VII. Working with Families Flashcards
Following receiving the diagnosis, what do parents experience?
the five stages of grief
What are the five stages of grief and describe them.
- Denial-unable to admit what is going on
- anger: upset and questioning reasons for WHY this is all happening
- Bargaining: questions & wonders what would have happened if…
- Depression: parent is “stagnated” and unable to manage feelings of loss
- acceptance: parent is working towards acceptance& is ready to take action
What can receiving the diagnosis provide?
a sense of relief because having a diagnosis answers many questions
What must we understand and acknowledge as SLPs?
Understand that parents experience a sense of loss, which is REAL and must be acknowledged!
What must we as SLPs understand about each parent?
the process of grieving for each parent is different
Describe the process of grieving (5)
- DIAGNOSIS: I step on the journey (lifelong process)
- CONFUSION: looking for answers (unavoidable & takes time for parents especially after receiving NEW diagnosis)
- UNDERSTANDING: researching and developing ideas (huge undertaking to understand the world of autism)
- PLAN: map out a plan and make necessary adjustments to accommodate plan (parents have hopes and dreams of their child with ASD)
- ACT: child’s needs become their priority, making constant adjustments as needed (live life to its fullest)
What do parents assist educators and professionals in establishing?
appropriate and effective intervention
What is the Impact of autism on parents and families?
- parent & families make constant adjustments
- changes lead to feelings/emotions: stress, depression, isolation, guilt (pressure to learn & understand the new language of various therapies)
- Intensive treatment may require daily family involvement
- family needs increase
How may intensive treatment require daily family involvement?
- costly treatments may take away from other duties & other family members (e.g., employment, spouse, siblings)
- may have to fight for services
- higher rates of emotional issues among siblings living with ASD compared to the normal population
- cultural differences may impact how ASD is viewed
- parents/families experience a loss in friendships and/or lack of support
How may family needs increase if they have a child with autism?
- financial and emotional support
- respite care (child care)
- resource to aid & deal with child’s needs (e.g., in-home positive behavioral support; counseling)
- collaboration partnership between professionals
What may change across the lifespan of an individual with ASD?
Roles of families change
What are some family issues in infancy and early childhood with children with autism?
- learn new ways of raising a child with Autism
- develop feelings of urgency to find best treatment approaches to catch up on lost time
- entitled to receive “early intervention” (ages 0-3) under the provision of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
What is the therapy focus for a child with autism in infancy and early childhood? What is the session format like?
- parent training & support (mandated by IDEA-part C)
- Session Format: in home & Individualized
What is intervention for elementary ages referred to as, who provides it, and what does it transition from?
- referred to as “traditional special education”
- therapy provided by the public school
- transition from IFSP to IEP: shift from family focus to child focus
What is the therapy focus and session format for a child with autism in elementary ages?
- therapy focus: support the acquisition of grade level academic skills
- session format: individualized or group
What are the same for typical children & children with ASD?
- long range goals of academics
- learned academic skills will enable them to be proficient & lead to successful employment
What are some family issues in adolescent ages with children with autism?
- begins in middle school through high school between the ages of 13-19yrs. old
- dealing with the concepts of “appropriateness” vs. “inappropriateness” (may be a challenge for lower functioning students)
- families must deal with issues related to puberty & sexuality
What is the therapy focus and session format for an adolescent with autism?
- therapy focus: continues to support the acquisition of grade level academic skills BUT also increases opportunities for independence & preparation for life outside of school
- session format: socially/group-based
What are some family issues for adults with autism?
- adult service agencies are available within communities though limited
- deal with issues children with autism do not: discrimination, depression, maintaining successful relationships
What is the therapy focus for adults with autism? and what is the session format?
Therapy focus: Self advocacy & generalization of functional daily living skills (learning to make meals, washing clothes, going to grocery store, develop job skills–use of job coach, operating a cash register, filing, answering phone)
Session format: home and/or community-based
Depending on the severity, what may adults with ASD require?
supervised care (residential care, vocational counseling, social skills development)
