NDC: Consultation

The NeuroDevelopment Center utilizes a collaborative consultation model. Our goal is to assist in the development and ongoing functioning of comprehensive and effective programs for students with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), in the least restrictive setting possible.

Consultation services are child-specific and may include, but are not limited to: in-school diagnostic evaluation with follow-up consultative services to implement recommendations; individualized in-service training to support a given child; general in-service training regarding the characteristics of autism and how they impact learning; modification to curriculum, methods, or materials to increase student participation or motivation; classroom observations and feedback on strategies to enhance the learning environment for the child; recommendations for handling behaviors which may be challenging, such as aggression, tantrums, controlling behavior, obsessions, perseveration, and anxiety; provision of written and other up-to date information on ASD; development of friendship groups and circle of friends.

Greater academic success is only one outcome of successful consultation. An integral part of our consultative service is the provision of strategies and methods to assist the child with ASD in developing relationships and friendships which foster more genuine participation and acceptance.

We pride ourselves on our ability to work closely with families of children with ASD. Meaningful collaboration with families enables not only greater flexibility and creativity in meeting the needs of the child, but truly minimizes conflict and creates a much more cohesive team. Because children with ASD frequently show different skills and behaviors in different environments and because they are generally unable to communicate to their parents fully about their experiences at school (and vice versa), we have repeatedly found that on-going and open dialogue between caregivers and school personnel is essential for their success in school. We keep in close touch with families to facilitate consistency and carryover of techniques and strategies across environments, aiding the child with generalization of newly emerging skills and abilities, and assisting the team in maintaining a consistent approach.

Our educational consultants embrace an eclectic approach to behaviors that interfere with learning and social and emotional development. We firmly believe that each child with a diagnosis of ASD is unique, and intervention, therefore, must be based on that child’s sensory, cognitive, social and communicative profile.