Blogs

What Does the Research Say About Early Diagnosis? Research consistently shows that early identification of autism leads to the best outcomes for children and their families. Early intervention results in better language skills, cognitive abilities, and reduced signs of autism. Additionally, research indicates that early intervention can lead to significant cost savings as the child gets older. Let’s look more closely at why we should diagnose autism early. The Challenge of Addressing Concerns It’s not easy for parents to open up to others and express concerns about their child’s development. If a friend or family member says, “I am worried…

Autism is a complex neurodevelopment condition. Early intervention is key to helping children with autism. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an intervention for young children with autism. It was developed by the MIND Institute from The University Of California Davis. It is delivered by certified ESDM therapists and we are proud to offer this early intervention to our families. Choosing an intervention for your child Now that you have chosen the intervention for your child with autism, understanding the goals for each intervention is the next step. The intervention needs very clear: goals and objectives method to record…

The ESDM makes learning fun It comes as no surprise to anybody when we say that children learn best when they are having fun. The question is ‘Why do they learn better when they are having fun?’. They learn better for many reasons, and a Certified ESDM Therapist is able to get a child to the this point many times during a session so that many learning opportunities occur. A key part of the ESDM is that the child is motivated by the activity, How does the ESDM do this? Planning the toys or activities before the session starts Having…

Estelle is one of 1 in 100 people in Australia who have autism. Her parents chose the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) as her intervention. Let’s look at her fantastic progress. Background Estelle is five years old and  lives at home with her parents and younger sister. She loves to get dressed in pink summery dresses. She spends hours playing with her dolls house and drawing. One of her favourite activities is baking cupcakes with her Mum. Estelle has a cheeky sense of humour and spends a lot of time laughing. Initial concerns Estelle ‘s parents became concerned when she…

Background Lisa is four years old and lives with her parents. She loves dinosaurs and riding her bike. Her and her Mum travel around Sydney on public transport and the trains are her favourite. She always takes book with her wherever she goes, even on the trains. Lisa is one of the 1 in 100 people in Australia who has autism. Let’s look at her journey with autism as she moved through he Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). Initial concerns Lisa’a parents knew by the age of 2.5 years that their daughter was behind other children with her talking. They weren’t…