Early Intervention Services and Strategies for Parents of Children with Autism

1. Early Intervention Services and Strategies for Parents of Children withAutism Colleen Mick, M.Ed. & Wendy Florick, M.A., CCC-SLP

2. Early Intervention Services Colleen Mick, M.Ed. colleen@starfish.nwsc.k12.ar.us

3. Public Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mandates that each state provide all eligible children with a public education that meets their individual needs.

4. Early Intervention Services Ages 0 - 3

5. Early Intervention Services • Vary widely from state to state • Provided free of cost • Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) • Focus is on the overall development • Services for families

6. Why Early Intevention? • Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to improve symptoms. • Most professionals agree the earlier the intervention, the better. • Minimize the impacts of the disability on the child.

7. EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES Ages 3 through 5

8. WHAT ARE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES? • Early Childhood Special Education Services are activities designed to enhance the development of the child (3-5). • Focus becomes about “education”. • The services are provided as needed at no cost to the family.

9. EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES • A child may be eligible for special services if he/she is age 3 through 5 and is experiencing difficulties which interfere with normal development in these areas:  speech/language  vision  hearing  motor skills  self help skills  behavioral/social skills  cognition/readiness skills

10. Identification • Comprehensive Evaluation • Screening Instruments • Observations • Assessments • Questionnaires • Classification • Medical vs. Educational

11. Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) • Key word “appropriate” • Educational progress • Build a partnership with the school

12. Interventions • Speech Therapy • Educational Services • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • Behavioral Intervention • Other Appropriate Services

13. Developing an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) • Type of service • Amount of Time • Place of service • Modifications to general education environment • Supports

14. HOW ARE SERVICES PROVIDED? • Itinerant based (i.e., speech/language therapy) • Community based preschool • Special class (designed primarily for children with disabilities) • Specialized day service center (DDTCS or CHMS) • home based instruction • hospital/residential instruction

15. Programs for Children 3-5 • Contact your local school district or • NWAESC Early Childhood Program http://starfish.k12.ar.us 4 N. Double Springs Rd. Farmington, AR 72730 (479) 267-5960 • DDTCS • Richardson Center 479-443-4420 • Benton County Sunshine School 479-636-3190 • CHMS • Kids First 479-750-0130 • MiChild 479-839-3349

16. Other Resources • Early Intervention Services (Birth – 3) • Richardson Center • Benton County Sunshine School • First Connections - Early Intervention Service Coordinators • Artie Herndon (479-527-9145) Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Washington • Bettye Starkey (501-730-9978) Faulkner • Amy Causey (479-968-5596 • Arkansas Support Network • Phone: (479) 927-4100 Toll Free: (800) 748-9768

17. Strategies for Working with Young Children with Autism Wendy Florick, M.A., CCC-SLP wflorick@starfish.nwsc.k12.ar.us

18. Strategies • 1. Sensory • 2. Visual Supports • 3. Language/Social Interaction

19. Sensory Difficulties Making sense of your senses!

20. Sensory Processing Disorder • “Sensory Processing Disorder is the inability to use information received through the senses in order to function smoothly in daily life.” • Carol Kranowitz, The Out-of-Sync Child

21. Common Symptoms • Avoids Touch or Movement; May Be Rigid and Uncoordinated • Unaware of Messy Face, Hands or Clothes • Craves Fast Spinning and Movement • Oversensitive to Lights or Sounds • Is Attracted to Shiny, Spinning Objects or Bright Lights • Objects to or Seeks Strong Smells or Tastes • A Child’s Unusual Responses to Touching and Being Touched or Moving and Being Moved

22. Why is it important? • Sensory needs must be met for the child to make sense of his environment and be available to learn. • Behaviors that develop to meet sensory needs can interfere with everyday activities and social interaction.

23. Proprioceptive (Heavy Work) vs Vestibular (Movement) • Heavy Work • Riding on a tricycle • Pumping a swing • Little Tykes-style car • Movement • Riding in a wagon • Pushed on a swing • Remote control car Child controls movement Movement is done to child

24. Strategies for Movement Needs • Sensory diet • Plan activities throughout the day to regulate the child • climbing, jumping (mini trampoline), obstacle course, dancing, outside play, swinging • important to prepare for times when child needs to be sitting or has been in a car for an extended time • it’s not a pill that makes the need for activity go away-it is like being hungry in that you eat but then you are hungry again • just as important for underactive as overactive children

25. Specific Strategies for Common Problems • Over-responsive to noise- • try child earphones • Difficulty sitting for activities- • weighted lap pad • use a rocking chair or hoppity ball • Seems unaware of where he is in space- • try putting a pound of rice or beans in his backpack (He carries, not you!) • use deep pressure when you hug or interact with the child • try massage to bring body awareness

26. Visual Supports Use your child’s strengths

27. Why use visual supports? • Many children (and adults) learn best when they can see as well as hear • Auditory processing difficulties are very common in children with autism • For children who are resistant to verbal directions, it directs the child without a power struggle (It’s hard to be angry at a picture!)

28. Types of Visual Supports • Visual Schedules • for daily activities such as going to school, eating dinner, taking a bath, etc. • for specific activities like washing hands • Timers • for staying with an activity • for waiting for activities or taking turns

29. Types of Visual Supports • If/Then Book • shows your child what will happen if they complete an activity (wash your hands, then snack) • helps to teach the important concept of work, then play • Stop signs • shows your child what is off limits

30. Language and Social Interaction Core deficit areas for children with autism

31. Language is Giving and Receiving • Points to “cat” when asked • Follows directions • Understands big/little • Answers questions by pointing • Names “cat” • Asks for a drink • “Big car” • Answers questions verbally Receptive Language Expressive Language

32. Receptive Strategies • Following Directions • Give prompts, then fade. • Full physical prompt • Partial physical prompt • Visual prompt • Independent

33. Expressive Language Strategies • Play “dumb” • try not to anticipate wants and needs • give the wrong item or act like you don’t know what is wanted • Place favorite items in sight but out of reach of child • put favorite items in containers that are difficult to open • if nonverbal, use pictures or photographs for child to use to request (Picture Exchange Communication System or PECS)

34. Expressive Language Strategies • Challenge with questions • “Why do you want to go outside?” “ What are you going to do outside?” • increases interaction time • Teach answering questions • ask question, then give choices, giving most likely first (“What do you want to eat? Do you want crackers or broccoli?”) • ask question, pause, then ask again and give the answer (“Who is coming home soon? Who is coming home soon? Daddy is!”)

35. Interaction Strategies • Be playfully obstructive • if child lines up cars, drive a car away or crash into the cars • if child drives train around and around the track, use your hand to block the progress and wait for a response • challenge, but make it fun! • Sit face to face and draw attention to your eyes • place toys up to your eyes • put toys on your head

36. Interaction Strategies • Work in pairs • have a sibling or another adult sit behind your child to help with rolling a ball or pushing a car back and forth • Work on imitation skills • imitate what your child does • fingerplays and movement songs are great for teaching imitation • Be animated, excited; woo your child

37. Resources • The Child With Special Needs by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder • Engaging Autism by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder • The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz • www.do2learn.com (free black and white pictures) • www.mayer-johnson.com (Boardmaker, Download Free Trial) • www.pecs.com (picture exchange communication system) • www.abilitations.com for swings, weighted lap belts and other sensory equipment