When providing educational programs for children with autism, staff must have the knowledge and resources to not only teach skills, but to actually improve the child’s neurological function. It is important to include interventions to improve fluidity and modulation of movement, improve auditory and visual processes, and reduce sensory disturbances.
Programming for children with severe autism must go beyond the behavioral analysis applied by ABA. Most of these highly disorganized and out of sync kids would if they could, but they can’t, so they won’t. Pain nullifies compliance. (That is, if a train passes over your foot, nothing else matters.) These children need to feel balanced, secure, and comfortable in their bodies for effective skill development to occur. They need more than educational programming. Most require a therapeutic setting.
Staff must have the knowledge and resources not only to teach skills, but also to alleviate discomfort and improve neurological function. Movement, rhythm disturbances, and complex sensory problems affect the ability to pay attention and learn. Without proper training, most teachers struggle to meet the needs of complex neurological and central nervous system differences.
The creation of therapeutic and productive environments requires staff training, collaboration between disciplines, and changing criteria and delivery models. Experts in the fields of speech, occupational, physical, and visual therapy should work with teachers and parents to create a specific program for severe autism. Parents and staff need to be aware of strategies to be able to provide during the day, not just during short therapy sessions that can occur a few times a week.
Selected staff, duly authorized and motivated, could be sent to alternative training sessions. The chosen staff were not only able to implement strategies, but also train staff and parent modifications that they could use at school and at home to accelerate progress. That is, therapeutic listening, auditory integration training, biofeedback, interactive metronomes, binaural beats, rhythmic entrainment programs, massages, movement therapies, acupressure, reflexology,
Associated “energetic” communication strategies would be adequately defined and implemented. The emphasis would be on the benefits, as well as the many unknown factors and risks. Some other energy modalities to explore are cranial sacrum, reiki, aromatherapy, yoga, meditation, and hypnotherapy.
Many parents have limited resources to address the complex issues related to their child’s disability. Many children have Medicaid or similar government programs, which many therapists do not accept. Other parents are underinsured, lack financial resources, or are in survival mode.
School districts may hire someone from the ASA-Autism Society of America to serve as a source of information for parents on diet, enzymes, supplements, mild chelation procedures, and other options available to smart and intelligent parents. informed.
Developing supportive environments would help ensure maximum use of resources for school districts struggling with budget problems. The site chosen would meet the sensory and motor needs of the children. Ideally, schools should have: “Quiet classrooms with natural light and adequate space for sensory equipment.” Swimming pools and children’s games that help modulate proprioceptive and vestibular difficulties. “Proximity to a variety of parks and nature walks” Close access to community facilities that allows for flexible and cost-effective community programs.
Administrators should arrange a time for teachers, assistants, and parents to consult with the team and implement and refine strategies for the continued optimal growth of each student. As the teams develop, the roles would overlap; Sensory issues, difficulties with movement, communication, behavior issues, and pacing issues that are addressed in all areas of the curriculum throughout the day.
Teachers, assistants, and parents would be more confident in their ability to deal with ongoing complex neurological, sensory, and movement difficulties while continuing to consult and collaborate with experts in specific disciplines. The turbulence and stress on the students would decrease as they took refuge in the support of highly trained and safe staff.
A paradigm shift of this magnitude requires that small changes continue to occur. Disseminated information on current practices distributed. Programs will be modified as collaboration and innovation improve. What works for one child can have disastrous effects on another, or it can work now and be useless later. If staff refuse to be accommodating, have options, remain flexible, open to new ideas, take risks, and provide mutual support, procedures will continue to create a flow of progress.