Has anyone tried the Floortime method to hel… – Autism – Mental and behavioral health Community – Forum – Revolution Health

Has anyone tried the Floortime method to hel… – Autism – Mental and behavioral health Community – Forum – Revolution Health

Review for how Floor Time and the Play Project can be beneficial for your your young child. Read it! – Barbara

Autism Speaks, In the News, Current News, Study: Children Can Be Diagnosed with Autism by Age One

Autism Speaks, In the News, Current News, Study: Children Can Be Diagnosed with Autism by Age One

This speaks to the early danger signs of Autism at one year of age.

Research

The approach is based on new knowledge about autism’s roots in the
brain, and about the ability of very young children’s brains to absorb new
knowledge and develop new skills — even if their initial development was
stunted by autism. Between 18 months and 6 years of age, children’s brains
are the most “plastic,” making early detection of autism, and early
intervention, all the more important.

What Is the Play Project?

PLAY Project is showing that the bond between parent and child can be used to bring children through a once-hidden doorway and into the warmth of a relationship. Half of the children who undergo the treatment improve significantly, 25 percent exhibit moderate improvement, and 25 percent (usually children with other physical or developmental problems) see little improvement.

The logic is almost exquisitely simple: rather than forcing a child to join the world, parents are taught to enter the child’s world and, over time, to become a trusted guide to the outside. Rather than trying to manage or control their child’s behaviors through coaxing, punishment or treats, parents are trained to follow the child’s lead, whether that means sitting quietly side by side waiting for a tiny flash of eye contact, exploring a light switch, or lying on the floor kicking the wall over and over. The key is that they are together in a place where the child feels most comfortable.

The approach is based on new knowledge about autism’s roots in the
brain, and about the ability of very young children’s brains to absorb new
knowledge and develop new skills — even if their initial development was
stunted by autism. Between 18 months and 6 years of age, children’s brains
are the most “plastic,” making early detection of autism, and early
intervention, all the more important to the eventual outcome.

Facts about autism, autistic spectrum disorders and the PLAY Project:

• One in every 250 children may have some kind of autistic spectrum disorder.
• Autism, which means “to oneself”, is marked by various behaviors and developmental delays. Children may not make eye contact or speak, or may repeat sounds or actions.
• Autism can be diagnosed in children as young as 18 months, though the typical age at which autistic children are diagnosed and begin treatment is often around 3 years.
• Children’s brains are the most “plastic”, or able to learn new skills and information, in the first few years of life, so autism therapies are most effective when begun early.
• The National Academy of Sciences endorses autism interventions that are intensive (more than 25 hours a week), engage the child and aim toward a strategic goal.
• The U-M PLAY Project trains parents to interact with their children for at least 15 hours a week, guiding their play and taking cues from them to shape the interaction.

What is Floortime?

What is Floortime?
Last spring, I was a guest on the web radio show hosted by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, co-developer of the Floortime/DIR therapy for autism spectrum disorders. I asked Dr. Greenspan a number of questions, which he answered in depth. The first of those questions was “What Is Floortime — And How Is It Different From Ordinary Play?”

TIME.com: Inside the Autistic Mind — May 15, 2006

TIME.com: Inside the Autistic Mind — May 15, 2006 — Page 1
Inside the Autistic Mind
A wealth of new brain research–and poignant testimony from people who have autism–is lifting the veil on this mysterious condition

TIME.com: A Tale of Two Schools — May 15, 2006 —

TIME.com: A Tale of Two Schools — May 15, 2006 — Page 1
A Tale of Two Schools
Early intervention in a well-run program is the key to helping autistic children reach their potential. A close-up look at two approaches, ABA and DIR/Floortime.

Intensive program for autistic children shows promise, University of Michigan researchers say

A University of Michigan Health Minute update on important health issues

Intensive program for autistic children shows promise, University of Michigan researchers say

Half of children in study make good to excellent progress, one-third make fair gains. Parents, pediatric behavior specialists team up for inexpensive play-based approach

The Autism Page at Wikipedia

Tons of information

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior.

Although the specific etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers. While there is disagreement about the magnitude, nature, and mechanisms for such environmental factors, researchers have found seven genes prevalent among individuals diagnosed as autistic. Some estimate that autism occurs in as many as one child in 166 in the United States. However, the National Institute of Mental Health gives a more conservative estimate of one in 1000[1]. A study published in 2006 indicates that men over 40 are almost six times more likely to father a child with autism than younger men[2]. Although autism is about 3 to 4 times more common in boys, girls with the disorder tend to have more severe symptoms and greater cognitive impairment. Diagnosis is based on a list of psychiatric criteria, and a series of standardized clinical tests may also be used.