Transcript Children with ASD: Intervention Issues

Helping Families, Schools and
Communities Understand Children
With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Teresa Boggs, M. S. CCC-SLP
Director of Clinical Services for SLP
Nave Language Center: A Program for Children with ASD and
related Communication Disorders
(423) 483-2630
Agenda
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Impact of ASD on a Child’s Communication
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Impact of ASD on the Family
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Best Practice and Meaningful Outcomes
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Understanding the Child with ASD and strategies for
interaction
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The Need for a Team
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A Local Resource
Impact of ASD on Communication
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Differences in Learning the Meaning of Words
Differences in the Use of Language
Difficulties in Determining the Level of Understanding
Differences in Early Interaction and Communication Skills
Differences in Advanced Social and Communication Skills
Best Practices
Committee on Educational Interventions for Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorders-birth to 8
Years
(NRC, 2009)
Characteristics of Effective Intervention
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Entry into intervention services as early as possible
Active engagement in instruction
Repeated, planned teaching opportunities with sufficient
individualized attention daily
Planned developmentally appropriate activities aimed
toward identified objectives
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Inclusion of a family component
Low student/teacher ratio
Mechanisms for ongoing program evaluation of a child’s
progress, with adjustments in programming
Children should receive specialized instruction in
settings in which ongoing interactions occur with
typically developing children.
9. Six kinds of instruction should have priority:
a. Functional, spontaneous communication
b. Social instruction in various settings
c. Teaching of play skills focusing on appropriate use
of toys and play with peers.
d. Instruction leading to generalization and
maintenance of cognitive skills in natural context
e. Positive approaches to address problem behaviors
f. Functional academic skills when appropriate
Understand the Child with
ASD and the Impact on
Learning
Strengths and Weaknesses in ASD and
Impact on Academic Learning
Strengths
Visual processing
Gestalt processing
Rote memory
Non-social object
knowledge
Learning by doing
(Active engagement)
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Weaknesses
Language processing
Analytic processing
Semantic memory
Social knowledge*
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Learning through language
or passive observation
Sensory Preferences
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Movement
Tactile
Visual
Auditory
Taste and Smell
Shift of Attention
The ability to disengage and shift attention may be a key
characteristic and early indicator of ASD.
Understand the Child’s
Family
Families of children with ASD grieve
Families of children with ASD have high levels of stress
Families have challenges relating to extend family members,
friends and communities
Families have difficulty understanding their child’s needs
Families have difficulty securing resources
ASD affects the WHOLE family
However, families of children with ASD are resilient
How to support families
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Strive to understand the entire family
Remove burden of judgment from the families you
support
Familiarize yourself with the services in your community
Help families identify sources of stress, and possible
options
Help families prioritize goals and activities
Preserve the role of parents as parents
Understand the Child’s
Communication and
Interaction Strategies
Communication depends upon…
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A communication partner with a desire for interaction
Understanding of communication intention (a reason to
communicate)
A variety of communication means (a way to
communicate)
Contextual and non contextual comprehension
Interaction Precedes
Communication
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The first step in achieving an interaction is paying
attention to another person
The second step is to initiate towards another person
and
Needs to respond to another person
Child-initiated interactions
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Children with ASD have
difficulty shifting his or her
attention.
Children with ASD have
difficultly with joint attention
Children with ASD have
difficulty with interaction.
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Limited demands to shift
attention
Shared focus
More sociable resulting in
more initiations
A Directive Style of Intervention Alone may
results in….
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Fewer initiations by the child
A child who communicates primarily to respond
Less desire for social engagement
Purpose of Routines
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Supports child’s need for predictability
Helps the child know what to expect
Repeat the routine often
Arrange the environment to increase the likelihood that
the child will initiate within the routine
Functionality
Flexibility
Use Cues
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Initially, model and prompt to establish routines. Use
explicit than natural cues.
Use questions judiciously. Avoid too many questions,
avoid yes/no questions.
Break the routine down into small steps.
Use Activities
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Motivating
Meaningful
Natural
Organized
Developmentally-appropriate
Understand the need for a
Team
Team Members
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Child
Family and friends
Physicians
Psychologist
Pharmacist
Psychiatrics
Nurses
Teachers
Speech Language Pathologist
Occupational Therapist
Nutritionist
Community Leaders (churches, sports, family activities)
Local Resource: The Nave
Language Center
A Program for Children with Autism and Related
Communication Disorders
Art Studio
Individual Therapy Suites
Music and Story Area
Living Area
Movement Room
Kitchen Area
Parent Resource Areas