María Serrano-López Ph.D
Autism, Asperger and other Developmental and Cognitive delays Consultant
Areas of Intervention
For children at risk with problems associated with developmental delays including children diagnosed with PDD and Autism or Autistic behaviors. Social and educational intervention for Aspergers and very gifted chlidren, premature and twins/multiple births.
Connection with others, bonding and attachment
Most of the children within the Autism Spectrum or with Developmental Delays or Sensory Procesing Disorders fail to establishment emotionally positive and mutually rewarding relationship with their parents or other caretakers from the get go.Though trustfully connection therapy, these attachment relationships that are of crucial importance for children’s subsequent emotional and social development could be restored.
Children like these have behaviours that should be interpreted as ways to communicate, to protect temselves from a hard to managed environment or to self-regulate the best way they can.
Appreciating these signs as roadmaps to accurately guide the work at hand is the first step to establish the necesary bond between the child and others.
Socialization and play
Through Mediated-play the child develops independent functioning, learns social skills and improves language and communication gaining participation in social life and improving the quality of life experiences.
Children with autism and other developmental delays have unique needs when it comes to the areas of socialization and play. Their imagination is not evident to us, so we believe they do not have it, although I am convinced they do. It is just a matter of showing them our language of imagination when they are ready to so they can also enjoy the way we do it.
Helping the child evolve from Unoccupied and Solitary play where the child is either relatively inactive engaged in purposeless random movements with no apparent purpose or totally absorbed in playing and gives the impression he is not noticing other children, to evolve to more developed stages of playing can be done with the help of mediated playing activities.
To help them enjoy the wonders of play, the mediator helps them building relationships with typical peers one at a time.
Development of Cognitive Functions
There are always ways to reach the child's learning potential and to improve his cognitive functions. A good educator-mediator understands, adapts and responds to changes in the environment and makes it evident for the child. Every child has the capacity to evolve, change and grow. The crucial point is to know how to empower the child and start from his strenghts and abilities.
Language and Communication
Language and communication are intimately connected to bonding and socialization. Children learn oral language in their homes and in the many ways language is presented in their environment without anyone breaking their components into small fragments.
Children learn that language is used when they need to express themselves to communicate their wants and needs and they feel the need to understand what others say. The crucial point is to create real communicative opportunities and different ways to present language in context. From my experience, I have witness incredible language development when true bonding with the child has been established, as long as they are with people who use the language meaningfully and with purpose.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or Sensory Integration Dysfunction(SID)
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), formerly known as "sensory integration dysfunction" (SID) is a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses. It is a complex brain disorder that affects the way that sensations (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste and movement) are organized and experienced. Many children on the spectrum and many others with developmental problems suffer it too.
Sometimes children have difficulties with changes or phobias to certain places, for example. They may experience problems with eating or sleeping, manifest stress or irritability when being dressed or feeling uncomfortable in clothes. Some may refuse to or rarely plays with toys and resist cuddling or arched away when held. They find it difficult to self regulate and show motor delays. All these conditions may generate impairment with healthy attachment or bonding development.
Through proper interventions that target sensory integration as well as attachment and bonding issues children experience incredible changes.
Sometimes sensory integration problems are innate. Sometimes our own problems - such as health problems or unresolved grief - can affect our children, even when they worship and strive to connect and do everything "right". Knowing the difference is important and avoid wasting time on inappropriate interventions is key.
Education and Social intervention for the Gifted
Gifted learners tend to show characteristics that differ from their peers in every area of function: cognitive, affective, physical and intuitive. To meet their needs, it is vital to understand their particular strengths and weaknesses.
It is importat to create Gifted Individualized Educational Programs and adaptations that consider among others:
1- Enrichment Curriculum: Including interdisciplinary, differentiated, cognitive and affective domains
2- Thinking Skills Assessment
3- Creativity
4- Communication
5- Independent Work Habits
6- Social Interaction Skills
7- Self Reflection
Mediated Interventions for infants, children and adolescentse that foster conceptual and cognitive conditions that promote receptive, processing and response abilities to environmental stimuli.
Depending on the age include but are not limited to
1-Language ( gestural and verbal)
2-Impulsivity
3-Self-regulation
4-Perception (Stability and Integration)
5-Clarity and accuracy
6-Sense of Space and time
7-Capacity to process multiple sources of information at the same time.
8-Theory of the Mind
9-Error and trial learning
10-Generalization
11-Sorting out relevant data
12-Accurate Problem identification
13-Establishing meaningful relationships
14-Planning
Assessment, diagnosis and intervention of infants, children and adolescents with problems in the areas of:
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Comunication and related problems
Sensory processing Disorder
Emotional Self-regulation
Behavior and Learning Problemas
Related family problems
Socialization and bonding problems
Interaccion with peers
Social and emotional interventions for the gifted
Learning Disabilities
When it comes to children on the autism spectrum and children who are in the process of overcoming developmental and emotional problems, there is a high probability of facing learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and attention deficit as well as organizational difficulties and other key aspects to learning. Intrinsic motivation, which is key to learning may also be one of the obstacles to a fullfiling learning experience.
Dyslexics are extremely intuitive and they have great ability to process information creatively as their minds are amongst the most flexible. Sometimes they do not respond to traditional education and yet are successful with alternative methodologies including visual learning and manipulatives.
Taking into account the potential and the particular needs of these children to facilitate their academic success is everyone's job. Through positive interaction, as well as specific learning interventions they can go a long way, including places where you had never thought the kids could go.
As an Educator-Mediator and Empowerer
I Do not Perform medical tasks
Together with medical specialists I will work to empower children and your families, but it is not in my power to conduct medical evaluations of any kind.
Consulting work
Consulting to parents and family.
Training staff and other support ("shadows" and teachers).
Home programs.
Intervention programs for recreation and relaxation.
Socialization in different spheres of everyday life.
Individualized tutoring interventions.
Design, implementation and supervision of school programs