Working with families

Question 1

What are the 5 stages of grief?

Answer 1

1. DENIAL: unable to admit what is going on
2. ANGER: upset & questioning why
3. BARGAINING: wonders what would have happened if…
4. DEPRESSION: parent is unable to manage feelings of loss
5. ACCEPTANCE: parent is working towards acceptance & is ready to take action

Question 2

5 more grieving processes (i don’t know why)

Answer 2

1) DIAGNOSIS: 1 step on the journey (lifelong process)
2) CONFUSION: looking for answers (unavoidable & takes time for parents especially after receiving NEW diagnosis)
3) UNDERSTANDING: researching & developing ideas (huge undertaking to understand the World of Autism)
4) PLAN: map out a plan & make necessary adjustments to accommodate plan (parents have hopes & dreams for their child with ASD)
5) ACT: child’s needs become their priority, making constant adjustments as needed (live life to its fullest)

Question 3

Family focus - infancy & early childhood

Answer 3

• learn new ways of raising child
• develop urgency to find best treatment (catch up on lost time)
• entitled to receive early intervention

Therapy focus: parent training and support

Question 4

Family focus - Elementary

Answer 4

• less whats best for family and more whats best for child educationally
• traditional special education
• therapy from public school
• transition to IEP

Therapy focus: acquisition of grade level academic skills

Question 5

Family focus - adolescence

Answer 5

• appropriateness vs inappropriateness
• puberty and sexuality

Therapy focus: continues acquisition and increases opportunities for independence and prep for life out of school

Question 6

Family focus - adulthood

Answer 6

• adult service agencies are available but limited
• discrimination, depression, maintaining relationships

Therapy: self-advocacy and generalization of functional daily living skills