Developmental Therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Saturday July 29, 2006
Developmental therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorders work on autism's "core
deficits" including problems with social and communication skills. They are
tailored to the individual child, and are very often administered by
parents. Floortime, RDI and Son-Rise are the top developmental therapies
for autism. Learn more about developmental therapy and the different
approaches. Are these techniques for you?
If you've tried one of these therapies, or know of another developmental therapy for autism, please join the conversation!
Comments
A Double-blind Autism experience with a living working loving group of people all are ignored on purpose. Before Rain Man’s curse Autism and opened the flood gates of Autism and perhaps invited too many experts Autism was not near the big deal it is today. Our big group of Temple Grandin’s all do pretty well in real life and many of us have families and drive and even hold traditional jobs. Modern autism has got a hold of the wrong end of the stick and made autism a disaster while we simply figured out a different kind of thought process that has never been in a text book before. Even some younger people in autism know us.
We absently figured out our invisable to you thought process and even made great strides in blending that autism in to social skills. Our old autism that was once the hope of Autism might well be the building blocks of the human mind all spelled out. It fathered the computer and even gave rise to Rain Man himself. If we are right our figured out autism is the step -by step invisable to you process our minds do to function. As we learned various things growing up our expereince has showed the the more we figured out via trial and error the better we did in real life. Before Rain Man people loved our odd way embraced our strange manor,never worried of our lack of eye contact and even pushed our splinter skills. Splinter skills our learning hallway and what we learned with our Obessions simply over flowed in to life at large. They seen the thrill of our results and they opened the doors of their mind and simply went with what was working. Autism thought does mimic traditional thought eventually and that is why we overcome so well. You would never dream the village idiot and the Savant share the same thoughts- it is only their ability to convert them real life in real time that makes one successfull.
Modern Autism doesn’t understand us,and we are not the chosen ones and even worse the results of our double-blind experience not only make a mockery out of new age autism it also deflates its ranks quite a bit. Of Course the ‘experts’ of today think we are nothing but trouble, but in reality they are ones causing the trouble. If they were honest researchers they would embrace our version of Autism that explains Rain Man ,savants and even Einstein. Frankly no matter how good we do and no matter how we figured out our success, none of us have a degree in Psychology or Education but , we have PH’d’s in real life. Autism is so simple the version we have figured out could be taught by 6th grade- we have already done the long hand versionof that and even proved it works in real life. Who would have thunk that?
No matter if all do more than Temple Does and build on her work, no matter if many of us do a traditional life modern Autism has invented a version of Autism Only they could dream up and in their mind it is the only ideal that might even work- sadly it also makes a moutian out of a moe hill and just how can and “retards” overcome the power and glory of the Autism Society and expert doctors and the money and clout these autism folks have? We don’t have billions to buy our way in to the game and even worse our double -blind results might well be the building block of the mind but we are bad for the business of Autism. Lots of Autism would make more sense IF our voice was allowed to be heard.
Of Course humans are not noted in my book at least for being logical and we might well piss away this figured out core knowlege of Mankind’s mind all for the glory and ego and the sake of the cause, how smart is that?
For a wonderful look at Old unfooldwith Autism Please Search the Web For Alan Turing (1912-1954) he was father of the computer and like us,over came his autism and learned to be social, His life has autism written all over it!
I am 24 years old now, from Montreal originally, and I can happily say I am the product of a holistic, developmental-type therapy program in Montreal called Giant Steps. That program is one of the first in the world to have used a developmental perspective to treat autistic kids. It was founded by Darlene Berringer, a gifted music therapist who has been a pioneer at many things like autism therapy. I started there when I was 2.
As well as behavioural, speech, and occupational therapy, it has used group and music therapies as well as activities of daily living. The parents do not have to engage themselves in the actual therapies; those are taken care of at Giant Steps. But the parents are still charged with a hefty tuition, as well as to ensure that the kids get the most out of it. In many children who have participated there, like me, it has led to wonderful results, so that we socialize and function on our own. (Many others have not benefited as much – but then again, autism is an individualized disorder.) Just wanted to let you know about Giant Steps because it does not get into the autism literature, Web or otherwise, as much as many bigger or more renowned programs.
You are so fortunate Yosef… & had the support & motivation to make it through your education/therapy (it took a lot of work on your part too)- I hope autism program developers look up the Giant Steps as a framework model! ‘Holistic & Developmental’ seem to be the key words in describing an effective autism theropy. ‘Hefty tuition’ also seems to be a common denominator term…
My sons, 20 & 15 had a “program” of my own making including all the developmental activities I could find, afford & incorporate into their everyday education & life. Parents w/o financial backing need to be pro active & educate themselves. The therapies themselves are not ‘magic’, they are methodology… step by step progressions & interventions. Use your resources, be your childs first responder & interactive model. Pay for & use the professional options only where you need to (& watch & learn from them & carry thru at home)
It is SO hard to be the ‘theropist’ because you want your child/parent relationship to be a loving, receptive, interactive, bonding experience,’happy’… not theraputic. BUT, that will never be yours unless you open up the emotional internalization & expression in your child.
We have some limited but sucessful experience with RDI. (would have continued but ran out of $) It’s development & ideas were a little late for me. You can only ‘therapy’ a high functioning, operating fairly sucessfully out in the world young adult so far… then it is up to them & that is a whole other story.
However, RDI’s concept of identifying the ‘Core Deficit’ is what was missing as I worked w/my children. It was painful (because of late age & stage), yet amazing to work w/their methods for eye contact/reaction to facial cues, body/space orientation etc., with my 13yr old. What little we did do w/him did stay. The college age boy did benefit from some verbal relationship interactive games also.
In the beginning, sensitivity issues, tantrums, hyperactivity, focus attention, digestive issues all needed addressed w/various theropies & varying success, BUT, RDI was the missing aspect I was looking for… real, sincere connections, not scripted or learned. Check out the web site.
Can someone say “FC”? What is wrong with everyone?
Tom Smith
Owner of the Autismlist@yahoogroups
I would like to say a special hello to Yosef( and to his family) and to let you know how wonderfull it is to hear that you are well. Many years ago we met at giant steps in montreal and it touched my heart to hear you speak so positively about your experience at Giant Steps. I am known as Bessi but you used to make fun of my name so I listed myself as Vasiliki. Take good care of yourself Yosef and be well…
Darlene Berringer once told me “you’d need a rubber car in order to drive”. As a veteran driver since 1995, I’d arguably have to say that her opinion was one of illogical idiocy.
Giant Steps was no help to me whatsoever, as all Ms Berringer did was tell me all the things I WOULDN’T be able to do…
Darlene..get your F$%king head checked, idiot!
I have met some kids and their parents who have been in the Giant Steps program and they have always spoken very highly of it. A friend of mine has a son who is currently at the New England Center for Children and it has been an incredibly positive experience thus far for them. I’m not entirely sure how New England Center for Children’s tuition compares to Giant Steps though. http://www.necc.org