| The word "remediation" is very important in the work | | | | classroom or at church, learn academic skills, play on |
| my colleagues and I do with families affected by | | | | the playground equipment, wait in line without |
| autism and other neuro-developmental disabilities, but | | | | becoming upset, greet others when we see them, |
| it is a word that is unfamiliar to many people. I | | | | etc. While we may also look for ways to support |
| thought I would take a moment this week to talk | | | | their communication and to improve their relationships |
| about what remediation means in general, and | | | | with others, we do this on a very surface level |
| specifically in the realm of autism. | | | | without really understanding the obstacles that create |
| Let's start with some basic dictionary definitions: | | | | those problems in the first place. And, because we |
| Remediate (verb) - To remedy a problem | | | | don't really understand the root issues that create |
| Remedial (adjective) - Intended to correct or | | | | these problems, we resort to compensation |
| improve one's skill in a specific field; therapeutic, | | | | techniques rather than remediating the root causes. |
| corrective, restorative | | | | When you look at the history of treatments in the |
| Remediation (noun) - Use of remedial methods to | | | | field of autism, it has been primarily about |
| improve skills; the act or process of correcting a | | | | compensation. While research on the brain and autism |
| deficiency | | | | has continued to move forward and provide us new |
| Dr. Steven Gutstein's definition of remediation: | | | | information, our treatment approaches have |
| Correcting a deficit to the point where it no longer | | | | stagnated. The methods we were using 30 years |
| constitutes and obstacle | | | | ago are still the methods being used today, despite |
| My definition: Work ON something, not just around it | | | | the fact that we have a whole host of new |
| Whether you are a parent or professional, it is critical | | | | information available to us. We now have the |
| to understand what remediation is, and the distinction | | | | capacity to take what we know about the disorder |
| between remediation and compensation. Perhaps the | | | | of autism and how it impacts brain function, and |
| most common application of this distinction is in the | | | | develop new techniques and approaches that move |
| area of reading problems. If a child is diagnosed with | | | | beyond compensation and actually work to remediate |
| a reading disability, we typically apply remediation | | | | (correct) the primary features of the disorder. This is |
| approaches to help them learn to read. At various | | | | one of the exciting things about newer approaches |
| points we may use compensations, such as books on | | | | such as the Relationship Development Intervention |
| tape, to support them. However, our goal is to | | | | (RDI)® Program, which focuses on remediating, |
| remediate, or correct, the problem that is preventing | | | | rather than just working around, the core deficits we |
| them from reading so they can become functional | | | | see in individuals with autism and other |
| readers. In my professional experience, I have yet to | | | | neuro-developmental disorders. |
| come across a situation where adults believe that if | | | | It is time to move beyond thinking about treatment |
| an 8 year old child is not yet reading, that we should | | | | as merely capitalizing on strengths, and begin thinking |
| just compensate for that and give them books on | | | | about how to strengthen areas of weakness. |
| tape to listen to for the rest of their lives. Remedial | | | | Research has shown us that autism is primarily a |
| efforts are taken to get to the root of the problem | | | | disorder of connectivity in the brain-with some |
| and overcome the issues that are preventing | | | | portions over connected and others under connected. |
| successful reading. | | | | What is so exciting about this is that we know that |
| Now take this same concept and apply it to | | | | neural connectivity can change throughout the |
| individuals on the autism spectrum. By definition they | | | | lifespan. The human brain has an enormous capacity |
| are struggling in many areas: socialization, | | | | for developing new connections and changing the |
| communication, thinking flexibly, and the list goes on | | | | patterns of connectivity when given the right types |
| depending on the person. What approach do we | | | | of stimulation. This is what allows us to look at |
| usually take to these deficits? By and large, we take | | | | autism treatment in a new light. It cannot be merely |
| a compensation approach. We find ways to work | | | | about strengthening the areas that are already |
| around these problems so that the students fit into | | | | strong. Effective education and treatment must be |
| the mold of what we do at home and in school | | | | focused on building new connections in the areas |
| everyday. Our main motivation becomes applying | | | | where connectivity is deficient. This is the essence of |
| strategies that help them exhibit what we consider | | | | remediation. |
| to be "typical" behaviors -sit appropriately in the | | | | |