Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Easter Seals Opens New Pre-School in Illinois for Children with Autism

scottie — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:19:26 +0000

Teaser:

Easter Seals in Peoria opened a pre-school for children with autism.

Body:

Easter Seals in Peoria opened a pre-school for children with autism. The Intensive Therapeutic Autism Program will focus on applied behavior analysis (ABA) and DIR/Floortime. This “bridge” to kindergarten will help kids increase academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally. The 3-hour-a-day, 2-day-a-week program is designed to complement current early intervention services. The class team includes an early childhood educator, speech therapist, occupational therapist, a certified ABA therapist, and several aides.

Read original article: Easter Seals to Provide Pre-School for Kids with Autism

Re: NEWS - Improv Workshop Helps Kids with Autism with Their Social Skills

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:17:58 +0000

Thank you so much for mentioning the Shenanigans class that Jstar conducted recently in the Detroit area. To give a little more insight, Jstar owns his own theater and co-produces the Spontaneous Combustion - Motor City improv festival. He was excited to discover an opportunity to also bring Shenanigans to some new faces in Detroit. It sounds like the kiddos had a wonderful time!

My grandson, diagnosed with Asperger's, is the inspiration for Shenanigans, when, several years ago, I struggled to find a way to help his social growth. After much research, I came across improvisational theatre, saw a good fit for the skills I wanted to target, and couldn't find a similar program here in Atlanta or anywhere. So I decided to develop a program and find someone involved in improv theatre who could get excited about my vision and help me move it forward. I found Jstar and brought him on as my charter instructor in 2009, and he has been an enthusiastic champion for Shenanigans ever since.

Shenanigans is an applied improv theatre program targeting those with special needs, especially Asperger's, high-functioning autism, and related conditions. We use the process of learning improvisational theatre games and exercises to work on social skills by unveiling the mysteries of human interaction. The main tenet of improv, "Say Yes, and..." teaches our students better adapting skills when the unexpected pops up, and flexibility to deal with those changes and move forward.

With our growing team of instructors, the Shenanigans program has spread throughout the metro Atlanta area. We are now reaching beyond our home city to bring the Shenanigans-style approach to others who are interested.

I am always eager to talk more about our wonderful program and the benefits our actors receive from their participation.

Sandy Bruce, Founder & Exec Dir, Shenanigans (www.ShenanigansImprov.com - on Facebook: /ShenanigansImprov)

Responding to applied behavior analysis (ABA)

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:09:13 +0000

ABA is good for teaching discrete skills to kids with autism. Actually, there are conflicting analyses of the ABA effectiveness literature....and generalization is still a major challenge. ANd, with ABA, a teacher can focus entirely on nonfunctional skills in isolation with ABA.

THere is now growing evidence of the usefulness of developmental interventions for kids on the spectrum, such as DIR. I think a combination of therapies, as DIR and ABA can help a child learn to read, for example, and also to relate and connect with other people.

Soaring Eagle Academy Focuses on DIR/Floortime Model for Children with Autism

scottie — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:58:05 +0000

Teaser:

Soaring Eagle Academy is the first school in the Midwest to use the Developmental Individual Difference Relationship (DIR) for its teaching model.

Body:

Soaring Eagle Academy is the first school in the Midwest to use the Developmental Individual Difference Relationship (DIR) for its teaching model. DIR is therapy based on emotional, social, and intellectual capabilities of children on the autism spectrum. Floortime is the basis of DIR, and while it may look like play, it is direct interaction between the child and the parent, therapist, or teacher. Deanna Tyrpak, co-founder of the school, explains, “Every child has a one-on-one assistant that is their floor-time player that engages them in interaction all through the day.” Along with floortime, children are provided speech, art, physical, occupational, and recreational therapists. Currently the school serves children ages 5 through 13, but their goal is to expand to help high school students.

Read original article: Local Academy Educates Autistic Children

Responding to Floortime

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:01:21 +0000

Hi all,

I am a doctoral-level BCBA who is now studying to become a certified DIR/Floortime practitioner. I love the way it works with kids, and the joy it brings. I also have my own consulting company and can consult on inclusion, Floortime, and ABA, depending on a family's wishes.

My website is www.gurryautismconsulting.com

my blog is www.autismthought.com

Susan

Explaining the Floortime Model for Children with Autism

scottie — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:30:10 +0000

Teaser:

Each and every child on the autism spectrum has different social skills, different needs, and different levels of sensory perception.

Body:

Each and every child on the autism spectrum has different social skills, different needs, and different levels of sensory perception. One method of working with children one-on-one to develop their potential is DIR/Floortime, developed by the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan. The Developmental Individual Difference, Relationship-based Model (DIR/Floortime) is “a systematic way of working with a child to help him climb the developmental ladder; it is the heart of the developmental approach to therapy. It takes a child back to the very first milestone he may have missed and begins the developmental process anew.” Floortime involves teachers, parents, and therapists, and up to eight one-on-one 20 to 30 minute sessions a day. For example, one child loved finding dinosaurs on the computer, but did not like to interact with his classmates. His teacher developed a way to used dinasaurs as a play choice during his math and reading time. This interaction translated into increased interaction with other children.

Read original article: More on the Floor Time Therapy Model for Children with Autism

Behavioural and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review

scottie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:46:38 +0000

Title	Behavioural and Developmental Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Systematic Review
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Ospina MB, Seida JK, Clark B, Karkhaneh M, Hartling L, Tjosvold L, Vandermeer B, Smith V
Journal Title	PLoS One
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	3
Issue	11
Pages	1-32
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19015734?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Therapy choices for children with autism may be best guided by the needs of the individual child. The authors looked at 101 research studies that tested the effectiveness of different types of behavioral therapy. The autism interventions included applied behavior analysis (ABA), Lovaas, TEACCH, and DIR. They compared three studies that were designed better than the others. Even though these studies were small, children who received intensive Lovaas treatment showed improvement in skills compared to those who received special education. However, the authors believe that the choice of behavioral therapies should be designed for the needs of the individual child because they feel there is no single therapy that works for every child.

Brief Report: Comparative ABA and DIR Trials in Twin Brothers with Autism

scottie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:35:26 +0000

Title	Brief Report: Comparative ABA and DIR Trials in Twin Brothers with Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Hilton JC, Seal BC
Journal Title	Journal of Autism and Development Disorders
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	37
Issue	6
Pages	1197-1201
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17072747?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Identical twin brothers with autism showed different improvements using Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based therapy (DIR) and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. Their mother wanted to see which therapy might work better for both of her sons. Each twin (2 years, 4 months old) began with separate therapy sessions (DIR and ABA) and separate therapists. They each attended 16 therapy sessions. The child who received ABA therapy showed more improvement responding to his name and using signs than his brother. He also had some tantrums and aggression. The twin who received DIR intervention showed improvement in social interaction and symbolic behaviors. The mother chose to put both boys in DIR therapy, even though more gains were seen in the ABA-treated twin. The authors said that parents may choose therapies based on several factors including individual and family needs.

An Introduction to Stanley Greenspan’s Clinical Thinking: Autism as an Intention Deficit Disorder

scottie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:37:26 +0000

Title	An Introduction to Stanley Greenspan’s Clinical Thinking: Autism as an Intention Deficit Disorder
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Balamuth R
Journal Title	Journal of Infant, Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	6
Issue	3
Pages	163-173
URL for Abstract	http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a794708776~db=all~order=page
Teaser	DIR therapy may help the parent to understand a child with autism and use that new understanding to build a relationship that may help the child recover from autism.
Full Text	DIR therapy may help the parent to understand a child with autism and use that new understanding to build a relationship that may help the child recover from autism. This review article describes the thoughts of Dr. Greenspan, which form the basis of the play approach to autism therapy and Floortime. This type of therapy is also known as DIR (Developmental - Individual Differences - Relationships-Based Therapy). The paper describes the basic factors that Dr. Greenspan believes should be thought about when treating a child with autism. These factors include: biology of the child, nature of the family, and the child/caregiver relationship. The article also includes a case study of a parent who learns to know her child better through DIR therapy.

Pilot Study of a Parent Training Program for Young Children with Autism: The PLAY Project Home Consultation Program

scottie — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:40:42 +0000

Title	Pilot Study of a Parent Training Program for Young Children with Autism: The PLAY Project Home Consultation Program
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Solomon R, Necheles J, Ferch C, Bruckman D
Journal Title	Autism
Year of Publication	2007
Volume	11
Issue	3
Pages	205-224
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17478575?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	About half of children with autism who receive Floortime therapy for 8-12 months show improved function. Most people agree that young children with autism can be helped by early and intense intervention. Two of the most common types of early intense therapies are applied behavior analysis (ABA) and a social approach to therapy such as the developmental, individualized, and relationship-oriented (DIR) model. While the ABA approach has been shown to work, it is hard because it requires 40 hours a week of therapy. This paper reports on the use of DIR (also known as Floortime) to treat children with autism. The DIR model supports parents as the main play partner of the child.