often say that if I were in school today, it would be very difficult for me, because there seems to be a lot more oversight and back and forth communication between school and home. If this must be, using a format that considers the fit between the person’s energy and the energy needed for various activities throughout the day is far more informative than reporting a color coded behavior zone, for example! So, if home-school communication is a need, make sure it is more accurate, if your child or loved one wants a way to report to you, this may be a great form for them, but if you are aiming to use this form to get information out of your child/loved one, please make sure they truly want to share.

Partner Stage:
Language Partner and Conversational Partner

Student Objectives:

Language Partner
JA 3.2 / MR 1.2 Understands and uses symbols to express a range of emotion
JA 6.2 Comments on Action or Event

Conversational Partner
JA 3.3 Shares information about past events

Partner Objectives:
IS 7.1 Models appropriate non-verbal communications and emotional expression
LS 2.1 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s communication and expressive language
LS 2.3 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s expression and understanding of emotion

Free Visual Support: Emoji Log Supports (PDF) Energy Log Supports (PDF)

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The Power Plan

The Power Plan is the fifth tool in the Autism Level UP! Energy Regulation Suite. The Power Plan is where it ALL COMES TOGETHER. Using information derived from My Energy, The Regulator, and The PIC, autistic individuals and their teams can create a comprehensive plan to Power UP or Power Down Energy Levels when there is a mismatch identified on The Energy Meter. Teams should use this support only after the others in the suite have been completed. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the other supports in the series – which provide all the information for personalization of the The Power Plan. The plan is designed to be used as a quick reference for both proactive strategies (i.e., everyday routine strategies and strategic prevention strategies ) and reactive strategies (e.g., power up levels and power down levels strategies). In addition, strategies are organized by type of input (i.e., sensory motor or language based). Determination of the appropriate strategy in a specific context will depend on the source of the energy mismatch and also on the developmental level of the person. This support includes a “generic power plan” for shifting energy up and down to provide a model of how to complete the plan in addition to blank forms to be filled out based on the individual.

Autistic Perspective:

The Power Plan is a stand-alone regulatory tool in my mind. I love that this plan pulls together the critical pieces of information from all of the previous supports that have been completed and tailored to my profile, the environments in which I exist and the activities that I actually do on a daily basis. It is one thing to be able to express and communicate my current energy state and compare it to the energy needed for the activity, but it is so critical that I know, no matter what the mismatch is and in which direction, there is a plan in place with explicit tools and strategies to be used in every scenario. Further, these strategies are based on what is soothing and alerting and takes into account which domains are most effective for me personally. I also love knowing that I can share this with partners and they will have the same explicit, formulaic information about what to do for a variety of energy mismatches. Essentially, I know that if I can access the energy meter, I can access A LOT of high quality, effective support whether it is a visual reminder for myself or an explicit plan for a partner… which brings me back to The Power Plan as a stand-alone regulatory tool.

Partner Stage:
Conversational Partner

Child Objectives:
SR4.5 Identifies and reflects on strategies to support regulation
MR4.5(d) Shares intentions for joint attention- expresses feelings and opinions

Partner Objectives:
IS 1.6 Provides information or assistance to regulate state
IS 5.3 Provides guidance and and feedback as needed for success in activities
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s emotional regulation

Free Visual Support: The Power Plan (PDF)

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El Medidor de Energía (Energy Meter)

El Medidor de Energía (Energy Meter) se creado para asistir los socios conversacionales a pensar en sus propios estados de excitación relativo al medio ambiente. El Medidor usa dos palabras para asistir las personas a identificar su energía interna y la energía necesaria en la actividad. La primera palabra describe lo que se siente, mientras le segunda palabra muestra cómo lo que se parece (según a las otras). Esto tipo de apoyo, es decir uno que no hay etiquetas de emoción, puede ser especialmente útil para las personas que tienen dificultades para identificar y expresar emociones, pero está trabajando a aprender como se puede cambiar la energía interna para poder a participar en diversas actividades. Por supuesto, las personas autísticas pueden usar esta herramienta, pero la familia, la escuela, los amigos, los vecinos y mas pueden usarlo también para obtener información sobre la energía de la persona y actividad y usarla para informar sobre las herramientas y estrategias mejores para cambiar la energía de la persona, o las reglas o la estructura de una actividad. Esto apoyo se puede adaptar y personalizar de acuerdo a las intereses de la persona autística. Se proporcionan algunos ejemplos en ingles (por ejemplo usando Pokémon o frases típicas de los niños o adolescentes).

¡Por favor, dinos sus piensas sobre esta herramienta y sus experiencias usándola!

Perspectiva Autistica:

Soy autista y me encanta esto apoyo porque elimina la obligación a nombrar una emocione. Con frecuencia, una barrera para pedir ayuda es saber que no puedo expresar lo que siento con palabras. En lugar de obligarme a elegir una emoción, esto me permite describir o indicar mi experiencia de manera más precisa y fiel a mí mismo. Y no puedo pensar in nunca más importante ni convalidando.

Recurso visual gratis – ¡descarga aquí! El Medidor de Energía (PDF)

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The PIC (Person In Context)

The PIC (Person in Context) is the fourth tool in the Autism Level UP! Energy Regulation Suite. The PIC is all about being a detective and problem solving. This support is designed to help autistic individuals, their families and/or their educational teams identify risk and protective factors influencing the individuals’ (My) Energy and the match/mismatch of that energy within the activities and environments that they are engaged (Energy Meter). To do this, individuals and their partners discuss and achieve consensus about the Person’s Profile (PIC, Part 1)- How the person experiences different aspects of themselves regardless of context. Strengths and challenges are highlighted. Next, they reflect on the nature of a single Activity (PIC, Part 2), as well as the properties of the Environment (PIC, Part 3) where the activity is occurring using those same categories. Once Person, Activity, and Environment Profiles have been created, it’s time to Put the PIC Together (PIC, Part 4). Here’s where the magic happens and patterns emerge in understanding regulation challenges and energy mismatches for the autistic individual in a comprehensive way. This visual display of the degree of “goodness” of fit in a wide variety of areas amongst the three profiles forms the basis for problem solving appropriate supports IN CONTEXT for an individual . Depending on the source of the energy mismatch, individuals and partners determine whether activity and environmental modifications are needed or if personal supports may be more effective in a given situation. The Regulator 2.0 can be referenced to select individual strategies previously identified as alerting or soothing with respect to energy levels. This support includes four worksheets that when used together create one powerful path for planning Energy support especially if parts 2 and 3 are generated for multiple activities and environments.

Autistic Perspective:

Presume Competence…in Context! The PIC is invaluable in that it provides a respectful and realistic cognitive framework for how to think about supporting autistic people.

The determinants of an autistic person engaging, learning, participating, playing, contributing or collaborating are not how difficult, rebellious, non-compliant or unmotivated we are feeling at any given time. Rather, it is how predictable, appropriate, realistic, supportive, accommodating and trustworthy the combination of the environment, partners and activity are and how well regulated we are entering into this context. It is the goodness of fit between an autistic person (e.g., current developmental level, knowledge, skills, abilities and regulation), the activity at hand (e.g., social and cognitive demands), and the environment in which it is to occur (e.g., sensory and physical layout).

We do not need “functioning” labels for human beings. We need to understand our own risk and protective factors; and we need partners, peers, family, coworkers and society to honor these factors and recognize that our competence, performance, functioning, etc., are all influenced by this complex interaction of individual, activity-related and environmental factors. Functioning is a two-way street, and too often the responsibility and the burden of “functioning” falls solely on the autistic person with far too little consideration of the “functioning” of the activity or environment (both of which have likely been designed by and for neurotypical people).

I think this support, in particular, can really help illuminate some of the simple and most effective changes that can be made to facilitate autistics’ engagement and participation. It should assist neurotypical people in shifting their thinking to be able to provide real assistance and to build trust. In very simple terms, The PIC asks you to consider the following:

If I could do it yesterday, or 1,000 times before, but I cannot do it today, ask:
– What challenges are present in the environment now that were not before?
– What supports are missing that are usually in place?
– How can this activity and environment be modified or replaced in order to increase the likelihood of engagement?

Before you ask or say things like:
– I know you understand; I know you can do this…Why are you being difficult?
– You’re trying to get out of doing this.
– You’re not allowed to [insert stim, use regulatory tool] until you can complete this task.

Partner Stage:
Conversational Partner

Child Objectives:
SR4.5 Identifies and reflects on strategies to support regulation
MR4.5(d) Shares intentions for joint attention- expresses feelings and opinions

Partner Objectives:
IS 1.6 Provides information or assistance to regulate state
IS 5.3 Provides guidance and and feedback as needed for success in activities
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s emotional regulation

Free Visual Support: The PIC (PDF) The PIC – Example (PDF)

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My Energy

Free Visual Support: My Energy (PDF)

“My Energy” is the third support in the Autism Level UP! Regulation Suite of Tools. This support is designed to help autistic individuals, their families and/or their educational teams identify how an autistic individual experiences the continuum of energy (arousal) states. To do this, individuals and teams are encouraged to discuss and achieve consensus about what observable behaviors the individual engages in at each state/energy level, as well as what each state feels like to the individual. The accurate identification of the unique and specific ways a person experiences each Energy Level is critical to recognizing and supporting their regulatory needs and abilities (because sometimes things look different than you expect)! This support includes a second worksheet version as well as a “completed” (i.e., generic) version to assist teams in considering possibilities and working through the process.

Autistic Perspective:

For me, and for many autistic people, it isn’t only about not having the words to communicate a state or emotion. It is also our other forms of expression, which can look different and be misinterpreted by those around us, that can contribute to not being able to access support and help when needed. For example, whenever I experience a very intense emotion, no matter what it is, I tend to smile… unless I am deeply fascinated by or enjoying something…then I may look serious or even what some would describe as “angry.” In order for someone to support me, it is very important they know that, for me, a smile may not mean I am content and happy and that it may mean I am overwhelmed by the energy or emotion I am feeling at the time. It is so critical to identify these differences, and to acknowledge them as valid forms of communication and expression. Many strategies aim to teach autistic people how they should react or what they should call what they are feeling in order to access help. I love that this support is all about identifying and validating our different forms of expression and making it known that they are the norm for that individual for various emotional states and energy levels. This method goes much further in building understanding, respecting and validating the autistic experience and truly providing authentic support. ~J. Fede

Partner Stage:
Conversational Partner

Child Objectives:
SR 4.5 Identifies and reflects on strategies to support regulation
MR 4.5(d) Shares intentions for joint attention- expresses feelings and opinions

Partner Objectives:
IS 1.6 Provides information or assistance to regulate state
IS 5.3 Provides guidance and and feedback as needed for success in activities
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s emotional regulation

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The Regulator 2.0

Free Visual Support: The Regulator 2.0 (PDF)

The Regulator is designed to help conversational individuals explore sensory motor strategies that may be useful for self and mutual regulation. As the listed sensory motor strategies are trialed, partners can use the support to facilitate discussions related to whether each strategy is soothing, neutral or alerting (i.e., “How it changes my energy”). Answers recorded on The Regulator can then be utilized to discuss when and where preferred sensory motor strategies may be most useful to the individual when there is a mismatch between “My Energy” and the “Energy Needed” to engage in activities. This tool was created for use in combination with The Energy Meter as it serves to create a known list of strategies that can sooth or alert to move “My Energy” closer to “Energy Needed.” The blank version of The Regulator can be filled in with additional sensory motor regulatory strategies and tools that may be available to an individual in any given environment. Once The Regulator is complete it may be helpful to create a shorter list of preferred soothing strategies and preferred alerting strategies for easy reference. The video provides a brief overview of the support.

Autistic Viewpoint-

Words can complicate and dysregulate. When using The Energy Meter, partners attempt to take emotion words out of the equation so that conveying information may become easier and more accurate for an autistic individual. I love The Energy Meter for this reason, as trying to describe what I am feeling often results in even more “amping up.” This tool allows me to indicate what’s going on using language that is accessible to me and in that way it removes the “language barrier” that often discourages me from seeking out help at all.

But when we do seek out help by way of The Energy Meter or other means, the strategies that will be helpful are very likely not language-based…which is often the first tool trialed by neurotypical partners. The Regulator provides a menu of ways a partner can truly support an autistic individual with strategies tailored to their needs and preferences. In addition, The Regulator is a wonderful visual for self-regulation. In this moment, while I am well-regulated, I know that if I feel myself getting close to a “Maxed out / frenzied” state, I should implement some kind of protective, soothing strategy. I can easily tell you which strategies are available to me in which environments and which tools will be most effective when I am experiencing certain energy mismatches. BUT…it is always hardest to access this knowledge when it is most needed. That is, the more drowsy or the more maxed out I am, the less likely I will be able to think through those processes. Having a visual like The Regulator may serve as the cue or prompt that I need in those moments, or it may serve to show my partner what I should be cued or prompted to do.
~J. Fede

Partner Stage:
Conversational Partner

Child Objectives:
SR4.5 Identifies and reflects on strategies to support regulation
MR4.5(d) Shares intentions for joint attention- expresses feelings and opinions

Partner Objectives:
IS 1.6 Provides information or assistance to regulate state
IS 5.3 Provides guidance and feedback as needed for success in activities
LS 2.4 Uses augmentative communication support to enhance child’s emotional regulation