ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts every person differently as there are a range of variations in the way it can present. The first step to identifying if your child has Autism is noticing the signs of this disorder in their behaviour. Autism Spectrum Disorder consists of a variety of symptoms that typically present themselves early on in a childhood development, which can vary by the specific type of autism a child has.
Common Concerns Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
- Avoidance of eye contact or limited facial expressions
- Lack of interest in others or sharing with other children
- Lack of response or limited response to own name
- Repetitive behaviours or preoccupation with specific areas of interest
- Difficulty understanding others’ feelings
- Delay in learning how to speak
- Difficulty communicating wants and needs
- Challenges dealing with changes to routines or planned events
- Unusual responses to sensory input from own body, other people, or the environment
- Difficulties building and maintaining friendships appropriate to age
While it is possible to notice red flags for Autism before age 1, often symptoms become evident between ages 2-4. Individuals with higher functioning Autism may not be diagnosed until later in their childhood or even as adults. It’s important that you as a parent work with doctors and therapists to understand your child’s specific needs as early as possible.
While the exact cause of the Autism Spectrum Disorder is not known, there are a variety of therapies that exist to help children move past the limitations of the disorder. At Canoe we recommend early intervention therapies such as behaviour therapy and speech-language therapy which are aimed at helping the child pick up on social cues and become more comfortable communicating, and occupational therapy which focuses on play, self-help skills, fine motor development and sensory needs.
We have a variety of camps and groups throughout the year, as well as regular therapy sessions available at our Burlington location to help your child develop the skills they need. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to see if any of our programs can help your child!
