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NEW BLOG POSTING

with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker

#4 Programs Introduction

10/3/2019

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What To Do While You Wait ~ #4 LOOKING INTO PROGRAMS ~ INTRODUCTION:

< My Thoughts >  Parental concerns, the severity of a child’s behavior, the amount of support, the family has, or doesn’t have, all contribute to the family making the choice of  becoming isolated or seeking help. Help can come from Programs, Therapies, & other Interventions.

Even if your child hasn’t been diagnosed yet, s/he may be eligible for Early Intervention Services. The IDEA Law says that children under the age of 3 years old who are at-risk for having developmental delays may be eligible for services.

Some programs are expensive, so understand your child well enough to know what things may work and what may not. While you are waiting, try to discover who your child is behind the autism. There is danger in believing that ‘one-program-fits-all’ because each child is so different in their abilities and their challenges. That’s just a reality. 

When trying to get to know the child behind the autism, understand that s/he may be showing symptoms of more than one problem, challenge, or disorder. Misdiagnosis can result in your child receiving unnecessary or inappropriate services. Over diagnosis can also have negative consequences. Some tests provide overlapping information and that’s okay because clinicians will know how to sort everything out. Guard against becoming convinced that a program is going to ‘fix’ your child’s autism. 

Before looking for a program…  Prioritize your child’s
​‘needs’…   Prioritize your ‘wants’
 
       In other words…
 
       What is the most frightening
       or destructive thing going on
       right now in your child’s world?

Much of the diagnostic information will come from parents. So once again, be sure that you know your child well enough to give insightful but honest responses to all inquiries. If your child is in school, they will have critical input. Video taping (most smart phones have apps) can show what you may have difficulty expressing in words. You are looking for a way to ease the current situation. This may take time and diligence. 

Prioritize. Is your child repeatedly doing weird things? Is s/he refusing to eat to the point where it is life threatening? Is s/he biting you, screaming and kicking in walls? Tantrumming, having meltdowns and causing self-abuse? Is s/he a danger to his or herself or others? Then your child is asking for help the only way they are able to. 
Picture
​​There are many different types of treatment programs, interventions, and services being tried by parents and schools. Also, your child’s challenges may require having several non-competing therapies at once. Therefore, carefully consider the cost and time involved for your child and your family. Be very careful to fully understand your obligations. Remember that gym/spa membership you paid for every month for three years, even though you only went there a few times? You could find yourself in the same type of situation.
​
Here are some of them described by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention – Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/treatment.html
  • Early Intervention Services; these services are provided through your state & may provide testing or evaluation for your child. This may be your first step.
  • Treatments; some different types of treatments are Behavior/Communication; Dietary; Medication; Complementary & Alternative Medicine.
  • Behavior & Communication; Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Developmental Individual Differences Relation-Based-Approach (aka DIR/Floortime), Treatment & Education of Autistic & related Communication-handicapped Children (TEAACH), Occupational Therapy (OT), Sensory Integration Therapy for Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Speech Therapy, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
  • Dietary Approaches; many of these treatments are unproven. But, a medical doctor may recommend biomedical intervention after testing your child for food allergies, gastrointestinal problems, and/or nutritional deficiencies.
  • Medication; there are no specific medications for ASD, only medications to treat related symptoms such as energy levels, inability to focus, depression, and/or seizures. Most often these are costly substance controlled drugs which need extremely careful monitoring for dosage and side effects.
  • Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAMs); these are treatments outside those typically recommended by the medical profession and without rigorous scientific research. Such as – auditory integration therapy, facilitated communication, gluten/casein-free diets, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, probiotics, acupuncture, vitamin supplements, chelation therapy, immunoglobulin infusions, animal therapy, massage therapy, creative therapy (art & music) etc.
END of #4 INTRODUCTION: What to do While You Wait with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
​
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    My purposes are 'educational' in nature.  My hope is that this is a place for 'First Responders' and the 'Battle Worn' alike to find information, take solace, and to help one another, in the name of Autism.  My commitment is to deliver hope, insight, and a realm of possibilities to all who enter this site. 

    ​Disclaimer: Just to let you know that I, Sara Luker, have put forth my best efforts to create the extended book reviews presented here on this website. I have permission from the authors to publish these Extended Book Reviews. This is just a sharing of stories of those who have gone on before you.

    My input as noted by <My Thoughts> are just that... my reflections as a parent, educator, and author. The ideas or considerations presented are given only as hopefully helpful to the viewers relating to the topic or subject.

    Any REFERENCES to websites, professional journals, and/or printed material, including eBooks, are solely for educational purposes. I have no involvement in sponsorship or financial interests in these sources.

    ​Please, understand also that all health matters ALWAYS require professional medical decisions, diagnosis, and treatment by highly qualified and licensed individuals.
    ​
    Regards,
    Sara Luker

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