Shortcut links for this page: Videos to see, Books to read, and Sensory products to try.

• PUBLISHED BOOK! Perfect Pitch in the Key of Autism A Guide for Educators, Parents and the Musically Gifted. Henny Kupferstein and Susan Rancer
• RED BOOK 1 – The Doogri Method™ Piano Curriculum: Red Book 1
• ORANGE BOOK 2 – The Doogri Method™ Piano Curriculum: Orange Book 2
• ASD Professional Network – teachers, clinicians, practitioners Closed FaceBook Group (Administrator: Henny K.)

To watch:

• How RPM Rapid Prompting Method to America (CBS 60 minutes full video) and RPM resources.
• Temple Grandin, the movie.
• Carly Fleishman on 60 Minutes: Autistic Girl Expresses Unimaginable Intelligence
• Wretches & Jabberers, also available on Hulu.com
• Sensory Videos, by Brainhighways.com, or on YouTube, six in series: A Disorganized Brain, The Pons, Midbrain, Vestibular, Proprioception, Speech and Language
• Spectrum: A Story of the Mind – A short 23-minute film with autistics explaining sensory perceptions…with Temple Grandin, Nick Walker, and others.
• A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism – Documentary that highlights the Rapid Prompting Method, helping non-verbal individuals learn how to point to letters on a board. This is the beginning of communication, which leads to typing.
• Visual Processing Convergence Insufficiency Sample Print Distortions – Irlen.com
• Soma’s Halo Institute videos about RPM Rapid Prompting Method for non-verbal communication

To Try:
Sensory accommodation for the fidgety, squirmy, and stimmy student at the piano, desk, and otherwise are your legal obligation. It is important to shift your attitude and accept that an accommodation is not an allowance for what you would otherwise perceive as a behavior problem, but rather an intentional act on your part to level the playing field so the task is achievable for all types of learners, regardless of their neurological differences.

	Sensory Rug – Mat to keep on floor under tables, desk, or under feet at the piano, or for sitting on piano bench. “Meadow Grass Bath Mat” on Bed Bath & Beyond, or on Ebay. Cheap, 100% vinyl, measures 14″ W x 25 1/2″ L, Machine wash. Most Popular! Read what one music therapist had to say about this mat.
	Bouncyband Wiggle Wobble Chair Feet – Transform a Standard School Chair into a Wobble Chair. Tolerated in New York public school classrooms as an accommodation. The wobble chair is not just a proprioception and sensory tool. Active seating with rocking in all directions engages and strengthens core muscles, improving posture.
	Nubby Textured Slap Bracelet for Stimming – Originally found at Target in the party favors section, also available on Ebay as “Spike Spiky Wrap Snap Slap Bracelets” or Amazon as “Spiky Cuff Snap Bracelet”
	Bump Dots, So Flappy! 🤩 👩‍🔬 – Bump Dots allow a variety of uses from 👌 tactile marking of everyday items such as 🙌 computer keyboards👍telephone keypads👆 multiple switches ✌️and kitchenware. Click to read blog post and learn more about bump dots, vision impairment, hearing impairment, motor impairment Choose our charity for your amazon smile shopping.
	Tactile soft caterpillar stretch toy – Puffer-stretch tactile sensory toy with caterpillar nubs. Perfect for people with lower muscle tone, vestibular, and motor planning stim needs. Only a few inches long, discreet for keeping in a hoodie pocket at school. Search on Ebay for “Colorful Crawlie Crawly Tactile Caterpillar Stretchy Fidget Toy” or Amazon as “Stretchy Caterpillar tactile fidget sensory toy”
	Stimmy Balls – Precisely 1.25″ size, to fit inside palms of hands when all fingers are closed over it.   Safe to wash and dry in your machine with clothes. Keep some in every pocket, every day. Called “Hedge Balls” or “Porcupine Balls”, often sold as cat toys on Ebay. Add the keyword “Lot” to find a bulk pack.
	Squishy Lizard – Food Grade Material for mouth – This lizard gecko collection is a perfect size for squeezing in the palm, pulling with the mouth, and squishing the tiny beads inside. Overall, the pleasing sensory ratings are a 10!
	Bristled Silicone Sponge – Hygienic and bendy with tiny soft bristles, this kitchen sponge is a lightweight tactile stim toy for the hands and feet. It is easy to clean in the dishwasher. The $6.00 sponge is made entirely of silicone, and can be attached as a key-chain or necklace to. Use to rub between fingers or palms. Will probably tear if chewed.
	Weighted Blanket for sleeping – Available in all sizes, with grownup fabric patterns choices. Machine washable.  Will also work for naps, or defragging, regrouping, calming, or recovering from meltdowns. Adult Weighted Blanket Queen Size（15lbs 60″x80″） Heavy Blanket with Premium Glass Beads, with more than 33k positive reviews on amazon.
	Epsom Salt With Lavender – Use a generous amount (1/2 cup) with each bath, to calm sensory nerves. Also available in plain without lavender, since the lavender scent might be intolerable for some people. Resealable bag for convenience. This boring Magnesium Gel stops muscle spasms just like topical Epsom salt, and helps me with muscular dystrophy pain.
	Puffer Spike Bracelet pictured at left, or larger and more obvious Squigglets Bracelets by Toysmith –  Tactile sensory bracelet is wearable chewelry for chomping, chewing, pulling, and fidgeting.
	Compression Tank Top – Positive sensory input directly on skin has a similar effect as a weighted vests. Designed to be layered under clothing. Soft cotton with painless merrow-stitched seams.  Same pattern front/back for hassle-free dressing. Also good for POTS, MCAD, and DYSAUTONOMIA
	Lightweight vacuum if you are disabled, cannot lift or push, or have trouble with housekeeping due to dyspraxia – This is the model I own. Although the noise is unbearable for me personally, the lightweight roller design means there is almost no pushing or pulling. It tilts and glides on the floor. My favorite way to use is the hose for dust bunnies. highly rated for allergies and pet fur.

To Read

• Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity – August 23, 2016 by Steve Silberman (Author), Oliver Sacks (Foreword)
• Perfect Pitch, Relative Pitch, by Susan Rancer, RMT
• Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant, by Darold A. Treffert, M.D.
• Silently Seizing by Caren Haines – Chapter 9, A Psychiatrist’s View, is written by Darold A. Treffert, M.D., world’s expert on savants. He explains the parallels in panic disorders, sensory overload, and subclinical seizures in autism.
• The Autism Industrial Complex: How Branding, Marketing, and Capital Investment Turned Autism into Big Business – by Alicia A. Broderick, Ph.D.
• Been There. Done That. Try This! Jessica Kingsley Publishing, Feb 2014. Contributing authors include Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Stephen Shore, Henny Kupferstein, and many more! On Amazon.com
• Children’s Book: Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World
• Book for Teenagers and Young Adults: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (contains the F word)
• Dr. Tony Attwood, a complete guide for adults, parents, clinicians, and educators.
• Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism – A fascinating personal story by Dawn Prince-Hughes Ph.D., how she learned to decipher human behavior and intentions by observing gorillas as an anthropology student.

Check out my Blog articles on the subject of stimming and sensory overload. Archives menu is on the right side of the page organized by month. You may also use the search function on the upper right-hand corner of my website to search for “stimming” for articles tagged with the keyword.