|
|
A Message from Laura
Hello everyone,
I hope you are all having a wonderful summer and enjoy this last month before getting back to the grind.
Just a reminder to take a look at our programs for the fall. We have social groups for all ages getting started again and Mommy and Me will be beginning as well in September.
Extraordinary Minds has launched a new online group where you can voice your concerns, share your resources and gain support of both parents and professionals. Join the discussion
here. We are still working on comprising a team of professionals that will best be able to treat our community of children. If you are interested in receiving counseling or speech therapy through Extraordinary Minds this school year, please contact us as soon as possible. If you are a therapist, or know of one open to learning new ways of understanding and treating children with disabilities and truly invested in long term quality of life, please email resumes to L.Hynes@yahoo.com
There is a lot of misconception and misinformation out there about what RDI is. It is often confused with other developmental based approaches, for the mere fact that none of them are ABA. I will try to outline some of the main principles of several of the available options out there. I can only claim expertize on RDI and have made it a goal to clear up any confusion or misinformation about it. Please visit my new blog, it's extraordinary to learn what RDI really looks like.
Laura Hynes . |
|
Upcoming Events
September: Fall Mommy and Me sessions If you would like to have fun with your child and learn how to foster his or her development, call now to register! All classes are run by licensed teachers and overseen by Laura, a developmental specialist. Space is limited! September: Fall Social Groups There are many foundations that are necessary in order for a child with autism or other disabilies to be able to socialize with peers. Groups offered by Extraordinary Minds offers a unique and valuable approach to teaching children how to understand and appreciate social encounters. Also Accepting Registration for: (click the links below for information) Introduction to RDI; group sessions |
|
A Sneak Peek at the RDI Blog
|
In an attempt to outline the similarities and differences of RDI and other developmental therapies, the following are some of the key principles of several therapies and how RDI is similar or dissimilar to them.
The information included here has all been taken from Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism
The Son-Rise Program
1- Joining: The Son-Rise Program encourages parents and professionals to join the child in his or her repetitive or stimming behaviors noting that these behaviors are being done for a reason and are important to the child. The goal is to form a bond surrounding a common interest and to gain the child's willing engagement.
2- Capitalize on the child's motivation: Parents and professionals are taught to teach around the child's motivations. So if the child is interested in Thomas the Tank, frame a lesson/activity around Thomas.
3- Teaching social goals prior to academic goals: Primary focus is on communication, eye contact, interactive attention spans and flexibility rather than academic goals.
4- Attitude: Parents and professionals are taught to have a non-judgmental, welcoming and optimistic attitude to ensure the child feels comfortable.
DIR and Floortime are often used interchangeably, however, Floortime is the play based element of the DIR model.
D: Developmental; This intervention is based on how children typically develop, stressing the importance of addressing developmental gaps to foster higher level development.
I: Individual Difference; Pays close attention to each child's sensory processing differences and makes necessary modifications.
R: Relationship Based; Based on the fact that humans develop within the context of relationships with other people.
The application of DIR/Floortime is based on the principle of following the child's lead. Parents and professionals are taught to use the object or activity the child is engaged in, insert themselves into it in an attempt to create a joint focus, allowing the parent or professional to begin challenging the child cognitively.
RDI is similar to these other treatments as they all are based on the premise that individuals with autism can re-address developmental milestones that were missed and do not seek to compensate for these deficits through teaching behaviors and skills, alone. Although RDI shares some of the same goals as these therapies, there is one main disparity. RDI is not only seeking to readdress what was missed developmentally, our main goal is reestablish the guided participation relationship or the typical parent-child relationship that is universally disrupted in autism.
A main difference in the way RDI versus other developmental therapies "begin" is that RDI does not engage in joining the child, followig the child's lead or using the child's interests as a primary motivator. Parent's are taught how to frame activities so the child can discover, on his own that he can be successful co-regulating with another person and that competence is the primary motivator. Materials or activities that the child is very interested in are often a distraction from what the main focus should be, the me and you of an interaction. The parent is discouraged from being an "entertainer:" and taught that the child does not have to love the activity that they are engaged in. This is not to say that attitude is not important. RDI parents are inviting when they initiate an activity, they are firm when they are setting limits and they are engaging when they are sharing an experience.
RDI stands out from other developmental therapies as it is the only one whose focus is on reestablishing the typical parent-child relationship. The therapy is based on research not only in autism and child development, but on the relationship between parent and child. This piece is so critical. RDI and other developmental therapies share the belief that these individuals can go back and readdress the missed developmental milestones that typically developing children learn. To truly address these pieces of development, these children should learn them the way typically developing children learn them, through the guided participation relationship.
|
|
Extraordinary Minds is dedicated to providing quality, individualized, family based interventions to address the deficits in autism and other developmental disabilities.
Extraordinary Minds
308 Forest Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10301
(347) 564-8451
L.Hynes@yahoo.com
www.extraordinaryminds.org |
|
|
|
|
|
