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We are receiving a lot of questions regarding the new guidelines for getting a diagnosis for Autism. The rules around who can diagnose or who is qualified have not changed, but what has changed are the best practice guidelines for a diagnosis, and the criteria a lot of funding bodies (e.g. NDIS & Centrelink) will accept…
With Occupational Therapy week celebrations kicking off over the weekend, I thought this would be a great chance to answer some questions about Paediatric Occupational Therapy and rediscover some of the things that make OT so great! What is OT? Occupational therapy is an allied health profession that focusses on building skills and improving participation…
By Deni Fowle – Senior Psychologist This has been a recent topic of conversation both in the clinic and in my home. I am currently working with a few 11-12 year old girls who have been struggling to understand their role and responsibility in tending to their own mental wellbeing, and this is also a…
There has been a lot of confusion around the Autism diagnosis and eligibility for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The recent “accidental” change to the operational guidelines by the NDIA was certainly at the centre of this. Where they published information stating that Autism Level 2 would no longer be accepted automatically as…
I get asked a lot about sensory processing disorder or sensory sensitivities by parents wondering why their child is over sensitive to noise, or won’t eat crunchy foods and many other presentations of sensory problems. First of all many parents have trouble getting a diagnosis of sensory processing problems and they want to know why….
Token economy systems (e.g. sticker/reward charts, points systems) are extremely effective tools and behaviour strategy for both parents and teachers in order to provide positive reinforcement, teach appropriate behaviour and minimise challenging behaviour. They allow caregivers to reward target (appropriate) behaviours and allow children to visually see the goal or ‘prize’ that they are working…
Why is PLAYTIME so important for my child with autism’s communication skills? The Link Between Play and Learning PLAY is more than just fun and games for infants and children. Communication begins before we even learn to talk. In the first few months of life, babies learn to communicate by listening to voices and sounds,…
Routines are an integral component to preparing for and attending school. Routines enable children to anticipate what happens next and gives them a great deal of control over what they do during each part of the day.
Research suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorders experience victimisation and social rejection up to four times more than their peers without autism. When looking at the playground, children and adolescents with autism were more likely to experience intentional social exclusion (being purposefully left out or avoided) and acts of physical aggression from their peers.
Time out can help teach children right from wrong. It means redirecting your child calmly to a designated area you have for time out when they have displayed a behaviour that is inappropriate. Outlining EXACTLY what the behavior you will use time out for is vital.
