
Autism Q&ATherapies & Mental Health
It’s important to take some time to learn about what services are available so you can make informed choices about what is best for you and/or your family. The list below is not inclusive of all available options, but it will help you become familiar with common therapies and service providers.
Speech & Language Pathology (SLP)
An SLP assesses, diagnoses, and treats communication and swallowing differences in children and adults. You may be interested in SLP services for:
- Articulation difficulties
- Delayed or absent speech
- Receptive language, difficulties understanding and processing language
- Expressive language, difficulties using language to communicate
- Oral feeding: Struggles with chewing, swallowing, gagging etc.
- Apraxia: difficulty moving muscles/structures necessary for speech
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational Therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession. An OT can assess, diagnose, and create treatment plans for sensory, motor, cognitive, social, or communication needs. You may be interested in OT services for:
- Gross motor skills: balance, coordination, core strength, whole-body movement
- Fine motor skills: any task relying on the muscles in the hands
- Attention span and stamina
- Transitioning between activities and places
- Understanding and accommodating sensory needs
- Coping strategies for understanding and managing emotions
- Developmental activities for daily living and self-care
Physical Therapy (PT)
Physical Therapy is for the preservation, enhancement, or restoration of movement and physical function. It utilizes therapeutic exercise, physical modalities (such as massage and electrotherapy), assistive devices, and patient education and training. You may be interested in PT services for:
- Developing muscle tone/motor skills
- Improving posture and addressing misalignments
- Neck pain and low back pain
- Problems with balance or mobility
- Chronic fatigue and weakness
- Fitness and wellness education
- Respiratory problems and/or poor cardiovascular endurance
- Knee, ankle, and foot problems
Relationship Development Intervention – RDI
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) is a family-based, behavioral therapy. It focuses on building social and emotional skills. Parents are trained as the primary therapist in most RDI programs. RDI helps people with autism form personal relationships by strengthening the building blocks of social connections. This includes the ability to form an emotional bond and share experiences with others.
Objectives of RDI:
- Emotional Referencing: the ability to learn from the emotional and subjective experiences of others
- Social Coordination: the ability to observe and control behavior to successfully participate in social relationships
- Declarative Language: the ability to use language and non-verbal communication to express curiosity, invite others to interact, share perceptions and feelings and coordinate your actions with others
- Flexible Thinking: the ability to adapt and alter plans as circumstances change
- Relational Information Processing: the ability to put things into context and solve problems that lack clear cut solutions and have no “right and wrong” solutions
- Foresight and Hindsight: the ability to think about past experiences and anticipate future possibilities based on past experiences
RDI involves a step-by-step approach to build motivation and teach skills. The teaching plan is based on the child’s current age and ability level. The parent or therapist uses a set of step-by-step, developmentally appropriate goals
The initial goal is to build a “guided participation” relationship between parents and child, with the child as a “cognitive apprentice.” Once this relationship is in place, the family advances through a series of developmental goals for their child. The goal of this process is to improve “neural connectivity,” or brain function.
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach attempting to change behaviour by assessing the functional relationship between a targeted behaviour and the environment. ABA is used in a variety of different learning fields and is currently recommended as a standard early intervention for those with an autism diagnosis. ABA encompasses many types of instruction such as:
- Early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) is often recommended for children younger than five. It involves an intensive, individualized curriculum designed to teach communication, social interaction, functional and adaptive skills.
- Discrete Trial Training (DTT) aims to teach skills through structured task completion and rewards.
- Pivotal Response Training lets your child take the lead in a learning activity. The therapist can offer a few choices based on specific skills.
- Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) involves play-based activities that incorporate several goals at once.
- Verbal behaviour interventions aim to help children increase their verbal communication skills.
Mental Health
A short list of mental health resources in BC.
- Community Mental Health Units: call 8-1-1
- ACT— Mental Health and Autism Project
- Crisis Center BC
- Suicide Crisis Line: call 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-Suicide)
- Here to Help BC
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Government of Canada ASD and Co-Occurring Health Conditions
Additional Resources for finding Service Providers
Registry of Autism Service Providers (RASP).
Aboriginal Supported Child Development
Resources
What is Applied Behaviour Analysis
AutismBC Talks: What is Occupational Therapy with Jen
What is OT? - How can it help? - What is executive functioning? - What is reliance building? We sat down with Jen Taubensee, an OT and owner of Breaking Trail OT. Breaking Trail offers services to the Okanagan as well as remote and online services throughout BC. Learn more here: https://breakingtrailot.ca/
AutismBC Talks: What is Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
Chelsea Jelic is a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist from POPARD (Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders). She will talk about what a Speech-Language Pathologist does, and how they can help support your child, your loved one or yourself. We will ask Chelsea - What is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)? - Is a Speech-Language Pathologist different from a Speech Therapist? - We hear the terms non-verbal and verbal a lot. What does it mean by non-verbal? Does it mean the person cannot speak or make sound? - What does it mean when an SLP is “working on speech”? - What does it mean when an SLP is “working on language”? - If a parent is worried about their child’s speech or language, when should they contact an SLP? - What does speech therapy look like for different communication challenges? - Do SLPs work with adults?
Video TranscriptionWhat is PT? Physiotherapy with Kelsey
Are you wondering about the benefits of physiotherapy (PT) for your child? We sat down with Kelsey van Stolk, a physiotherapist from Kids Physio Group, which offers services throughout BC. Join us as we ask Kelsey some questions about PT and how it can help. Content warning: this video discusses autism from the medical model of disability perspective. --- Speaker: Kelsey van Stolk, Bsc, MPT Born and raised in Kamloops, Kelsey moved to Vancouver for her Masters of Physical Therapy in 2011. During that time she had the opportunity to do a clinical placement at the flagship location of Kids Physio Group in Vancouver. She knew then that paediatrics was her passion and has been with Kids Physio Group ever since. Kelsey worked for six years at Kids Physio Group’s Surrey location, serving families from Vancouver to Chilliwack. She recently moved to the Okanagan with her husband and two daughters and joined the Kelowna Kids Physio team. Kelsey believes that the most rewarding aspect of working with kids is treating the kid and their family as a whole. It is a privilege to be able to form such close connections with the children she works with. She believes this is key to helping a child achieve their goals, particularly when that child requires treatment for many months or years. --- For more information, visit: https://www.kidsphysio.ca/
AutismBC Talks: What is RDI? Relationship Development Intervention with Gabby
Many AutismBC Members have been asking about Relationship Development Intervention (RDI). Lisa reached out to Gabby Howes of Alix Autism Consulting to have our community questions answered. Tune in to learn: • What is RDI? • How long has RDI been around? • How much does this therapy cost? • What is the time commitment from the family? • How does RDI differ from ABA? Gabby Howes Contact Information https://accessautism.ca/gabby-howes/ [email protected] or Phone: 250-717-1807 (located in Kelowna but provides virtual services province-wide)
Understanding Autistic Mental Health
To learn more about Autism Mental Health Literacy Project (AM-HeLP) and to read the Mental Health Literacy Guide for Autism visit: https://www.yorku.ca/health/lab/ddmh/... ----- Understanding Autistic Mental Health We discuss the social, psychological and biological factors that play important roles in Autistic mental health. This video is 1 of 6 in the animated video series produced from the Mental Health Literacy Guide for Autism by the AM-HeLP Group. Videos were produced by: Spectrum Productions (https://www.youtube.com/c/Productions...) Voiceovers by: Riley Goldsmith (https://www.youtube.com/c/RileyLastna...) and members of the AM-HeLP Group Scripts Written by: Paula Tablon Modica, Dr. Yona Lunsky, and Dr. Jonathan Weiss This project was a collaboration between York University and Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, and was supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Further Reading
The Mental Health Literacy Guide for Autism
The Mental Health Literacy Guide for Autism is meant for Autistic adults, family members, professionals, policy-makers & leaders. The goal of the guide is to provide knowledge about the factors that can impact Autistic mental health. It highlights how context & individual experiences play roles one’s mental health, and how societal acceptance and appreciation of autism is critical for the better support and well-being of Autistic adults.
What’s the Connection between Autism and Mental Health?
Due to a range of biological and/or environmental factors, many autistic people face conditions such as Depression, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), ADHD/ADD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder […]
Finding Support Services for Autism in BC
Finding Support Services Assistive Technology British Columbia (ATBC) “Assistive Technology BC (ATBC) provides assistive technology resources to make learning environments usable for people with disabilities […]