Early Diagnosis and Intervention Greatly Improves Outcomes for a Child with Autism; Teach Me LLC in Dallas, Texas is Expanding their Services to Meet the Growing Need
Carrollton, TX (PRWEB) September 05, 2013 -- When concerns about a child’s development arise and autism is suspected, parents and caregivers turn to experts for help. Many parents contact their school district, their children’s physician or look into therapeutic treatments.
The road to success for children at risk for autism is often paved by early diagnosis and treatment. With autism on the rise it is more important than ever to seek help early for those at risk. Teach Me llc in Dallas Texas has recently expanded services in Houston, Tulsa and Denver, Colorado to meet the growing need. Specializing in research based, comprehensive evaluations, their team of licensed behavioral professionals work to bring each child to their full potential, through ABA, Applied Behavioral Analysis.
Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, represents a broad range of complex neurodevelopment disorders and although there is no definitive test to confirm a diagnosis, understanding the difference between an educational diagnosis and medical diagnosis of ASD can be helpful to parents navigating resources.
An Educational Determination of ASD is made by a multidisciplinary evaluation team, comprised of a variety of educational professionals. Along with parent interviews, comprehensive evaluations are conducted to determine the child’s eligibility for special education and related services specified under IDEA’s special education category of autism.
Regina Crone, PhD, BCBA and CEO of Teach Me and Therapy and Beyond states, “Early diagnosis and intervention greatly improves the outcome for a child with autism. At Teach Me, we recognize that every child is unique and an individualized treatment plan is necessary to match their potential.”
In contrast, a Medical Diagnosis is made by a physician or licensed psychologist. The autism diagnosis is guided by the standard diagnostic criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association). This manual specifies the required numbers of symptoms needed in a three core diagnostic areas--socialization, communication, and repetitive/restricted behaviors and interests. This medical diagnosis can then be used to refer to appropriate therapies and access to autism specific medical benefits.
Kimberlee Flatt, M.A., LPC, BCBA and DFW Regional Director of Teach Me stated, “I can’t say that one diagnosis is better than the other. It depends on the needs of the individual and family. However, it is important to know that a medical diagnosis does not necessarily indicate a child’s educational needs. Also, it is not required for a child to meet the eligibility criteria for educational impairment of autism.”
Both, medical and educational professionals agree that the key to success for a child at risk for autism is early diagnosis and early intervention tailored to the specific needs of that child.
Teach Me LL, clinical centers that provide ABA therapy to base their treatment plans, has two centers in Dallas. Their new clinics, Therapy and Beyond, has two locations in Houston, one in Tulsa, OK and Denver, Colorado. To contact call 469.892.7500 or visit their website: http://www.myteachme.com, http://www.mytherapyandbeyond.com.
Regina Crone, Ph.D, BCBA-D, Founder and Executive Treatment Director for Teach Me. She is a featured speaker for Autism Professional Resource Group, Professional Representative for TxABA DFW Area Autism SIG, Vice President of POAC-TX, and on the advisory committee for FEAT-NT. She is a full member of ABAI, TxABA, TxABA DFW Autism SIG and APBA. Dr. Crone earned her Board Certified Behavior Analyst- Doctorate (BCBA-D), and Ph. D. from the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas, a M.Ed. in Special Education and certificate in Autism Intervention from the University of North Texas, and a B.A. in Special Education from the University of North Carolina atCharlotte. With over thirteen years experience providing services to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, Dr. Crone is committed to providing quality services to her clients. She enjoys working closely with families and leading a team of passionate professionals.
Kimberlee Flatt is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has spent the past 15 years directly serving individuals with disabilities in classrooms, in a clinical setting, and in home programs as well as providing training to educators at both state and national levels. Both providers provide complementary educational awareness seminars.
Ronald Duperroir, Clarity Solutions, (972) 375-6289, [email protected]
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