Next Step Autism Program

Today I met with Janel from the Next Step Autism Program. We are going to try out this program and see where it takes us. It sounds like they have solid therapists and they work cohesively together.

Janel will see Marshall in July for an assessment where she will try different skills with him until he fails every catergory. This will give her a very good idea of where M's skill levels are at and where the most work is needed at this time. The other therapists will meet with Marshall too and they will each create their own list for him. Then I as his parent will have a say as to which areas i'd like them to focus on more at this time and each month we update the file and review it. The speech therapist, Colleen, M has been seeing so it will be nice for Marshall to have one familiar face in a new environment... although the interventionalist will be who Marshall sees daily.

Janel told me about her backround in the ABA therapy and how she feels strongly about it. Now, this is the one thing that i am a little concerned about. I have heard many negative things about therapists working with kids in such a strict, sitting at a table, manner.

Janel stated that kids will need to learn to sit at a desk once their in school. She also said that this type of therapy has come a long way over the years and that the negativity that is out there is mostly based on the way they did things in the past. She said that if ABA therapy is not working for M, that they are open to doing whatever therapy is needed in order to see progress. They are open to adapt and to change if needed. So, i am happy to hear that. Marshall will be able to start with this program the second week of August. It will be 5 days a week for 2 hours each day. They are in a classroom with 3 other children and their aids.

It will be interesting to see how he does and i just PRAY that he will like it there. Leaving him screaming at the door with a stranger and a closed door will be very hard... so i hope it's not like that. Janel said they are open to having parents sit in and observe, but only after the child has adjusted so about a month in. It is scary.

BUT...

I have heard good things about Next Step from a parent friend of mine whose son has been in the program for about 3 months now, and also from a few other qualified people who work with children with Autism and their families.

There is no contract with Next Step, so if things aren't going well it is nice to know that taking Marshall out of their program is not a complicated matter. We shall see how things go! It's kind of nice to have July off to relax as this program is year-round so once we start, we're much more limited with our time.