NATIONAL AND LOCAL SUPPORT
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Support for families with a child diagnosed with ASD is available at the national level, the local level, and through the public schools. Families can also take advantage of social opportunities for parents and students by working with service providers from their school district and community organizations.
Support for families with a child diagnosed with ASD is available at the national level, the local level, and through the public schools. Families can also take advantage of social opportunities for parents and students by working with service providers from their school district and community organizations.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Autism.com is packed with resources for parents and children with the goal of connecting them to educational support. Instead of reading about ASD, anyone can go to their Other Resources page and find Austimtube to watch and listen to videos about numerous topics related to ASD!
The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) was founded by parents of children with autism. Their focus is directing funds toward autism research. Their Board of Directors and Scientific Council includes an impressive list of leaders in the field including research university professors, ABA experts, and psychologists.
The Organization for Autism Research has a parent guide for the assessment process.
Autism Speaks provides practical resources for parents such as the 100 Day Tool Kit. Their focus is on supporting families through early intervention and advocacy. Their scientific research has led to “4 major breakthroughs” related to early diagnosis, early intervention, related health issues, and genetics.
Autism Speaks provides practical resources for parents such as the 100 Day Tool Kit. Their focus is on supporting families through early intervention and advocacy. Their scientific research has led to “4 major breakthroughs” related to early diagnosis, early intervention, related health issues, and genetics.
It should be noted that some people believe it is a mistake to support Autism Speaks. Here is their side of the story: Consider the Facts
Autism Speaks has responded to these concerns on this page, For the Record
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)site has a section dedicated to autism that is easy to read with links to other important resources such as diagnosis, treatment, research, and a developmental milestones tracker app. Their scientific research includes a project called Study to Explore Early Development (SEED).
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS and ABA Therapy
Department of Rehabilitation
Employers who are interested in diversifying their workplace by hiring people with disabilities list job openings on this site. Here is the job link.
This organization provides videos and zoom meetings for training and support in a variety of areas related to children with disabilities and specifically autism.
Regional Center of Orange County
The Regional Center of Orange County provides services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. They offer parent to parent support, a resource library, and community activities for residents of Orange County.
There is no cost for assessments involved in determining eligibility for services!
This group was highlighted on the local news when they were having their annual “Autisms Got Talent” Event in mid-April. This event was for autistic children and adults to share their musical and visual artistic gifts. The society is an active group with programs, support, and resources for families impacted by autism. They also coordinate a “Take Me Home” registry with local police agencies to keep people safe who may wander from home.
Autism resource mom is located in Orange County California. This site provides social opportunities for people with autism and their families. It appears to be a very active group with on-going events such as Friday nights for Teens and Family Hikes.
Autism resource mom is located in Orange County California. This site provides social opportunities for people with autism and their families. It appears to be a very active group with on-going events such as Friday nights for Teens and Family Hikes.
Easterseals of Southern California provides services, education, outreach, and advocacy. Their specific therapies for ASD include behavior, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy, and social skills groups. They also have parent support groups
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy is an Evidence Based Practice intended to improve the behavior and social skills of individuals with ASD.
While many educators and other leaders in the field of autism service providers support ABA , there are individuals with Autism and their advocates who have expressed concerns and caution regarding ABA. One area of concern is identifying which behaviors and social characteristics of children with ASD need to be changed. Here is Chloe Everett sharing her perspective on The Problem with ABA
The Council of Autism Service Providers, (CASP), has written Guidelines for ABA
Read this article to learn more about choosing an ABA provider!
Here is a recent article with specific information about the qualifications for ABA providers
Here is an overview of ABA therapy from an organization called Hope Bridge Autism Therapy Center
TRANSITION
Transitions from high school to higher education or employment is a time when individuals with autism need support from their entire team to find local resources and community-based programs.
In this news story, Giving Adults with Autism the Skills to Live Independent Lives, we see that adults living with autism can live productive and happy lives.
Look here for resources for Transition Age Youth with Disabilities
EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION
How service providers collaborate to support individuals on the spectrum and their families
Parents provide first-hand experience and information as the experts on their child and a valuable member of the IEP Team. They depend on their child's Pediatrician to identify their child as needing an evaluation and assist in making the diagnosis of ASD. The Pediatrician supports the individual with autism by serving as a consultant to review educational diagnostic evaluations completed by the school district and advocating for the student throughout their public school career.
Service providers work with individuals on the spectrum according to their needs as indicated by the initial evaluation for the IEP, and their resulting annual goals. The Special Education Teacher usually serves as the case manager leading the IEP team. They collaborate with other service providers and with the General Education teacher to design the student's schedule and implement accommodations and modifications for inclusion and access to the general education curriculum. The student's School Psychologist conducts many of the assessments for students’ evaluations. They support the individual by developing behavior plans, recommending interventions, and by providing social and emotional support. The School Administrator - usually the Principal serves on the IEP team as an expert in school resources and district curriculum. A Social Worker and a Vocational Specialist might join the team to facilitate transition into their choice of higher education, career training, or employment when the individual with ASD enters high school.
The most common service providers for ASD are the Speech & Language Pathologist (SLP) and the Occupational Therapist (OT). Speech and occupational therapy services as specified by the IEP are usually provided on a weekly basis during the school day. The SLP works with needs of students related to communication. They address speech deficits as well as social interaction and conversational skills. The OT supports the practical needs of students related to participating in everyday activities. They help the student practice fine-motor skills needed for dressing, using scissors, and handwriting. They also work with student in areas of self-regulation and coping with sensory issues. Collaboration between the SLP and other service providers is helpful to the IEP team, general education teachers, and students.
If IEP team decides the student needs additional services, they may also include the services of an Adapted P.E. Teacher, a Physical therapist (PT), a Nutritionist, and a Behavior Analyst. The Adaptive PE Teacher helps the individual improve their gross motor skills. Their role is to teach the individual specific ways to move their body to participate in games with their peers, to safely use the PE and playground equipment, and to safely navigate the school environment. The PT assesses the physical environment as well as the ability of the individual to independently navigate the physical environment. They support the student by providing strategies for general motor behavior including strength, functional mobility, coordination, stamina, and postural control. A Nutritionist becomes familiar with the individual's food preferences, eating habits and sensory issues to develop a "feeding plan" if needed. The Behavior Analyst assists school teams as well as individual students in behavior-related interventions and assessments. They support the individual by observing the student in a variety of settings and by initiating helpful strategies to improve their positive engagement with the learning environment, the community, and home settings.
References:
IRIS Center. (n.d.). What should teachers consider when working with students with autism spectrum disorder? Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/asd1/cresource/q2/p04/#content
Lipkin, P. H., & Okamoto, J. (2015). The individuals with disabilities education act (idea) for children with special educational needs. PEDIATRICS, 136(6). doi:10.1542/peds.2015-3409
Questions?
Questions?
Contact me for specific resources to help someone you know who is impacted by ASD
Elizabeth Duzan at elduzan@capousd.org
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