In Lesson #1: “When you do what the child loves, the child with autism will love to be with you.” Dr. Rick interviews Jeff and Heather about their daughter Kate and what it takes to get started with a successful intervention program. They share their struggles with grief and getting Kate’s diagnosis of autism, about trying out different therapies until they found what worked, and how intensive early intervention and playfulness (doing what the child loves) helped Kate to improve in her ability to form relationships and develop a sense of belonging with her friends and classmates. Dr. Rick introduces the key methods that help all children on the spectrum connect with others and grow developmentally.
Show Notes
In Lesson #1: “When you do what the child loves, the child with autism will love to be with you.” Dr. Rick interviews Jeff and Heather about their daughter Kate and what it takes to get started with a successful intervention program. They share their struggles with grief and getting Kate’s diagnosis of autism, about trying out different therapies until they found what worked, and how intensive early intervention and playfulness (doing what the child loves) helped Kate to improve in her ability to form relationships and develop a sense of belonging with her friends and classmates. Dr. Rick introduces the key methods that help all children on the spectrum connect with others and grow developmentally.
Show Notes
In Lesson #3: “When Will My Child Talk? Interaction, Imagination, and Emotion, O My!” In this episode, Dr. Rick interviews Dawn and Alex Ham-Kucharski. Dawn is an author with a new book, Autism from Diagnosis to Adulthood and Alex is Dawn and Rich Ham Kucharski’s son, a young adult with autism. The lesson in this episode is that the whole family matters. Dr. Rick, Dawn, and Alex explore the paradox that focusing too much on the needs of the child with autism is not the best way to meet the needs of the child with autism! The interview focuses on how to increase the ‘love charge’ of the family by nurturing the husband and wife relationship, acknowledging the three common sibling reactions to autism, and balancing the autistic child’s needs with the needs of the rest of the family. Both Dawn and Alex tell it like it is with all the ups and downs of coping with autism and its impact their family’s life.
Show Notes