Early Intervention in Autism Treatment

There is a lot of hype around early intervention in autism treatment. However, this hype can be very confusing. This deep dive into early intervention will help you understand the goal, how and where to access it, why it’s important and more.

What is early intervention in autism treatment?

Intervention or therapy that happens before a child enters school. Parents and caregivers work with therapists to learn skills and strategies that will help their child. Services can take many forms (in home, in daycare, in clinic). Early intervention can be delivered by a number of different professionals (speech therapists, occupational therapists, behaviour analysts, early childhood educators).

What are the different kinds of early intervention in autism treatment?

There are a number of different approaches to take that will be helpful for an autistic child – or a child who is showing red flags for autism. The approach that you take will depend on the professional that you work with. Some of the options are: a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, a Speech-Language Pathologist, an Occupational Therapist, and an Early Childhood Educator.

If you choose a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst or Speech-Language Pathologist, you’ll potentially be using the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). This model blends naturalistic teaching with behavioural concepts. It is a play based model that shares control between the child and the therapist. ESDM is very flexible in where it’s delivered. Some examples of therapy settings are: the child’s home, their daycare or a clinic. The Early Start Denver Model is based on a curriculum checklist that tracks a child’s skills based on typical development. From this, the therapist makes decisions about what skills should be the target of therapy.

If you live in Ontario, your child may be eligible for provincially funded Early Intervention. You can self-refer or have a professional you’re working with make the referral for you. However, the program names vary by region, so make sure you’re accessing everything that’s available.

What can we expect from early intervention?

Whenever you begin a new intervention it’s important to set goals. Likewise, when you begin an early intervention in autism treatment program you should determine what outcomes are realistic and possible for your child. As previously discussed, there is no cure for autism. The goal of early intervention should be to change the developmental trajectory of the child. If the child does not receive any intervention their developmental trajectory won’t change. With some intervention, the child’s development will more closely align with typically developing peers.

Your goal should be for the child to learn as many skills as possible. Communication, self-help/independence and play skills are all critical for very early learners. These domains should be the focus of intervention.

Does your child need to have a diagnosis to begin early intervention?

NO!

Beginning early intervention with your child as soon as you notice red flags is key. There is a lot to be learned for both the child and the caregivers. Waitlists for assessment and then treatment can be long. If you have an opportunity to begin therapy take it!

Each child has potential. Having early intervention for autism will only benefit your child. Reach out to us if you’d like to discuss your child’s early intervention program.