The Family's Role in Special Education Intervention

In the course of my interactions with parents having children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), I often encounter those who want to "dump" the child on a therapist and expect "miraculous" changes in the child. I must emphasize that active involvement of parents and siblings is very important in special education intervention for a child with autism or any related special needs. No one knows a child better than the parents. Remember that you as the parent will in the end be the one who cares the most for, and is affected the most by your child's condition. Besides, you spend more time with your child than anyone else. You can use that precious time to generalize the teaching goals into everyday living situations and activities.

Parents are positioned to provide direct therapy to their child. However, as parents better understand, having a child with autism takes a huge emotional toll and coordinating the treatment team can be a daunting task. Therefore, whenever possible, it is recommended to use hired therapists to do most of the intensive work. This allows parents to have some respite and the remaining time spent with their child can be more enjoyable and productive.

Parents can use the child's time that is not spent in intensive programming to develop play, social and self-help skills. Spending time outdoors by visiting the park, shopping mall, close friends and relatives' homes are opportunities to generalize skills and work on improving  behavior. Similarly, brushing their teeth, having a bath, getting dressed, and having a meal are just a few examples of everyday routines that serve as opportunities for teaching.

As a result of these, the child's day if filled with activities that become part of the therapy process. More importantly, the parents become an integral part of the special education intervention team. Therefore, it is important to involve the child in the family daily routine of living, this will reduce any form of isolation for the child.