*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****
Hi findacure1991 and thank you for your question. Here is an answer to your question from Naomi B. Swiezy, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry; Clinical Director, Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center; Program Director, HANDS in Autism, Riley Hospital for Children and IU School of Medicine:
Some availability of resources will certainly differ depending upon the precise district/location in Indiana. However, there are many potential local and statewide resources that can be initial sources of support and assistance at various levels.
Local support:
· Contact your school to determine the potential resources there
o Most districts have autism consultants who are trained in autism and often offer groups, individual assistance, peer training and teacher support in programming for a child with an autism spectrum disorder
o Discuss with your case conference committee, IEP committee, or special education team the option of training peer buddies to assist and serve as a peer model in social situations at school such as lunch
o Work with the school counselor or special education resource teacher to identify jobs, activities, clubs that your student can become involved in with students of the same interests
Contact your local Autism Society Support Group. The state group (Autism Society of Indiana—www.autismindiana.org) can provide you with contact information for the groups in your area.
o Oftentimes, parents know the most about resources and successful avenues for services.
o In addition, often parents will form their own groups to meet some shared needs such as social groups for their youngsters
State support:
Contact the Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center (www.iupui.edu/~psycdept/autism)
· for options for the following:
o Individual medical and/or behavioral treatment services
o Free workshops and events for families, educators and physicians
o Training and consultation for educational staff
o Downloadable information and tools at their outreach website (www.handsinautism.org)
o Contact the Indiana Resource Center for Autism (www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca)
· This is a state resource for information regarding autism spectrum disorders.
o They have staff who will travel to schools to assist in implementing person-centered planning to incorporate the needs of these special youngsters.
o They have a wonderful website full of articles and information about upcoming events and resources
o They have a newsletter which is a wonderful source for information as well and is free if a resident of IN
o They have a lending library that allows individuals in IN to sign out books and videos for free that provide education about autism spectrum disorders—the resources are sent directly to your house
· Contact the ARC of Indiana (www.arcind.org) for resources and information
Other support:
· There are many great books about autism spectrum disorders written from the perspective of individuals with the disorder, family members, and professionals.
o One great resource is: "Asperger’s: What Does It Mean to Me?" It is structured as a workbook and very interactive and self-paced.
o Use the resources above to assist you in finding reputable journals and books
· Online support
o Utilize reputable sources such as Autism Society of America, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics
o Again, utilize the resources above to assist in identifying the reputable sources of information
My hope is that this will give you just beginning steps in determining a plan for assisting your special son.
NOTE: Top medical experts on autism answer questions like these on the ABC News OnCall+ Autism site: http://abcnews.com/autism.
*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****