The Therapeutic Journey

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No matter where your therapeutic journey starts, it's often overwhelming. So many choices, so many goals. New terminology. So much to learn. There are some states where parents receive a lot of support in finding and managing interventions but here in Pennsylvania, parents have to be proactive in finding and coordinating therapies.

 

"All children with Autism are unique, there is no single treatment that works the same for every child." -American Academy of Pediatrics

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It's challenging because each child is different to what therapies and motivators they respond to. Where does one start? A wise parent once told me to focus on the three most important areas that need to be addressed. If the language and ability to communicate needs isn't strong enough, many people start there. Some children need to establish learning building blocks that ABA can help lay down the foundation for future learning. Keep in mind there's no single intervention that is a magic wand.

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Learning is a lifelong process

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Choosing therapies and interventions for your child is a big step. There are long waiting lists for some therapies that can range anywhere from 6 months to a year. I used to feel a lot of pressure to push as many therapies as early as possible because I read that the ages between infancy and 6 years old is when their brain is making the most connections. The younger they are, the faster the connections are being

made and for some children, they can make leaps in their progress. While this is true, we are learning that learning is a lifelong process where adults can make excellent progress as they mature and gain meaningful experience.

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Learn to pay close attention to how your child responds

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Just as choosing therapies and interventions is important so is the team that will be assigned to you. There are some amazing therapists who make it look so easy and your child progresses so nicely. Don't necessarily discount or not give an inexperienced therapist a chance. I have given the benefit of the doubt only to see a new therapist click with my child and make progress. If your child needs different approaches or their motivation changes daily, you'll need a therapist who is really good at thinking "out of the box" and be quick on their toes. Watch closely how well or not so well your child responds to their therapist/aide/teacher. Learning happens easier with a person the child trusts, feels respected by and enjoys the person he/she is working with.

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Chemistry matters

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Sometimes it's just a personality conflict. There's a lot of wonderful, well meaning therapists out there but your child has to get along with them in order to make meaningful progress. Tactfully, bring up your concerns because your child won't make much progress if they are stressed and exhibit behaviors during the session which gets in the way of their learning. Therapists are part of your child's team. Communication is critical. Because you see the bigger picture, it's important that you maintain the continuity. There are ways to automate communication by giving an intro sheet of your child, likes, dislikes, strengths, etc. Have a sheet on skills learned and what new skills you are focusing on this year they can help you with.

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A therapy is only as effective as how it is administered. 

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​Pay close attention to how your child responds to all of the demands placed on them. There is a sweet spot for how much each child can manage the number of goals and hours in their schedule. Documenting the behavior will hone in on what they can and how much they can handle. Knowing their threshold can help you make informed decisions on their goals and prioritize therapies accordingly. If you're on a wait list for one therapy, then start another in the meantime. Multi-treatment doesn't mean to do therapies "all at once." Managing your child's therapeutic schedule is a lot like being a project manager. When I struggled with this, learning project management skills actually helped me do it better with less stress.

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So let's begin and click on the Therapies tab above to see all the therapies that are available in the Lehigh Valley.