New Programs for Autism Spectrum Disorder

The number of children that have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has remained fairly consistent over the last several years within the Early Intervention population. What has changed is the variety of programs available to help children with ASD. We can provide a screening assessment to children with concerns of Autism using the ADOS, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. After completion of the screening tool, we provide a write up and scoring to our partnering pediatric developmental physician and parents are given priority appointments.   We also provide the PLAY Project which was developed by Dr. Richard Solomon. This is an evidenced-based program to help strengthen the social-emotional abilities of young children with Autism. PLAY Project consultants provide regular Home Visit sessions for up to a year coaching parents. The sessions are designed to help families identify their child’s unique strengths, to build and strengthen relationships between family members and their children, and have a positive impact on their social development.

The program occurs in the family’s home, with the people that the child has the most interaction. It focuses on building interactions with others using fun, playful, developmentally appropriate techniques. It’s helping draw the child out and trying to get that relationship and those social connections going back and forth between the child and their family and peers. The program highlights “little things,” such as getting down on a child’s level while they play and sitting directly across from them to ensure they make eye contact. The PLAY Project teaches families that it’s not what you play with your children, it’s how you play. It’s also designed to draw a response from a child, which can be difficult. The biggest thing is getting their child to interact. Getting them to do little things and drawing them out is definitely huge for any child on the autism spectrum.

PLAY consultants provide modeling, coaching, and video feedback of adult/child play interactions and teaching of the techniques, which parents are able to use through all their daily routines. The PLAY Project is free to families with a child who is enrolled in Henry County’s Early Intervention Program and has delays in the areas of social and communication development.