| Do you have a young child who has recently been | | | | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Early |
| diagnosed with autism? Do you feel lost and don't | | | | Intervention from birth to 3 years of age is available |
| know where to start? Then this article is for you! This | | | | under Part C of IDEA. This should be pursued as early |
| article will discuss what 5 areas to concentrate on, | | | | as possible, for the best outcome. Just understand that |
| when your child is diagnosed with autism. The good | | | | you will have to fight for your child, to receive a free |
| news is that autism is now considered treatable; but | | | | appropriate public education, which is their right under |
| treatment must start as soon as possible, to be the | | | | IDEA. Unfortunately parents are the main enforcement |
| most effective. | | | | mechanism of IDEA, but your child's life is worth it. |
| The first thing to do if your child has been diagnosed | | | | 4. The educational treatment for autism is applied |
| with autism is to call the Autism Research Institute | | | | behavioral analysis (ABA). ABA is a well documented |
| located in San Diego Ca, and ask for that a free | | | | and effective teaching method for a lot of children with |
| parent packet be sent to you. The phone number is | | | | autism. This teaching method involves 1 on 1 instruction |
| 1-619-563-6840. This packet will contain a lot of | | | | and utilizes educational tasks that have been |
| important information on autism and how to effectively | | | | developed for children with autism. O. Ivar Lovaas is |
| treat it. | | | | the person who developed this method many years |
| Also, contact your local Autism Society of America | | | | ago. |
| (look in your phone book for contact information), who | | | | ABA should be started as close to 3 years of age as |
| can help you find service providers in your area, as | | | | possible, but definitely by 5 years of age. It should |
| well as other parents for support. | | | | continue at least until the child is 7, but depends on the |
| These four areas should be pursued together (if | | | | level of disability. ABA is expensive, but there are |
| possible) and as soon as possible: | | | | many court cases where parents have won the right, |
| 1. Health; Determine if your child has health concerns. | | | | for the school district to pay for this educational |
| Many children with autism have gastrointestinal | | | | program. If your child receives ABA for at least 25-40 |
| difficulties (yeast overgrowth, high levels heavy metal), | | | | hours per week, with qualified staff they could receive |
| food allergies or sensitivities, or seizures. A lot of | | | | major benefit by age 7. |
| children with autism have one or more of these. Try | | | | 5. Educate yourself about Sensory Integration |
| and find a doctor in your area that treats children with | | | | Dysfunction (SID), and seek treatment for your child if |
| autism. Or try Defeat Autism Now (DAN) that has a | | | | they have it. Sensory integration refers to our ability to |
| list of DAN doctors. | | | | take in information through our senses, interpret that |
| 2. Investigate and consider using bio medical | | | | information and respond to it. Sensory Integration |
| treatments of autism. The DAN group has an | | | | Dysfunction is the inability of the brain to correctly |
| approach to bio medical treatments of autism. The | | | | process information brought in by the senses. People |
| book is called; Autism: Effective Bio Medical | | | | with SID may misinterpret everyday sensory |
| Treatments and can be found at | | | | information such as touch, sound and movement. |
| 3. Special Education is available for children with autism | | | | Treatment is usually occupation therapy, with a |
| when they turn 3 years old under Part B of the | | | | qualified Occupational Therapist. |