How to communicate about Autism

Hello! A brief introduction of myself…

Development… Is unpredictable in young children A child you think will go in one direction may suddenly develop skills and abilities that will change their future

Diagnosing Early Is the best way to get early intervention services (At about 2 years old or earlier if possible) Early intervention services have been proven to be effective in helping children with autism Educational services

The IEP Process: What can you do? As a doctor, you can be an integral part of a child to receive early services Use your knowledge of developmental milestones to have a say for the child

Why have a Say? Sharing your knowledge will validate the fact that the child has autism and needs services Getting early intervention services will help the child achieve communication skills that parents never thought would come

Why have a Say? The referral process of the IEP relies on documentation from multiple sources, including medical data, testing, and observations Interventions can be based on this testing

The IEP and Childcare Childcare providers can also be a part of this team Notice how the child performs functional skills and socialize with other children

What are Functional Skills? These skills are skills critical to the life of the child They are skills many people take for granted such as toileting and grooming Some children with autism may have issues with these skills for many different reasons

As part of a team You can make key observations about the child that school professionals do not typically have You can also keep a consistent routine to help the child when they are not in school

What can I do to help? Develop a picture schedule of activities for children to do Regularity and consistency is key

What can I do to help? Think about your environment in your facility/home Something you may glance over or not even notice can be a huge deal for children with autism

What if Something Happens? If a child has a behavior, record what happens Your notes should follow an ABC formula: Antecedent Behavior Consequence

Also… Your data, testing, and observations can describe the child’s present levels, highlighting the need for early intervention and services Present levels will determine the goals and work that will need to be done for the child

Don’t Forget! You are part of a team that serves the best interest of the child and family Listen to all sources of information!

The Future of Autism Today, about 2% of all children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder However, the DSM V will eliminate the diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome and collapsing it into the autism diagnosis

Think about this…. How did you tell your last parent that their child had autism? How did they react? What did you tell them afterwards (what did you focus on)?

Think About this… What services do you know about in your area? What makes a service ‘good’ for children with autism? What type of service would you create for children with autism?

As a Physician…. Always think about these questions Having answers on the ready and resources to give will always be helpful Focus on giving parents a resource or place to go to help the child as soon as possible