‘Early’ ‘Intervention’
The term “early intervention,” while not a fighting word,” has come to seem not only misleading, but even depressing to me. The term suggests that there is only a very brief “window” — before one’s autistic child turns three — to do as much as possible (read: everything you hear about from the internet, other parents, “experts,” books, TV, someone’s friend who is a social worker). Or, if one “misses” the three-year-old “cutoff,” the next age to be aimed at is five years old, with the hope/goal that one’s child will be able to attend kindergarten and not need special education. (Too, some will object to the notion of “intervening” and “treating” autism.)
It is true that many autistic children have, thanks to Early Intervention programs, learned a great deal and been able to attend regular preschool and, too, kindergarten, with and without an aide or other supports. My son Charlie started to do a home ABA program at the age of just over two years old and this has made the difference in his young life.
I repeat, in his young life. Charlie is 9 years old; he is only 9 years old. He is in a self-contained autism/ABA classroom in a public school and still needs many hours of speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. He also has a home ABA program to supplement his school learning and to help him to generalize at home and elsewhere. He is far older than the magic cut-off ages of 3 and 5 years old.
The notion that “early intervention” only applies to much younger children can be harmful to older autistic children like Charlie who are not mainstreamed and who still need many services. It is not that my husband and I did not “do enough” for Charlie or that Charlie himself did not try hard enough or is not intelligent enough. Charlie has learned steadily every year, though it is taking him “longer” than for some other children to acquire academic skills such as reading. I am not sure if the term “early intervention” ought still to be used at all; I do like to think of expanding our understanding of what is meant by “early”: Certainly Charlie now, and as an adolescent and a teenager and as a young man in his 20’s, is still in the early stages in the great scheme of life.
It is always time now, and as he grows older, to teach Charlie.
It is never too late.
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POSTED IN: Adulthood, Education, Language, Parenting, Treatment
9 opinions for ‘Early’ ‘Intervention’
Lisa/Jedi
Sep 10, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Hear hear! If one looks as life as one long learning experience there really is no reason to be hung up about when it “starts”. B has benefitted greatly from interventions such as OT & speech therapy, but I don’t think it hurt him not to have begun these before kindergarten (first grade for speech), which is when his developmental delays were identified. As beneficial as early intervention may be (to be honest, I’m not too comfortable with the “intervention” word… it has too many other connotations that just do not apply to my kid with autism), we don’t need the added burden of feeling guilty for not having figured things out earlier. Also, in our area, services are handled differently depending on whether or not your child is a preschooler or school-age child. We have known families that fell through the cracks when transitioning from one system to another. B’s best friend is a good example of this, & although he still would benefit from assistance, has not had any “intervention” since preschool. I think this is a perfcet example of what you’re talking about Kristina, that the early intervention was emphasised so much that this kid’s present needs are being glossed over. It’s very frustrating. I’m hoping that B’s having had an IEP since he entered school will pave the way when he enters high school, so that his needs will still be taken seriously…
Kristina Chew, PhD
Sep 10, 2006 at 6:29 pm
L/J, thank you for sharing all this about B and about his friend—-it is more than helpful for me to hear this. In looking back, I remember some awkward conversations with other parents whose children were going into kindergarten at the age of 5 and then there were the rest of us, so to speak, whose kids still needed a lot; whose kids had never had as much language, or still had articulation issues. No parents meant to convey anything, of course. Since then, in talking to other parents who had children who have still needed a special ed classroom rather than kindergarten at 5, I sensed them communicating a feeling of being “left behind.”
Also, I keep noting that, as Charlie gets older, the word “functional” keeps coming out. As if, because he is still learning to read at 9 years old, “life skills” and “vocational” training—while important of course—must take the place of academic learning? That is why I do think it is never, never too late, and that we have to keep pushing for older kids needing services too; that we can’t ever give up.
Daisy
Sep 11, 2006 at 12:50 pm
And what about kids who are diagnosed later? Mine was in early “intervention” programs for his blindness as a young child. His Aspergers was diagnosed when he wa 7. There’s not a whole lot out there for a child of 7 who doesn’t need a self-contained classroom.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Sep 11, 2006 at 6:50 pm
Thanks for bringing this up, Daisy—-too much of the focus has been on younger kids.
Ashley Morgan
Sep 12, 2006 at 5:46 am
Excellent points Kristina and Lisa. We keep learning and learning no matter what age we all are.
I’ve been having an online exchange for 6 mos. with a parent that has a 9 year old with “issues”. The parent feels hopeless, embarrassed, and thinks it’s just too late to help her child. Quite the opposite is true is what I keep hammering away at. I’m not giving up! It’s quite painful to have this exchange, and my heart goes out to this child that continues to not get the support he needs. What really gets me is that many autism clinics won’t see older kids, because their research and focus are on younger children. I know that resources are finite, but it makes me a bit crazy. With this child in particular, I can’t even help the mom get him in anywhere for a dx so she can get services funded!
Did anyone see the article in Time Mag about elderly brain capacity? That we can still learn so much as an older person? Pretty interesting.
I do see that press about early intervention benefits just the wee ones, like you said. It prevents the parents from listening to their friends and pediatrician to wait it out. It would be great to get other articles out there about continued success with older children and adults as well. In fact, if anyone out there has any articles/research links, I’d like to post them (I have just one).
Autism Vox » Diagnosing Autism by CD-rom?
Sep 16, 2006 at 11:17 am
[…] While I do agree with Learning for Children’s statement that “Early detection is paramount for building an effective educational and treatment program” (see this post, ‘Early’ ‘Intervention’), I do not at all see my autistic son as “disturbed”; I also find Learning for Children’s calling on parents to “LEARN ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT WHILE THEY CAN STILL BE HELPED!” rather alarmist. It is misleading to suggest that there is only a short “window” during which children with autism can be “helped.” Autistic children, like my nine-year-old son Charlie, can learn throughout their whole lives, at any age. […]
Autism Vox » Early, Early Child Psychiatry: Infant Mental Health Therapy
Oct 25, 2006 at 1:00 pm
[…] Parents of autistic children know too well that early intervention—as a result of getting an autism diagnosis when a child is still a toddler (my son Charlie was 18 months old when my husband thought he might be autistic)—-can make a huge difference in a child’s life. Charlie, for instance, received intensive ABA and speech therapy from the time he was just over two years old on; as a result of these, he is able to talk. […]
Autism Vox » 2007 Annual Autism Conference in the Bronx: When Your Little One Becomes an Adult
May 15, 2007 at 1:24 am
[…] a child could be “recovered” from autism; that one had to “hurry up” with early intervention or fall behind. Knowingly or ont, I had some sort of expectation for what childhood and […]
Thomas Sowell on False Diagnosis and “Genuine” Autism
Nov 14, 2007 at 5:00 pm
[…] I can say that I can somewhat join him in critiquing early intervention: To me, the term “early intervention” suggests that if a parent does not do everything he or she can to get a child to start […]
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