There are a variety of services that a clinician could recommend following a diagnostic evaluation. All of these recommendations are based on the outcome of the evaluation and where the clinician believes a child would benefit from therapeutic intervention or support. Parent involvement is essential in this process, since parents know their children best and will have preferences
Below is a list of some services that could be recommended after a diagnostic evaluation.
Logopedia: La logopedia puede ayudar a los niños con retrasos en el desarrollo y trastornos del habla y del lenguaje a mejorar sus habilidades de comunicación, entre otras cosas:
- Expressive language: or ability to express themselves verbally and nonverbally; and
- Receptive language: or ability to understand and interpret what others say
- Speech prosody: which involves stress and intonation in spoken language
- Interpretación de gestos y expresiones faciales
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): which provides assistance with, or alternative means of communication for children struggling with speech
ABA Therapy: ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis is a therapy used to treat children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and involves encouraging positive forms of behavior and discouraging or providing alternatives to negative forms. ABA Therapy can help improve and increase a child’s independence by helping them gain and refine skills such as:
- Manding: or making appropriate verbal or nonverbal requests based on their wants and needs
- Tacting: or the ability to correctly label familiar objects in their environment
- Chaining: the ability to complete multi-step sequences such as making a sandwich or putting on shoes.
Occupational Therapy: Occupational Therapy can help children with developmental disorders complete everyday tasks such as:
- Actividades lúdicas: incluyen juegos, rompecabezas, dibujos y escalada
- Self-care needs: such as dressing, bathing, and using utensils for eating and drinking without assistance
- Actividades escolares: incluyendo la escritura, el uso de tijeras y el juego en una estructura de gimnasio de la selva
- Sensory processing: moving through different spaces and walking on various surfaces, such as the change from pavement to grass.
Fisioterapia: La fisioterapia a menudo trabaja en conjunto con la terapia ocupacional para ayudar a los niños con autismo y otros trastornos del desarrollo a mejorar su equilibrio y tono muscular con el fin de moverse con mayor independencia a través de sus rutinas diarias. Los fisioterapeutas pueden ayudar a los niños con habilidades como:
- Habilidades motoras gruesas: caminar, correr, sentarse y estar de pie
- Coordinación: habilidades de equilibrio, subir y usar escaleras
- Independencia física: ser capaz de moverse por la casa o el aula de forma independiente sin ayuda y realizar tareas físicas como subirse y bajarse de una silla.
Do you have questions about the diagnostic evaluation process? Contact the Goldman Center to speak with one of our specialists who can answer all of your questions at (773) 998-8500.
Referencias:
"Trastorno del espectro autista: Tratamiento". Trastorno del espectro: Evaluación, ASHA, https://www.asha.org/PRPSpecificTopic.aspx?folderid=8589935303§ion=Treatment.
"Ecos, Manos, Tácticas". Let's Learn ABA, Aprendamos ABA, 4 de noviembre de 2018, https://www.letslearnaba.com/aba-terms/echoics-mands-tacts/.
"Entendiendo el encadenamiento en ABA". The Behavior Exchange, The Behavior Exchange, 20 de agosto de 2018, https://www.behaviorexchange.com/blog/2018/09/understanding-chaining-in-aba.
"Terapia ocupacional para niños del espectro autista". Centro de Investigación del Autismo, Centro de Investigación del Autismo, 2020, https://www.carautismroadmap.org/the-role-of-pediatric-occupational-therapy-for-children-with-asd/.
"El papel del fisioterapeuta pediátrico para los niños del espectro autista". Centro de Investigación del Autismo, Centro de Investigación del Autismo, 2020, https://www.carautismroadmap.org/the-role-of-the-pediatric-physical-therapist-for-children-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/.