Autism Spectrum Disroders (ASD) are lifelong developmental disabilities that affect an individual's social interaction and communication skills. Prevalence rates of autism are on the rise in Goa and across the world. It is widely known that early diagnosis followed by intensive intervention can bring about far-reaching changes in the development of children with autism. However, there are just not enough trained professionals to meet the demands of therapy. Since parents are the experts of their children, at Sethu they are encouraged and empowered to take charge of their development. Twice a year, Sethu conducts Asha - a 5 month training program for families of young children with ASD. Based on Ingersoll & Dvortcsak's 'Teaching Social Communication to Children with Autism', Asha teaches families how to improve their children's social communication skills during daily activities and routines. Families work on their children's engagement, language, imitation and play using Powerpoint presentations, videos, live demonstrations and one on one practice with their children.
By the end of the program, parents are able to implement strategies taught to them with confidence. More importantly, Asha maximizes children's learning by increasing generalization and maintenance of skills over time. This gives Sethu proof that parent training can and should be considered a primary intervention strategy.
Interested parents can register here for the training program or to receive more details.