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Resources

Education Resources

Evaluation Team Report- The ETR evaluates if a child is eligible for special education services and drives the IEP.

Individualized Education Plan- The IEP is a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the law receives specialized instruction and related services.

FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education - this is a legal requirement that states all children are entitled to a free public education that meets their individual needs

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - this is the federal law that guarantees all children with disabilities the right to a free public education

Please follow the link below to read more about your child's education rights. Please note this is Ohio state-specific and may differ from state to state:

https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Special-Education/A-Guide-to-Parent-Rights-in-Special-Education/ODE_ParentRights_040617.pdf.aspx

Autism Resources

NDBI are therapies implemented in natural settings, involve shared control between child and therapist, utilize natural contingencies, and use a variety of behavioral strategies to teach developmentally appropriate and prerequisite skills.

FBA is an individualized problem-solving process for addressing student problem behavior. An assessment is conducted to identify the purpose or function of a student’s problem behavior.

There can be many reasons why an individual may engage in repetitive behaviors depending on the behavior and the situation. Sometimes an individual will display repetitive behavior because it is predictable and soothing and can help them feel more calm and more comfortable. Other times the behavior itself is just enjoyable and something the individual enjoys doing. Sometimes an individual may experience a strong emotion (e.g., excitement or upset) and they have difficulty regulating their behavior or verbally expressing their emotions and the repetitive behavior (e.g., hand flapping) is a way of expressing that emotion at that moment.

We all have interests and hobbies that we enjoy. Sometimes however an individual can exhibit interests that become consuming or preoccupying. That interest may primarily be what an individual talks and thinks about and their leisure activities can become restricted to engaging in activities centered around that interest. This can ultimately impact socialization, meeting day to day demands, and expanding leisure activities and interests beyond that restricted interest. This is when an individual or family members can often benefit from learning strategies to find balance, allowing the individual to engage in their preferred interests, but also to have other interests, engage in other activities, and socialize around other topics / interests.

Many of us experience anxiety at one point or another in our life. Sometimes this anxiety is situational and passes and sometimes the anxiety is more pervasive and does not seem to pass. When this is the case it is often beneficial for the parent and child to work with a therapist who can assist them in determining the cause of the anxiety, processing how symptoms of anxiety present, and identifying effective coping strategies to facilitate a decrease in the symptoms of anxiety.  Everyone experiences anxiety differently and as such, each individual needs to find a way to cope with and manage their symptoms of anxiety that is right for them.

We all have things that we don’t like. If those restrictions cause a person to not get their basic needs met then it qualifies for intervention. Desensitization programs can help individuals with restricted interests tolerate and even enjoy situations they would normally try to avoid. We break down an overwhelming experience into manageable parts and systematically introduce while providing rewards for successes until ultimately, the individual is able to participate in that activity or task without challenging behaviors. Trying new things through systematic exposure can be used for a variety of different things including getting a haircut, brushing your teeth, going to the dentist or doctor, taking medicine, consuming healthy foods, visiting a sensory-stimulating new place, etc. Slowly building up an acceptance of these new things will assist in an individual’s ability to participate fully with their families and peers and improve their quality of life.