In 2015, 164,000 people in Australia were living with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a developmental disorder and symptoms can range on a spectrum from mild to severe. The symptoms include difficulty in two key areas; impairments in social interaction/communication and the presence of restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour. While the symptoms may be present from birth, they are sometimes not noticeable or diagnosed until preschool or school age as expectations increase and the differences in children affected by ASD become more apparent. Some of the common challenges that children affected by ASD face include social skill deficits, learning difficulties, problems in communication, poor emotion regulation and sensory issues.
Helping to develop social skills and improving a child’s ability to regulate their emotions are key objectives for our psychologists at Lighthouse Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Treatment for children affected by ASD is tailored to each individual child because each child is unique and difficulties are on a spectrum. At Lighthouse Child and Adolescent Psychology, we work with our clients in our Double Bay practice and in schools. Individual sessions may include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), parent support and training, and functional behaviour assessments and treatment strategies. School based interventions include school consultations and observations, development of behaviour plans and social skills groups. When it comes to social skills, communication challenges and emotion regulation, the child’s school can be an ideal place to work on these issues. This allows for collaboration with the teachers to help the child succeed. Our social skills groups teach children how to initiate and build conversations, make friends, handle and respond to social interactions, improve social communication and manage anxiety. Lastly, we also treat children and adolescents who have complex concerns, including co-occurring disorders such anxiety, OCD, depression, and ADHD.
