Appropriate Family Intervention

Having a child given a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a very stressful event for parents. It is imperative to understand that there is much that can be done for both parent and the child. From the current literature we know that parents of children diagnosed with autism worry about many things like lifetime dependency to family dissonance. We know that these parents are distressed and angry, the parents of children with more unusual behaviors feel a lot more stressed than the parents of children with fewer unusual behaviors. However, having a strategy to approach it correctly and to get the best possible help for your child is probably the most important step, one can take to relieve stress and to aid the child’s development.

The goal of this review was to examine ASD and how it has impacted families. The literature was consistent in its findings, which stated that, Autism is a complex disorder that is diagnosed in childhood and has a wide range of symptoms. Many of the studies showed that children with ASD have the same symptoms such as hyperactivity, anxiety and self-injurious or aggressive behavior. The initial autism diagnosis leaves parents and siblings confused and they may have a hard time accepting that the child/sibling they were anticipating is not the child/sibling they expected. This transformation in their family can impact the relationship in the family, as feelings of fear and worry overwhelm the family system. ASD impacts parents and siblings as it changes the dynamics of the family. It is significant for families to find coping mechanisms that work for them as they

To begin my intervention I need to gather information that will help me understand the family. Mrs. Mann, a 38 year old Hispanic mother of three children, Trig (10 yrs.), William (8 yrs.), and Sally (5yrs.) contacted the community behavioral health clinic after her son Trig was suspended from school for fighting. Mrs. Mann works part time as an office manager and is highly concerned for her son. Mrs. Mann shared that due to the physical abuse and alcohol addiction of her husband she demanded that he leave the house. Mr. Joe Mann left the house three months ago after the demands of his wife. This event has changed the structure of the family, creating stress and communication issues. Based on the information from Mrs. Mann my client, Trig,

Karst, J., & Hecke, A. (2012). Parent and Family Impact of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review and Proposed Model for Intervention

A heart attack, a stroke or a cancer diagnosis causes its members to confront the impact of the illness and re-evaluate their position. These illnesses are often life threatening, but critical intervention leads to a steady rehabilitation and possibly full recovery. This cannot be said, for a family impacted by a diagnosis of autism. Autism is a developmental disability that significantly affects three areas: communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism being a spectrum disorder impacts each individual differently, leaving each family’s experience difficult to compare. Autism being a communication disability brings serious challenges to a family, as this diagnosis impacts the communication strategies. Parents find

Autism is becoming more prevalent in today’s society than it was in previous years. As more children are being diagnosed on the spectrum, more families are being impacted. As a result, more siblings are being overlooked and their needs are not being

What is it like to be a direct family member to a person who has Autism? Growing up with a person with Autism can be a challenge for the whole family. However, a person with Autism teaches the people around them how to adjust to situations in different manners as opposed to the traditional ways that are inculcated. This report will consist of both my personal experience with my younger brother who lives with Autism as well as important details about Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Having a child given a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a very stressful event for parents. It is imperative to understand that there is much that can be done for both parent and child. From the current literature we know that parents of children diagnosed with autism worry about many things like lifetime dependency to family dissonance. We know that these parents are distressed and angry, the parents of children with more unusual behaviors feel a lot more stressed than the parents of children with fewer unusual behaviors. However, having a strategy to approach it correctly and to get the best possible help for your child is probably the most important step, one can take to relieve stress and to aid the child’s development.

In the United States, the amount of children between the ages three and seventeen who have a developmental disability is estimated at 15% (CDC, 2015). Of those children, a significant portion of those children may have communication disorders that merit services from speech-language pathologist. Early signs of a language disorder may include the following: lack of smiling and interaction as an infant, decreased babbling, decreased use of gestures, decreased understanding of what others say, lack of vocabulary acquisition, poor socialization with adults and children, does not begin putting two words together to make sentences, and poor early reading and writing skills (ASHA). Speech-language therapy is implemented to foster language skills to the point at which the

In summary, Professionals should consider families as an important element of providing care for their child and focus should be on family support, early diagnosis, finance, training and collaboration to devise appropriate services for children with autism. It is also imperative to support and address sibling’s emotional needs. Because, siblings who grew in a better socioeconomic environment have better chance of progressing well in life compared to children who are born in poverty. It is because opportunities are less for people with disadvantaged background. Children with autism are dependant on their parents to care for them. It is imperative for parents to manage their own worries, depression and anxieties about their autistic child.

Their specific study included thirty-four children who are suffering from the autism spectrum disorder. The participants ages ranged from 40 to 65 months and were tested pre and post treatment using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale to identify the effectiveness of sensory integration on the developmental skills of the child. After looking into the results, conclusions showed that there was significant improvement in the child’s motor skills especially once providing them with this program at such an early age (Abdel Karim, A. E., & Mohammed, A. H., 2015). While looking more into the parent mediated aspect of these programs, Nicole Stadnick, Aubyn Stahmer, & Lauren Brookman-Frazee, describe a program called Project ImPACT, which is a parent involved program for autistic children. The researchers’ main focus was to indicate which parent factors have successfully impacted the child’s outcome in terms of seeing improvement in their

With a diagnosis of autism comes a sudden change in the family’s routine. This can place a lot of stress and pressure on parents and siblings of children with autism. Parents

Parental education and involvement is important with nearly any situation. The involvement becomes even more critical when you consider the increasing rate at which children are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and the lack of funding and available services for these families and children. While some families may have access to treatments and the funds to pay for them studies are showing that it is more beneficial long term for the parents to be involved and continue the work in the home. It is also important to consider that it is the parents who know the child best and can often notice changes and make changes that allow the child to be more successful in the goals they are working toward. This paper will analyze current research in parental involvement in the area of treatments for autism spectrum disorders.

Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder have received little Research attention historically, with most family studies focusing on either the child with the illness/disorder or the parents. More recently, research has identified that these children may need support in their own right, yet little published research is reported to inform this support. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the extent to which siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder facing psychosocial problems and have been researched in a systematic and empirical manner, to provide an overview of empirical evidence in this area, to synthesise the findings from this research and to identify any further research needs. The fifteen studies identified as suitable for inclusion for current review. Coping, adjustment, issues in relationship, quality of life, and behavioural problems were variables. Their findings have been extremely varied, reflecting the fact that no two families or situations are exactly the same. Factors such as the severity of ASD in the affected child, availability of social support, socio-economic status, degree of family cohesion, parental well-being, and individual character traits are all likely to play a role in determining outcomes for the neurotypical children of families affected by ASD (O’Brien et al., 2009).A need was identified for more rigorous empirical research in this area, which incorporates larger samples and uses randomised control

This journal article examines the challenges that parents of autistic children face on a daily basis. The author’s point out that due to the complexity of an autism diagnosis and life-long continuation of treatment, parents of autistic children experience high levels of stress leading to depression, feelings of helplessness, guilt and marital problems. The research herein shows that the most common stressors associated with parenting an autistic child include persistent behavioral issues, the inability to communicate, a lack of social support, financial issues related to the cost of autism treatment and worries about children transitioning into adulthood and the workforce. Siblings of autistic children also experience higher stress levels