The
interview process has always been very enlightening to me. I enjoy learning from individuals that have
been working with a particular population longer than I have as well as hearing
their suggestions of resources to learn additional information. The interview process is also very motivating
to me as a well because I am able to collaborate with individuals that have experienced
similar situations to myself as well as hear stories of success. Lastly, the interview process is a learning
tool for me to expand on the knowledge I know and be able to share my knowledge
with other colleagues and parents.
My 2 largest
challenges with the interview process were coming up with interview questions
that would encompass a breadth of knowledge and information. There were some questions that I asked that
gave me a lot of information but to expand on the questions would have taken
hours and hours. I felt as if I just wanted
to keep hearing and learning more and more.
My other challenge was getting together with both of my
interviewees. I wanted to find
individuals that were very knowledgeable about my topic. However, the individuals that I knew were
already very busy and involved working diligently to support the population of
children with autism. I loved the fact
that they were so actively involved in the autism support process, but it
simply made it a little more challenging to schedule times to talk or complete
the interview. Overall, the interview
process worked very well and I was very pleased with the thoroughness of the
responses given to me by the individuals I interviewed.
One
interviewee expressed that “In working with children with autism, the greatest
challenges have often been related to finding “a way in”, so to speak. Because of the difficulties with
socialization usually found in this population, finding ways to connect on that
child’s terms are both challenging and rewarding”(Personal Communication,
2013). This statement is very powerful and
very true. In my professional experience
I have found that every child with autism is different and what works for one
child may or may not work for another child.
As a result, I have to constantly find creative ways to engage the
child, get the child to participate in therapy, and get the child to
communicate his /her wants and needs.
Many children with autism have challenges with expressing their
likes/dislikes and wants/needs so the challenge of finding “a way in” may take
awhile. I have found that some children
benefit from sensory activities before starting the therapy session (ex. Jumping
on trampoline, swinging) while other children will work diligently for a chance
to roll a large ball or squeeze playdough back and forth on the table. Every
child is different but once you find “a way in” it’s almost as if a lightbulb
goes off and the child starts responding more in therapy.
My
research on the topic of autism and early diagnosis and intervention of parents
and professionals has been very rewarding thus far. I have learned a lot from the research
articles I’ve been reading. I have
learned that;
-Parents
need continual support beyond early intervention and they are burdened by the
strain of not finding adequate resources and serving as the primary case
manager in most situations.
-Parents
can lean on grandparents for support and possibly involve them in important
meetings related to the child so they can assist in relieving some of the
burdens off of the parents.-
Support is needed from the community, parents, social groups and others in case enough government funding is not available.
-We
should update and communicate with individuals in our communities about what
our children with autism need as well as use students to aid social
interactions of children with autism
-Both
parents are affected by the diagnosis of autism (emotionally, psychologically,
physically) and some families are more resilient due to a strong familial
support system.
There
is a wealth of information available related to the topic of autism. However, more longitudinal research is
needed. What kinds of coping techniques
have you noticed with different families of children with autism? What reasons have you found for some families
being more resilient than others?
References
Bernstein,
R., Brigham, N., Cosgriff, J., Harvey, M. Heilingoetter, J., Hughes, C., &
Reilly, C. (2013). A peer delivered social interaction
intervention for high school students with autism. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe
Disabilities, 38(1),
1-16.
Brown,
H.K., Quellette-Kuntz, H., Hunter, D., Kelley, E., & Cobigo, V.(2012).
Unmet Needs of Families of
School-Aged Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 25(6), 497-508. Doi:
10.1111/j.1468-3148.2012.00692.x
Parish, S. L., Thomas, K. C., Rose, R., Kilany, M., &
Shattuck, P. T. (2012). State medicaid spending and financial burden of
families raising children with autism. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 50(6), 441-51.
Sullivan,
A., Winograd, G., Verkuilen, J., & Fish, M. C. (2012). Children on the
Autism Spectrum: Grandmother Involvement and Family Functioning. Journal Of Applied
Research In Intellectual Disabilities, 25(5), 484-494.
