Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism: Promoting Language, Learning, and Engagement
Product Type: Book
Product Price: $48.00
Manufacturer: The Guilford Press
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Description
From leading authorities, this state-of-the-art manual presents the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), the first comprehensive, empirically tested intervention specifically designed for toddlers and preschoolers with autism. Supported by the principles of developmental psychology and applied behavior analysis, ESDM’s intensive teaching interventions are delivered within play-based, relationship-focused routines. The manual provides structured, hands-on strategies for working with very young children in individual and group settings to promote development in such key domains as imitation; communication; social, cognitive, and motor skills; adaptive behavior; and play. Implementing individualized treatment plans for each child requires the use of an assessment tool, the Early Start Denver Model Curriculum Checklist for Young Children with Autism. A nonreproducible checklist is included in the manual for reference, along with instructions for use; 8½" x 11" checklists are sold separately in sets of 15 ready-to-use booklets.
Reviews
Rating: 1 / 5
Date: 2010-04-06
Summary: "Much to My Disappointment"
As an everyday parent with an ASD child, I keep looking for ideas on how to get my child to engage with other people and the world around him. Floortime and Son Rise believes that the doorway to the child is to show a genuine interest in what they are doing, so that you can build that trust between a parent and a child. RDI believes that you show the child various activities and breaking down those activities in a manner that the child will be successful in participating; while not prompting or forcing the child to join. More Than Words wants you to find the activity that a child enjoys, and expand on it, providing the child with an active role in it based upon their development level. ESDM book says that in order for you to be successful with their program, you need their therapist for ABA and to be trained to interact with your child appropriately.
I went through the book fairly quickly, trying to get a sense of how to use the same methods that they use. What I got were explanations of their theories, details of their studies, and worksheet examples of the children in the study. Much to my disappointment, ESDM book did not provide me with anything new to use with my ASD child. Sure they claim that Floortime and RDI are currently at the stage they were in the 80s, but what good does that do me? Son Rise gives me free tips on the web and through pamphlets on how to get started. Floortime has free Webinars on how to sustain "circles of communication". There are various blogs about incorporating the RDI lifestyle, and what is means to use RDI.
Save your money. If you want a bound book that is fairly easy to read and follow, get More Than Words: Helping Parents Promote Communication and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Teaching Social Communication to Children with Autism: A Manual for Parents.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-02-11
Summary: "Fantastic!"
This is an easy-to-read book that outlines the research-based instructional method of working with children with autism. I have learnt so much and it really works. Thanks Dr Rogers and Dr Dawson!!! Fantastic!!!
Rating: 1 / 5
Date: 2010-01-03
Summary: "Nothing New Here, Move Along"
I currently have my child enrolled in RDI, have taken the More Than Words program, and employed Floortime techniques to interact with my ASD child. So I was really hoping that this book would provide me with more ideas on play based or relationship based therapies. I was really disappointed that this book was more of a theoretical view of autism and how they conducted their study. In fact, the book states that the kids in the study had to meet a certain set of skills before their techniques could be employed. You really can't use their techniques on every child in the autism spectrum (their website states it is targeted for ages 14mos - 3 yrs). Their study even includes a child who can already imitate at 18 months. Are their techniques more for higher functioning ASD children? It kind of makes me wonder.
Now about their techniques, it's just about alternating sessions of ABA and play/social based interactions with the parents (sounds like Floortime or Son Rise to me). They advocate 20 hours of clinical therapy and 5 hours of parent therapy a week. They admit that parents have to be trained by their clinicians, so it's difficult to even use their techniques based upon what's written in the book. This a book for professionals and those who are enrolled in the ESDM program and not the everyday parent.
If you want to communicate and interact with your ASD child, then stick to books like More Than Words: Helping Parents Promote Communication and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Engaging Autism: Using the Floortime Approach to Help Children Relate, Communicate, and Think (Merloyd Lawrence Book). If fact, Greenspan has FREE Webinars and papers that actually tell and teach you how to interact with your ASD child. The Son Rise program also provides free web videos on various ways of engaging with your ASD child (you can find them on various ASD websites).
So if you do RDI, Miller Method, Floortime, Son Rise, or More Than Words, skip this book. In my opinion, it's not worth keeping in your collection for references.