National Autistic Society  

Two short case studies which clarifies my 1 to 1 methods and impact of learning to ride

Sarah, a parent from mid-Suffolk, shares her delight as her Tony her 13 year old son learns to ride a two wheeled bike ...

Condition: Asperger’s Syndrome  

We got Ola's details from the Autism Suffolk magazine, and wanted to pass on a personal recommendation from our family.

We had assumed our son would cycle like everyone else, and he moved through trikes and bikes with stabilisers with no particular problem, but could not co-ordinate the whole business of cycling independently.

Then it all got to a stage where he was old enough to feel highly embarrassed about this and so he wouldn't practise in case he got seen, so no progress, etc. etc.

So, we had just about got to accepting that this was something that

our son would never manage to do, when we saw Ola's details.

It took a while to arrange a visit because of the dire weather conditions, but eventually we managed to meet up on a local industrial estate at the weekend, so nice flat empty spaces and no-one around - perfect.

Even more perfectly, Ola worked in tiny stages with our son, from giving him a routine of always having the brakes on when you get on a bike, and holding him up while he practised, until the magical moment we thought would never come - he cycled across the car park!!!!

Next, Ola covered pushing off, and in another session taught emergency braking, swerving, looking over the shoulder while still pedalling forwards, and where to position yourself in the road - IN THE ROAD!!!

Ola was also able to provide two recycled bikes at about £50 each for my son and my daughter, and we feel so grateful for his help. What a gift to be able to have that little bit extra independence, and to be able to cycle as a family. We set ourselves a goal of all of us cycling independently for our holiday in June, and unbelievably this will be a reality.

Ola is very friendly and encouraging, and manages just the right tone with the students. I believe he got another boy cycling that day as well - so well done Ola!!! He explains the science of riding (that good old centrifugal force helps) and covers what seem the most basic steps, but which as we know, sometimes need to be taught, and can't be just absorbed or picked up by some of our children.

Ola says that the skills needed for cycling include a lot of forward

planning, so children's school work and other motor skills often improve as well. Too early to tell for us - it being the Easter holidays, but it has certainly done a lot for our son's self-esteem!! Thirteen and a cyclist.

In summary, we thoroughly recommend Ola, and would like to pass on the message that he doesn't only teach children - so any mums and dads who need help can have lessons too.

Sarah is very happy to talk directly to families who would like more information.

You can contact her via the Autism Suffolk office on 01473 632700.

Mark is a 15 year old his Dad completed the below case study questionnaire

Condition:  Dyspraxia with eating disorder

 

1. Please detail any previous attempts to teach Mark to cycle?

We hadn’t attempted to teach him before as we had assumed it would be beyond his abilities. In fact, we were in the process of seeking funding for a specialist tricycle – he has had one of these funded by a charity in the past but had outgrown it.

 

  2.  How did you hear about Ola’s training

We read an advertisement in the Autism Suffolk newsletter (Autism Suffolk is a local NAS organisation) and also in the NAS Communication magazine and thought it was worth a try, even though we didn’t hold out much hope that it would succeed.

 

3.How did Mark feel about his training

Mark was a bit worried before the first time he met Ola as he didn’t think himself that he would be able to learn although at the same time he was a bit excited at the prospect of riding a bicycle. He hit it off with Ola right from the start – Ola met him with a smile and immediately put him at his ease and spoke to him in a way he could understand. We were amazed that within half an hour Mark was riding up and down in straight lines unaided. Since that first time, he has now learned to ride on roads by himself and is working up to a point where he will be able to ride to and from school each day. This particularly is pleasing because he is practising non-verbal communication in assessing and anticipating potential problems on the road -  this area is one in which his autism has always given him difficulties. Mark has very much enjoyed all his sessions and now always looks forward to them.

1. Since learning to ride have you noticed any changes in Mark’s behaviour in the following areas;
2. Educationally 

This is hard to assess as Mark is not in full-time education at the moment and hasn’t been since last October.

 3. Socially

When he went camping for a week in July he was delighted that he was able to join in an activity in which a group of children went cycling. Previously in such activities he would have ridden a tricycle which sets him apart from his peers. This is the first time he has been able to use his cycling socially.

 4. Physically

There has been real improvement physically – he has lost weight and gained strength. He used to have to see an NHS physiotherapist every 4-6 weeks but his condition has improved so much that she has now told us that regular appointments have been cancelled and we will only need to see her very occasionally if and when necessary. 

 5. Motivationally

Very evident – he doesn’t have to be told or reminded to go out on his bicycle but does so on his own initiative almost every evening.

Please details any general observations

Learning this skill is a real boost to Mark’s confidence at a time when he really needed such a boost – he has been going through severe problems over the last year or so, culminating in being assessed by a psychiatrist as medically unfit to attend mainstream education, as he was not able to cope in such an environment. His physical condition has also been a very big problem – not just because of his diagnoses (he has dyspraxia amongst other difficulties) but also because he has found it hard to control his eating. This summer is the first time after several years of attempts in which he has been able to gradually improve his physical condition – and cycling is one of the main tools he has used to do this 

What did you & Mark like / dislike about the training?

What he liked about it was “The fact that I was able to learn how to ride a bike”. Ola also has a nice personality and the lessons were fun. Mark had no dislikes. I liked the structure of the training which was very gradual, logical steps which made the whole process look so easy. We also took advantage of the opportunity by letting Mark’s Mum have lessons as she had never learnt to ride a bicycle and never thought she would do so.