Sarah Slagle
Professor Harrison
English 202
7 April 2008
Therapeutic Approaches for Children and Families Dealing With Autism
For a minute, put yourself in this hypothetical situation. Imagine that you’re a proud parent of a two year old baby boy. You care and love this child with all your heart, and only want the best for him. However, you have been noticing somewhat strange behaviors for a year now. You hope and pray these characteristics are “normal” and that he will grow out of it. Sadly enough, your son never wants to be cuddled or held, which is all you want to do. He’d rather play alone than with other siblings and friends, and he often acts as if he’s deaf. When you go out to dinner or to church, your child acts completely absurd and now he throws temper tantrums at home and has begun to irritate everyone in the household. By the time your child turns 3, you realize his unresponsiveness to others, and odd, obsessive attachment to your kitchen spoons. This must symbolize a deeper meaning. You finally bring yourself to seek professional help. After observations of his behaviors and developmental levels, doctors diagnosis your son, your pride and joy, with autism spectrum disorder. You and your spouse are completely overwhelmed, fearful, and foremost you are lost at where to begin. Quite an unimaginable scenario for some, but yet more and more families are faced with similar occurrences daily (Boulware). Once parents get past the official diagnosis, they must immediately begin to seek treatment for their child. With so many different therapies and educational approaches, it’s common for parents to be confused and overwhelmed. With this research, I hope to help parents understand different types of treatments designed for autistic children and their entire families.
To begin my research, I found it very helpful to research the exact definition of autism. The America Society of Autism says, “Autism, a complex developmental disability, is causing concerns all over the world. In the early 1980’s the prevalence of this disorder was thought to occur in three to five individuals out of 10,000; only twenty-five years later, the current figures suggest that autism affects one in one hundred fifty births.” These statistics show that nearly a million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. Autism is said to be growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year, and is expected to reach nearly four million Americans in the next decade. Although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the world, it is four times more prevalent in boys than girls (Boulware).
Next, I will bring new research to this area because I have had personal experience with autistic children, teenagers, and adults. By bringing my experiences, observations, and opinions to this paper, I can personalize it and provide the world with new research. First, I interviewed a very close friend of mine, Lee Walker. She is fifty years old, and has a thirty-five year old autistic brother. I feel that her feedback will be very beneficial to this project because I am more comfortable with asking her personal questions about family issues. Since her brother is thirty-five years old, she will be able to provide me with information about how autism was dealt with in the past, and what types of treatments, if any, were provided in the previous years.
With such shocking statistics, people all over the world want to know what is causing this disorder. Unfortunately, science has not yet found a known cause for autism. It is believed that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure and function (Rodger). Many other theories, such as heredity, genetics, and medical problems are currently being investigated. Researchers working for the American Society of Autism are still investigating the link between early childhood vaccines with autism, as well as harmful substances ingested during pregnancy, but there is still no proven cause.
With hopes to become a future elementary teacher, autism is, and should be a very important topic in my life. The more I know about this disorder, the better I will be able to handle classroom situations that may arise. With this disorder falling on such a wide spectrum of behaviors, it is very common for an autistic child to take part in regular classroom activities. As a professional, I want to be able to understand students’ behaviors and mind-sets. Not only do I aspire to be a future teacher, but also a mother. The Autism Society of America states, “Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundary, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels. It can affect any family and any child in the world.” With this being said, and with the rising statistics, I feel that I should be aware of all aspects of this disorder. This could very well affect my own family someday, so I’m taking full advantage of this opportunity to gain as much knowledge about autism spectrum disorder as I can.
Although there is no cure for autism, there are treatments and educational approaches that can help reduce some of the challenges associated with this condition. Intervention, with specific components, such as working with qualified therapists and psychologists is believed to help to lessen disruptive behaviors. Studies have shown that the earlier the intervention with the child, usually before three years of age, the better the results (Boulware). However, researchers believe that one of the best therapies for children with autism is parent-child interventions. Programs that use generalized teaching strategies by parents of children with autism within daily routines have some of the most positive outcomes (Kashinath). Research has not proven one particular therapy or treatment better than another, but feels that the basis for choosing any treatment plan should come from a thorough evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses observed in the child (ASA).
Families with a child that has a developmental disability have unique experiences and challenges. “Autism can be an extremely disabling disorder and can place sever strains on the families of children with autism” (Hutton, 180). Problems with acquiring appropriate diagnosis, obtaining necessary services, and learning to balance the many challenges present serious stresses to any family. When asked, “In what ways has autism affected your family?,” the mother of an autistic child answered, “There is little or no time for fun or vacations, followed by the need to plan ahead and stress on the marriage” (Hutton, 180). Autism definitely causes frustration for families, but after diagnosis, parents should immediately seek treatment programs to help the child, and also help the entire family cope with the disorder (Rodger). The number of early intervention programs for children with autism has generally increased in the past few years, due to the great prevalence of rate (ASA). I have researched and analyzed some of the most popular types. The first therapy I will discuss is the complementary therapy. Professionals believe it may play an important role in improving communication skills and reducing associated behavior symptoms. These types of therapies help develop social interaction, and allow the child to feel a sense of accomplishment. They also provide a non-threatening way for a child on autism spectrum to develop a positive relationship with a therapist in a safe environment (ASA).
Some complementary therapies incorporate art and music to improve sensory integration, and provide visual and auditory stimulation. Music therapy is especially good for speech development and language comprehension, while art therapy provides a nonverbal, symbolic way for children to express themselves. Animal therapy, another common type of complementary therapy, may include horseback riding or swimming with dolphins. Not only would these therapeutic programs provide physical benefits for anyone, but they especially help children with autism to improve their coordination and motor development (Prupas). One crucial downfall of this type of therapies is the cost. This could be an expensive form of therapy for many families. Additionally, with most complementary approaches there has been scientific research that has been conducted to support the particular therapy.
Since little research has been done about complementary research, I wanted to find other therapies that have proven benefits for the children and their family. Research indicates that both teacher and peer-mediated interventions are effective in helping autistic children with their social behavior. Often peers are taught to acknowledge and comment on behavior of the autistic child, which helps increase the social interactions between autistic children and their peers. With this idea in mind, there is also strong evidence that integrating autistic children into an environment of similarly aged peers is very beneficial. Through integration, these children can learn appropriate behaviors, and they are able to learn how to properly socialize (Reed).
According to the research I reviewed, the best, and most successful therapies are ones that include parents and the entire family. For a lot of families, this disorder often brings stresses to everyone that is involved. Parents must focus on their child with ASD, which may put strains on marriages, other children, work, finances, and personal relationships and responsibilities (ASA). Intervention programs that involve the parents have been found to increase the parents’ confidence about their child’s condition, as well as provide support for the emotional and logistical stresses that result from having a child with autism (McCabe). By including parents and siblings of the autistic child into the interventions, it not only helps the child interact with others, but it allows the family to spend time together and work towards achieving particular goals.
With so many studies being conducted on parent-child interventions, I sorted through several sources, and chose what I believe are the most credible interventions that produce the best results. In one particular study, parents learned to include two teaching strategies in target routines to address their child’s communication objectives (Kashinath). The parents used techniques such as modeling, shaping, prompting, and reinforcing. This type of intervention had positive effects on child communication outcomes and all parents perceived the intervention to be beneficial. Not only did the children make gains, but parent-focused inventions that occur throughout the day in natural settings have been found to actually decrease parental stress as well (Kashinath). In my opinion, this therapy almost seems too good to be true. Not only are the parents not troubled by traveling to an office to visit a therapist, but by teaching their child inside their home they were able to teach realistic strategies that occur on an everyday basis.
Another beneficial intervention, the Aquatic Nursery Program, is a unique, family-based program. Angela Prupas, author of “early intervention aquatics: a program for children with autism and their families; for ten years, this intervention developed children’s movement skills and strengthened family bonds,” discusses this intervention program in detail. When I came across this program, I found it very intriguing because it was so different from all the other therapies I had previously researched. The Aquatic Nursery Program provides groups of children and their parents with 30 minutes of pool time per week with an aquatic specialist. The program focuses on increasing attention to instructional detail, while improving communication and socialization skills. Thus, swimming is considered a functional skill, with a social purpose, that all children and adults can participate in during their lifetime. The ultimate goal of this program is to improve family functioning and to teach various intervention techniques that families could use after they complete the program. I believe that this would be a perfect intervention for entire families because it involves a fun, physical activity that everyone can partake in.
Another program called Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism) is also an intervention program for children between 1 and 3 years old. “Project data for toddlers: an inclusive approach to very young children with autism spectrum disorder,” written by Gusty-Lee Boulware, thoroughly examines the steps and outcomes of this intervention program. This program uses the effective preschool model and makes modifications to meet the unique developmental needs of toddlers. Project DATA consists of five specific components, which all lead to gains in developmental domain. The main components of this program are an inclusive early childhood program, extended instructional time, increased technical and social support for families, coordination of family-negotiated services, and systematic transition planning. This article also presents the findings, such as, child outcome data from the areas of cognition, communication, self-regulation, functional skills, and elementary placement.
All of five components of Project DATA play a significant role in the program, but component three consists of increased technical and social support for families. Interventionists believe that a family provides the indispensable context for the most powerful influence on a child’s development; therefore any successful intervention must include collaboration with the family. Families involved with Project DATA receive a two hour home visit along with training and programs to guide family members in providing additional hours of instruction to their children. The ultimate goal of this intervention is to support the family members in feeling competent and confident about their ability to enhance their children’s development and address challenging behavior within the context of everyday routines. A father of a child in Project DATA says, “The services we are receiving from Project DATA are making life less complicated for us. We are now getting more of an opportunity to make ‘normal’ family decisions” (94).
There are so many types of therapies available for children with autism and their families, but it is important to match a child’s potential and specific needs with strategies that are likely to be effective in moving him or her closer to established goals and greatest potential. A search for appropriate treatment must be paired with the knowledge that all treatment approaches are not equal; what works for one will not work for all, and other options don’t have to be excluded. The basis for choosing any treatment plan should come from a thorough evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses observed in the child (ASA).
The article, “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder” by Phil Reed, tells about the effectiveness of 3 early intervention techniques for children with autism spectrum disorders. This study was done over a 10 month period of time. The program selected participants on a basis of four criteria. There success was measured using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, which is comprised of four subtests. From these 3 interventions; the study suggested that children in applied behavior analysis (ABA) made greater intellectual and educational gains, such as 30 points high IQ scores. Although ABA did produce results, none of the techniques proved a cure for autism. Kelly Kates-McElrath’s “Behavioral intervention for autism: a distinction between two behavior analytic approaches,” describes the outcomes of two behavioral interventions; discrete trail instruction, and applied verbal behavior. Both of these interventions remain popular for children diagnosed with autism. Special education associations are requesting that school districts provide and reimburse parents for these types of interventions. “Parent advocacy in the face of adversity: autism and families in the People’s Republic of China,” written by Helen McCabe. This article describes the experiences of families of children with autism in China. The interviews and questionnaires reveal three main themes regarding family experiences. First, parents said that there are many openly discriminatory practices against the disabled individual and their families. Secondly, public schools in China often reject students with autism. Also, parents say they had to make sacrifices and decisions that demonstrate the love for their children, since that is such an important part of Chinese culture. Adam Hutton’s, “Experiences of families with children with autism in rural New England,” examines the impact of children with autism on their families. Parents were interviewed about the recognition of autism in their child, the intervention services accessed, and the impact of having a child with autism on their family. The results showed those families who have a child with autism often feel frustrated, stressed, and no hope for the future. Author Sylvia Rodger’s wrote “Early intervention for children with autism: parental priorities.” This article that describes a process of assisting parents of young children with ASD to identify and prioritize their goals for their children’s early intervention by using a modified version of the M-COPM. The goals were related to the domains of communication, behavior, play, and social interaction. The M-COPM was found to be a useful tool for enabling parents to identify the goals for their children. Also, the article discusses implications for practitioners in early childhood and special education settings. I found a lot of useful information from American Society of Autism. This entire Web site provided causes, characteristics of autism, treatment options, and family issues. I also used the Web site, MayoClinic.com, which provided information in similar categories. I chose to do a personal interview with a good friend of the family, Lee. I chose her because she has grown up with an autistic brother. I think by analyzing her feedback, I can make this research project more personal. There were many steps in writing this research paper. First I took what I already knew about autism, and researched information to confirm my own thoughts. Next, I set out to find the answer to my research question, “What types of therapies are designed for autistic children and their families, and what the benefits from these programs are?” I did this by using online journals, Web sites, and referred journals. My favorite method of research was the personal interview I performed with a close family friend. By using her feedback, I am able to personalize my paper and bring new research to this topic. My interview with Lee, a family friend, can be found in Appendix A. I’ve known Lee for 5 years, and felt that she would be a good candidate for this interview because we are close, and sometimes the questions were personal. I interviewed her on February 2nd, 2008, at her residence in Kittanning, Pennsylvania. Our conference lasted about 30 minutes. The series of questions I asked were developed from my previous research. My main goal for this interview was to analyze her feedback to help answer my research question, “What type of therapies can provide benefits for autistic children and their families?” Her feedback disagreed with a lot of my current thoughts on this topic. I found the best types of therapies are those that include family and parent interaction. It has been proven that these specific therapies are the most successful. Most of my results met my expectations because I believed that most families did find it stressful having an autistic child in the household. However, my feedback from my personal interview contradicted my outlook. Lee expressed that her autistic brother was never a problem for her family, where as my research proved that most families do encounter some type of stress due to an autistic family member. I feel that she may have been a bit modest with her comments. Family issues can very personal topic no matter how close you are to a person. Plus, since her autistic brother was the youngest, Lee said that often her older siblings felt more like it was their job to protect their brother from the outside world, rather than being mad or stressed out about him (See Appendix 1). Although my expectations didn’t agree with parts of my interview feedback, I did find parts that strongly proved my research. Lee explained a program, Progressive Workshop, which her brother was involved in, which allows handicapped people to train and work alongside similarly aged peers (See Appendix 1). This feedback matched my research exactly. In the article “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder,” Reed says that integrating autistic children into an environment of similarly aged peers is beneficial because children learn appropriate behaviors, and are able to properly socialize (417). I believe the next step in researching this topic should be finding why some families manage household’s with autistic family members, and why some families seem to completely fall apart. Also, the participants in research studies in this field should be assured that their information will be confidential. I believe this is very crucial because the participants need to feel comfortable enough to let their honest emotions and opinions show through. My research topic was how autism affect families and what types of therapies provide the best benefits for the child and family. I chose this topic because this disorder is occurring in more and more children. I feel that it will benefit me in my future career as a teacher to have a better understand of autism spectrum disorder. Also, I want to have children of my own someday, and since there is a chance I could have a child with autism, it will only benefit me to understanding the most successful ways of dealing with the disorder. I have concluded that not all families are affected the same, if at all, by having a child with autism, Through this entire research process and personal experience, I’ve found that a child with autism may cause stresses and frustrations among families, but with the appropriate types of therapies, benefits for the family and child will arise.
Works Cited
American Society of Autism. 2000. 20 Feb. 2008 <http://www.autismsociety .org/site/PageServer?pagename=PrivacyPolicy>.Boulware, Gusty-Lee, McBride, et al. “Project data for toddlers: an inclusive approach to very young children with autism spectrum disorder.” Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Summer 2006: 94.Hutton, Adam, and Sandra L. Caron. “Experiences of families with children with autism in rural New England”. Focus on Autism and Other Development Disabilities. Fall 2005: 180.Kashinath, Shubha, Juliann Woods, and Howard Goldstein. “Enhancing generalized teaching strategy use in daily routines by parents of children with autism.” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. June 2006; 466.Mayo Clinic. 1998. 20 Feb. 2008 <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS00348>.McCabe, Helen. “Parent advocacy in the face of adversity: autism and families in the People’s Republic of China.” Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 22 Jan. 2007: 39.Prupas, Andrea, William J. Harvey, and Janet Benjamin. “Early intervention aquatics: a program for children with autism and their families; For 10 years, this intervention developed children’s movement skills and strengthened family bonds.” The Journal of Physical Education Recreation & Dance. Feb. 2006: 46.Reed, Phil, Lisa Osborne, and Mark Corness. “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder.” Exceptional Children. Summer 2007: 417.Rodger, Sylvia, Michelle Braithwaite, and Deb Keen. “Early intervention for children with autism: parental priorities.” Australian Journal of Early Childhood. Sept. 2004: 34.Walker, Lee. Personal Interview. 2 Feb. 2008. Appendix 1
Personal Interview
Q: How old was your younger brother when he was diagnosed with autism?
A: My brother is now 38 years old. They did not diagnose autism much when he was growing up. In kindergarten he was labeled Learning Disabled. When he was in the 5th grade he was labeled Educationally Retarded. A label of Autism was not given
to him until he was in his twenties.
Q: What type of characteristics did he portray?
A: Kurt never slept well .He never crawled. However, he walked at 10 months. He did not play with toys, he ran up and down the sidewalk flapping his hands. When he would fall he would never cry or express pain. As he grew older he was anti-social, kept to himself and would sit and rock back and forth and bite his wrists. He doesn't have appropriate facial expressions (almost like a blank stare).He does not like to be touched.
Q: How did your parents react to it?
A: My parents were older when Kurt was born. My mom was 39 and my dad was 44years old. They accepted whatever they were dealt .They believed the pediatrician and the school system knew what was best. They never researched his symptoms or looked for additional help.
Q: How did your siblings react to it?
A: My 2 other brothers and I always tried to play with him; he was the youngest of 4 so we protected him a lot. We were never embarrassed by Kurt and took him with us as much as we could.
Q: Did you ever feel stressed out because of his disorder?
A: After I married and had children I began to worry about what would happen to Kurt when my parents pass away. I'm the sibling that will take care of him. I have a husband and 3 boys to take think about.
Q: What types of therapies did he undergo?
A: They do things so different now, he was in special education classes in his primary years of school. Then he was main streamed. He was never offered “outside” help.
Q: Which was the most effective therapy for your brother?
A: He was taught in school how to count; do his activities of daily living. He loves geography. The best thing we did for him was put him in the Progressive Work Shop.
This is where adult handicapped people are trained to work and be productive. They also have parties, picnics, movies etc.
Q: Do you feel that having a brother with autism created frustration among your family at times?
A: No. My parents may have been upset but they never let us know. He has been a blessing. He makes me smile everyday. I love him so much.
Research Proposal
I am researching how families deal with the struggles that come along with having a child or sibling with autism in the same household. I know this disorder can affect everyone who is involved with the individual and I am seeking to understand how families cope with the stresses successfully. I am researching to find what types of autism therapies the world has to offer. I know there are several different types, but I would mainly like to focus on therapies that involve the entire family. In the article, “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder,” author Phil Reed discusses the top three therapies for autism.
I chose the topic autism for several reasons. First off, since I am an elementary education major, I feel more knowledge in this area will only benefit me in my career. With such rising cases, it is very likely that I will encounter a student who has autism. The more aware I am, the more help I can be to the student. Secondly, now that I am growing into a young woman, I realize autism could someday affect my own family. Again, with this disorder affecting some many people these days, I feel that the more I know about autism, the better I will know how to deal with it if it does ever affect me on a personal basis. In my interview with a friend of the family, Lee Walker, gave me personal encounters and information that I feel will really personalize this research paper.
I plan to different types of sources to gather my research. By using a variety of materials, I feel that my paper will provide well-rounded research. I am using at least five referred journals, which will give my paper credibility. With the research I have already done, I feel that this may be the best outlet for my research, since there is already so much useful information out there about autism. Secondly, I am using a novel I read for a psychology class. This book captures the life of a mother whose son is suffering with autism. I feel that this is a great way to connect on a personal basis with a family that deals with autism on a day to day basis. Thirdly, I plan to conduct at least 2 personal interviews. I have some close friends that deal with autistic family member’s everyday.
Reed, Phil, Lisa Osborne, and Mark Corness. “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder.” Exceptional Children. Summer 2007: 417. Walker, Lee. Personal Interview. 2 Feb. 2008.
Abstract:
My research topic was based on autism. My objective was to find what type of therapies benefits both the child with autism, and his/her family. I used several methods to perform my research, such as, Web sites, online journals, referred journals, and a personal interview. My results proved that many stresses may arise for some families that are dealing with autism. The key to dealing with the stress and frustration is finding the appropriate therapy for the child and family
Annotated Bibliography
Reed, Phil, Lisa Osborne, and Mark Corness. “The real-world effectiveness of early teaching interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder.” Exceptional Children. Summer 2007: 417. I chose this article because it tells about the effectiveness of 3 early intervention techniques for children with autism spectrum disorders. This study was done over a 10 month period of time. The program selected participants on a basis of four criteria. There success was measured using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, which comprises of four subtests. From these 3 interventions; the study suggested that children in applied behavior analysis (ABA) made greater intellectual and educational gains, such as 30 points high IQ scores. Although ABA did produce results, none of the techniques proved a cure for autism. McCabe, Helen. “Parent advocacy in the face of adversity: autism and families in the People’s Republic of China.” Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 22 Jan. 2007: 39. This article describes the experiences of families of children with autism in China. The interviews and questionnaires reveal three main themes regarding family experiences. First, parents said that there are many openly discriminatory practices against the disabled individual and their families. Secondly, public schools in China often reject students with autism. Also, parents say they had to make sacrifices and decisions that demonstrate the love for their children, since that is such an important part of Chinese culture. Boulware, Gusty-Lee, Ilene S. Schwartz, Susan R. Sandall, and Bonnie J. McBride. “Project data for toddlers: an inclusive approach to very young children with autism spectrum disorder.” Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. Summer 2006: 94. This article describes an early intervention program, Project DATA, for children between the ages 1-3 and their families. Project DATA uses the effective preschool model and makes changes to development needs of toddlers. The main components of this program are an inclusive early childhood program, extended instructional time, increased technical and social support for families, coordination of family-negotiated services, and systematic transition planning. This article also presents the findings, such as, child outcome data from the areas of cognition, communication, self-regulation, functional skills, and elementary placement. Kashinath, Shubha, Juliann Woods, and Howard Goldstein. “Enhancing generalized teaching strategy use in daily routines by parents of children with autism.” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. June 2006; 466. This article followed a family involved intervention study and the outcomes of the program. The main purpose of the study was to examine the effects of incorporation the use of teaching strategies by parents of children with autism within daily routines. Five preschool children with autism participated in the intervention with a parent at home. Parents learned to include two teaching strategies in normal routines to address their child’s communication skills. The intervention had positive effects on child communication outcomes. This evidence supports the parent-implemented interventions in natural environments with young children with ASD. Prupas, Andrea, William J. Harvey, and Janet Benjamin. “Early intervention aquatics: a program for children with autism and their families; For 10 years, this intervention developed children’s movement skills and strengthened family bonds.” The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. Feb. 2006: 46. This article reveals a special intervention program, The Aquatic Nursery Program, which incorporates swimming, and family involvement for children with autism. The ultimate goals of this technique were to improve family functioning and teach various techniques that families could employ after the program’s completion. Each family was provided with 30 minutes of pool time per week, and an aquatics specialist.Hutton, Adam, and Sandra L. Caron. “Experiences of families with children with autism in rural New England”. Focus on Autism and Other Development Disabilites. Fall 2005: 180. This study examined the impact of children with autism on their families. Parents were interviewed about the recognition of autism in their child, the intervention services accessed, and the impact of having a child with autism on their family. The results showed those families who have a child with autism often feel frustrated, stressed, and no hope for the future. Rodger, Sylvia, Michelle Braithwaite, and Deb Keen. “Early intervention for children with autism: parental priorities.” Australian Journal of Early Childhood. Sept. 2004: 34. This article describes a process of assisting parents of young children with ASD to identify and prioritize their goals for their children’s early intervention by using a modified version of the M-COPM. The goals were related to the domains of communication, behavior, play, and social interaction. The M-COPM was found to be a useful tool for enabling parents to identify the goals for their children. Also, the article discusses implications for practitioners in early childhood and special education settings.American Society of Autism. 2000. 20 Feb. 2008 < http://www.autismsociety . org/site/PageServer?pagename=PrivacyPolicy>. This Web site provided critical information for my research. I learned of theories of causes of autism, different therapy options, and how families deal with this disorder.Mayo Clinic. 1998. 20 Feb. 2008 <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS00348>. This Web site provided me with very useful information. I found causes, characteristics of autism, treatment options, and family issues.Walker, Lee. Personal Interview. 2 Feb. 2008. I chose to do a personal interview with a good friend of the family, Lee. I chose her because she has grown up with an autistic brother. I think by evaluating and using her in put, I can make this research project more personal.
