Celebrations as new autism unit launched at Mervue school

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A city school opened an autism unit last week following a hugely successful fundraising campaign.

Radharc na Mara Primary School in Mervue initially began fundraising in February for a sensory room but was able to expand the project to include an occupational therapy room, life skills room, and outdoor area.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Doireann Hanrahan, a teacher in the Autism Class at Radharc na Mara.

“We didn’t expect to get nearly as much money as was donated.”

A sensory room is an area for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other sensory disorders to regulate their emotions using lighting, movement, and other tools.

The sensory room at the school contains things like cocoon swings, weighted blankets, and tactile panels that help students with ASD regulate themselves and rejoin their classroom in a calmer state.

Ms Hanrahan said that children with ASD often have a secondary diagnosis, and that occupational therapy helps with developing their motor skills.

She said that the occupational therapy room will help with carrying out therapy prescribed by the children’s professional disability team and that it will “reinforce” relationships with the school and the children’s diagnostic team.

The school currently has 12 students enrolled in their autism classes, spread across two classrooms. They are all in junior and senior infant classes, meaning that they have eight years left in their journey with the school.

Ms Hanrahan said that the life skills room will be used to teach “valuable” skills that the children will use through their school years.

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story and for lots of photos from the opening, see the June 24 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.