Being a parent or teacher of an autistic child can be trying, to say the least.
Autism includes a wide range of neurological disorders that affect the brains and the development of certain children. Autistic children often suffer from slow social development, among other issues, but each case is unique and children with autism progress at different rates and face different obstacles.
Most educators and parents of autistic children agree that they want to maximize their children’s potential and that they have long-term goals for their children that include higher education, independence and employability.
The information and training provided Tuesday to local parents of autistic children and more than 90 local teachers and others who work with autistic students could prove invaluable in making the lives of all involved better, including children with autism. The program was sponsored by Autism Support of Imperial County.
Featured at the event at Sunflower Elementary School in El Centro were renowned researchers/authors Dr. Robert Koegel and Dr. Lynn Koegel. They are the founders of the Koegel Autism Center at University of California, Santa Barbara, have written several books about working with those with autism and are known for their Pivotal Response Treatment of autistic children.
Local parents who have read their books and adopted some of the Koegels’ approaches attested to their success.
The Koegels talked to educators on Tuesday about how to involve students on all levels of the autism spectrum in the classroom and how to motivate autistic students to maximize their progress. They also met at Sunflower with a group of parents of autistic children to share strategies on dealing with autism.
Autism cases in the Imperial Valley are on the upswing, according to local educators, so programs such as those conducted Tuesday are desperately needed. We applaud those who organized the program, along with those who raise and educate autistic children.
More than anything, though, we applaud autistic children for continuing to work hard to make their own lives better.
THE ISSUE:
Autism support
WE SAY:
Kudos to local event.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
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