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I'd like to push the thinking about what happens in adulthood BEFORE the age of 16. Families and educators can think about long term quality of life in early childhood. Supporting parents in healthy family life early (being able to go to the grocery store, have dinner together, enjoy life together) will enable children to experience these and learn from them early. Right now, our services are primarily classroom based from the age of 3. Children are taught to behave and respond in classroom environments while they continue having extreme difficulty at home.

The core issues of autism are skills that children learn before the age of 12 months in typical development (e.g., social engagement, joint attention). Caregivers are primary at that age, no one will deny that fact. Caregivers CAN be the primary support for people with autism in daily life and most often want to be.

Currently, parents are taught to be more passive observers of their children with autism, while they receive services through schools or other interventions that remove parents as primary people in their lives.

Yes, the earlier that better for families to be supported to best guide their children in the early developmental skills they lost... but this can occur at any age and see huge life changing improvements.

www.barbaraavilaconsulting.com
I use Relationship Development Intervention in my work with families.

-Barbara

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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