Autism Spectrum Disorder and Interventions

Page: 428-431
Sandhya Rai1 and Sadiya Rahman2 (Founder of Mann-Child & Adult Care Foundation White Miracles Dental and Psychological Health Care Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh1, Pursuing Masters in Clinical Psychology at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Intern at White Miracles Dental and Psychological Health Care, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh2)

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex syndrome that consists of a set of developmental and behavioral features. Not only children with Autism face different challenges in the family as well as society but it also challenges the people in the background such as parents and family members. Autism affects 18 million people in India and raising awareness can help patients overcome stigma and improve the daily routines for the people with ASD as well as the relationships around them. This article focuses on the possible interventions for Autism and strategies on how to better control sensory and perceptual problems. This also serves as a guide to parents on how to tackle kids with ASD and simultaneously not losing a focus on themselves as well. The main areas of concern in ASD are communication, social interaction and sensory integration so the interventions are also focused on these areas such as Hanen Program, Floortime Model and Individualized Education Program (EIP). Autism is spoken of generally as a jigsaw with a missing piece, instead, it is a bucket full of several different jigsaws in it (Chapter 1-A Bucket Full of Jigsaws, Autism an inside out approach.) Figuring out the different pieces of the jigsaw and making sense out of them is the main task while handling ASD.