Autism is a developmental disability that is usually diagnosed when a child is two or three years old. The disability affects the child’s communication, behavior, and language skills. The characteristics differ with each child. In the area of communication, some children seem to develop normal language and then evidence regression. Other children develop language very slowly or not at all. Many children repeat the same words or phases again and again and do not seem interested in communicating a message to others.

In social situations, many children have limited responses. Some children may enjoy being with peers but may experience difficulty engaging in play with other children. They may avoid eye contact and/or may engage in stereotypical, repetitive motor movements. They also may have difficulty imitating others or learning by watching the actions of another child.

Some children with autism may be highly sensitive to sounds, sight, hearing, smell, or touch and they may evidence difficult or unusual behaviors that are not easily understood by their parents or teachers. Although children with autism evidence many characteristics that are attributable to their disability, they also share many characteristics common to typically developing children. Children with autism have unique personalities and interests. They do develop caring relationships with others and they are motivated to learn by positive, supportive learning environments and skilled teachers.

Researchers have identified a number of differences between children with autism and typically developing peers and some of these findings may lead to factors that determine the cause of autism. Researchers have found differences in the rate of brain growth at an early age and/or changes in the chemical transmission of information to other parts of the brain. Children with autism have also been found to process information differently which may interfere with their ability to relate to others. Scientists have identified three to four specific genes that may lead to a genetic susceptibility for autism. Researchers also know that children with autism are more likely to have another person in their family with autism or certain other disabilities such as Fragile X Syndrome. Environmental factors may also contribute to the genetic susceptibility with children developing autism when these factors and genetic susceptibility combine and reach a certain threshold. While researchers are studying many variables in brain research that may lead to a cause, the relationship between these variables still remains unclear. Overall, there are many theories about the cause of autism, but no one factor is seen to be responsible for this neurodevelopmental disorder and the causes of autism remain unknown.

You need to know that the prognosis for children diagnosed with autism has improved dramatically with the onset of early intervention programs. Therefore, you need to find resources and services for your child as soon as possible. Within Pennsylvania, free services are available through the Department of Welfare for young children under the age of three years and through MAWA agencies for children from three to five years of age. At kindergarten age, services are provided free through your local school district. You can get help through the Department of Education website www.pde.state.pa.us (prek-12 schools/special education) and through the Parent Education Network website www.parentednet.org. The Autism Society of America and the National Autism Society are two good resources to learn more about this disability www.autism-society.org. and www.autism.org. Parents interested in training are encouraged to contact The TIM Academy which provides support to parents and professionals www.timacademy.org.

Autism is widely publicized and there are many treatment options available some of which are very controversial. At The Timothy School, we encourage our parents to investigate programs that are research based, to work with professionals who have extensive experience teaching children with autism, and to use critical judgment in assessing programs that offer a quick cure. Our Program emphasizes structured teaching and applied behavioral analysis. Other programs emphasize discrete trial training. Parents should schedule visits to observe programs so that they can compare the different methods and determine which one would best meet the needs of their child. The Timothy School offers quarterly tours of our school which can be arranged through our social worker.

6. What is Structured Teaching?

Structured Teaching is a model of instruction that is designed to make information meaningful for children with autism who have severe communication and cognitive delays that interfere with their ability to organize their environment and express their wants and needs. Structured teaching organizes the environment by clearly delineating the physical structure of the classroom. Expectations are defined using individual and group schedules. Curricular adaptations emphasize each student’s unique interests. The adaptations incorporate the students’ mode of communication so that the children are motivated to attend and are actively engaged in learning. All activities follow a visually presented sequence which is designed to give the student a core set of procedural routines that do not change. Once procedural routines are established, the learning environment becomes predictable and the child can concentrate on learning new concepts and skills.

• Physical structure describes the behavioral expectations for the areas of a classroom (student’s desk, group areas, instructional areas, etc.) which are arranged so that the student knows exactly where to go and what to do.  In some cases, the structure may be designed to overcome a specific problem that the student might experience, such as a quiet center for a child who is hypersensitive to sounds.  Physical structure provides predictability to maximize student learning of routines and to minimize frustration.
  
  
• Individual and group schedules as well as work systems serve as an instructional aid for students so that they know where, when, and in what order daily activities will occur.  Students can refer to their schedules to check on their assignments which helps promote independence.  They follow individual schedules to complete self-help tasks and work systems to practice skills.
  
  
• Group lessons emphasize both social skills and basic skills.  The instructional goals for each group lesson are clearly defined and individualized to address each child’s learning objectives.  Lessons incorporate a thematic approach and recurring daily activities which emphasize students’ unique interests and motivation.
  
  
• Tasks are analyzed and components of a task are taught and reinforced systematically. Tasks are structured to provide errorless learning and to encourage students to initiate requests and actions with gradual withdrawal of prompts and other supports to encourage independence.
  
  
• Materials are adapted and organized in a specific sequence.
  


• Expectations for students are communicated clearly.  Students are expected to participate in all instructional activities and to complete their assignments with sufficient staff support to insure that they meet with success.
  

7. Can I take a tour of the Timothy School?

Yes, there are four tours held during the school year. At this time you will be able to see the classrooms, hear about our teaching methodologies, and ask any questions you may have. The tours begin promptly at 10:00am and end at 12:00pm. The parent tour dates are as follows:

Friday, November 6, 2009

Friday, January 8, 2010

Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday, May 7, 2010