Autism Awareness Month: Reach out to reach within
How special needs schools managed to reach out to children and parents during the pandemic
Highlight
Parental training was essential in ensuring the needs of autistic children were met during the pandemic, say heads of special needs centres in the UAE
Special needs education emphasises the presence and implementation of a structured routine and proximity to mentor figures to ensure its success. However, the pandemic lockdown created obstacles that almost threw this process off track. Special needs institutions have since been exploring means to circumvent the gap and reach out to children and parents.
As one of the most established brands in providing support to autistic children, The Doris Duan-Young Autism Center has been reaching out to parents in this hour of need, says the brand’s Clinical Director, Inas Ktaech.
Apart from the Behaviour Teleconsultation and home sessions we launched during April last year and the resulting lockdown, we also prepared and sent out social stories to our children during these challenging times.
“Apart from the Behaviour Teleconsultation and home sessions we launched during April last year and the resulting lockdown, we also prepared and sent out social stories to our children during these challenging times,” says Ktaech. “Social stories are one of the great tools to effectively help children of determination understand the world around them. In these specific social stories, we helped them understand the pandemic we are currently going through in the easiest way possible.
“On top of this, we facilitated online parent workshops to educate parents on various topics on autism. These workshops were led in both English and Arabic with a BCBA/BCaBA via online platform. Parents were given information on various topics and strategies on how to promote it in their home setting. A library of parent training videos were also given that role played various Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) programmes or strategies on camera to effectively respond to their child’s challenging behaviours at home.”
Neuropedia, a neuroscience centre for children, also realises how critical it is to extend its services and support systems to parents of autistic children during the pandemic, and the advantages programmes such as ABA therapy bring to the table.
Surge in awareness
Dr Reet Mann-Sohal, Chief Operating Officer, Neuropedia, says, “Autistic spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that is becoming more and more prevalent these days. Recent estimates suggest that up to 1 in 68-100 children could have a diagnosis of ASD, and there is a surge in awareness among parents and families about this condition. Neuropedia plays a huge role in diagnosing, managing and raising awareness about ASD in the community. Neuropedia has a large ABA department comprising BCBA, under whose supervision the Behavioural Therapists carry out evidence-based management plan for children with ASD. The multidisciplinary team is also supported by Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists as lots of children with ASD have sensory processing difficulties along with speech disorders.”
Neuropedia plays a huge role in diagnosing, managing and raising awareness about ASD in the community. Neuropedia has a large ABA department comprising BCBA, under whose supervision the Behavioural Therapists carry out evidence-based management plan for children with ASD.
Neuropedia also reaches out within the community and schools to raise awareness by carrying out teaching and training programme for school teachers and SEN Coordinators. Neuropedia runs a special inclusive programme, “The Unity Class” in schools to ensure that children with ASD are not at disadvantage when it comes to learning and integrating into the mainstream environment.
At the Swedish Specialised Centre for Special Needs, it’s all about curating a programme to meet the needs of not just the student but the family too, says Alia El Naggar, the brand’s Founder and Clinical Director.
Made for the family
“We have created a specific programme that we call “family take the lead”, which is provided online. “We start the whole process online from assessment to intervention review,” says El Naggar. “Throughout this programme we create a tailor-made plan for the child in which we teach the parents/family members to work with their child on behaviour, communication and daily life skills. This is done through a mix of theoretical training and live coaching through video calls with the parent.
We have created a specific programme that we call “family take the lead”, which is provided online. We start the whole process online from assessment to intervention review.
“We thought of this as throughout the lockdown we received a vast number of parents who did not know how to manage their child’s behaviours although that the child was receiving therapy outside. Thus through this programme we empower parents, while ensuring that the child is learning at home.”
That said, certain schools are still of the notion that remote learning does not work for the sector.
Remote learning has not been very practical with most of our students. Our main focus during this time has been in supporting our overwhelmed parents who ended up wearing multiple hats.
Anju Varghese, Director, Milestones Autism Rehabilitation Center, Dubai, says, “Remote learning has not been very practical with most of our students. Our main focus during this time has been in supporting our overwhelmed parents who ended up wearing multiple hats. We provide online training and remote sessions for parents to give them the tools to teach their special ones.”