Our Team
The Early Start Denver Model
Main Aspects of the Intervention Approach
Design and implementation of the intervention plan
The intervention plan and curriculum for each young child with autism needs to be individually constructed. Children receiving Early Start Denver Model treatment have quarterly objectives that are very specific, cover all affected areas of development, including play, social relationships, and family routines, and can be the basis for treatment across all settings. Short term objectives are written, and teaching plans and activities are developed for each. This constitutes the child’s curriculum. The child's curriculum is packaged in a notebook that contains goals and objectives, weekly teaching points, and data collection systems.
Emphasis on Relationships, Shared Control, and Positive Emotion
Children learn from people with whom they have positive emotional relationships. Autism particularly affects children's ability to engage in social relationships. In the Early Start Denver Model, teaching is embedded in positive social relationships between adults and children with autism. Fostering warm, affectionate, playful relationships is part of day to day, moment to moment treatment. Development and maintenance of positive affect during teaching is a core part of the model (“Find the smile”).
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