What does an autism therapy center do?

The sky seems to have fallen.

Your child has just been diagnosed with a developmental disorder, and you feel that your world has come crashing down.

You think, you don’t know the first thing about autism or autism treatment centers.

You think your baby is “disabled.”

You think they will suffer too much. They won’t be able to lead a happy life like “other normal children” Breathe.

These thoughts are not real. Let us explain why.

Firstly, your child is as happy as any other child, and “normal” has no real definition.

Secondly, your child is not “disabled,” but differently or specially abled.

Thirdly, with the right autism therapy center, your child can and will live a long happy life and go on to achieve their full potential.

So, before you Google “autism center near me,” make sure you gather as much information and knowledge as you can so that you can make the right choice for your child.

The future of your child depends on this decision.

So what is an autism treatment center supposed to do?

Autism therapy centers endeavor to specialize in the care, treatment, and advocacy of individuals affected by autism.

IAC is one such autism center in India, founded in Kolkata, in 2019, by parents of a differently abled child, Mr. Suresh Somani and Mrs. Namita Somani. It prioritizes providing care, support, and assistance, both emotional and physical to the families of autistic individuals.

India Autism Center is setting up a multidisciplinary program that includes scientifically-backed research, training, clinical treatment, therapy, and advocacy as the pillars of our organization.

What should an autism treatment center not do?

An autism therapy center mustn’t view people with developmental disabilities disparagingly, but as individuals who have their special patterns of talents and challenges in equal measure.

They should not claim to be able to “cure them of this disease”

Non-scientific treatments that offer to make your child “normal” are red flags to stay away from.

An autism center should ideally combine evaluation and treatment by medical doctors, psychologists, and other clinicians with others involved in the care of the autistic individual such as their caregivers, educational consultants, and behavioral specialists amongst others.

Since there is no singular across-the-board approach possible, every autism treatment center should be diagnosing and identifying the most appropriate scientifically-based interventions and therapy practices for each autistic individual.

At IAC (India Autism Center), we have a strong and dedicated research wing. We believe - caring for those on the spectrum is not enough - we must understand the condition on a much deeper level to be able to provide interventions.

We are one of the pioneering autism centers in Asia, with our research aiming to cover for the lack of study and knowledge around neurodiversity in the Global South.

Our sincere hope is for our research to lead to breakthroughs not only in providing better autism interventions and autism treatment, but also in bettering the overall human condition, including successes in supporting for other developmental delay disorders.

What should the environment at an autism center be like?

Apart from providing different types of therapies, remedies, and treatment, autism treatment centers need to have an accessible, comforting, and safe environment.

The campus should be a quiet and peaceful place, ideally a haven away from the hustle and bustle of crowds. It should have minimized lighting and sound, should autistic individuals feel suddenly overwhelmed or triggered and need a comfortable retreat (which is often the case)

Autistic individuals thrive in a structured and predictable environment, so any autism center needs to have a clear and regularly consistent schedule and calendar that is followed by the faculty. Sudden change can be deeply unsettling for people with autism, so any change should always be well prepared for and smoothly transitioned into.

Further, autistic children respond better to visual stimuli, so autism centers need to stick to using this to their advantage. Autism centers must keep distracting stimuli to the bare minimum as it is a common trigger for autistic people. Every autism center allocates certain activities to certain areas of the center, consistently to avoid surprising or disturbing the autistic person.

Last but not the least, safety is a principal consideration for autism centers.

Every autism center should be properly guarded and managed since people on the spectrum are a vulnerable community. Top safety risks include wandering away or getting lost, accidental drowning in case of a water body in the vicinity, accidental poisoning by domestic toxins or any other risk caused due to miscommunication. Autism centers must be on guard and prepared for any emergency at any given time, to avoid untoward incidents.

India Autism Center has planned a 24x7 safety patrol, an ambulance available round the clock, security cameras dotted in the shared areas of the campus, and a campus clinic for any medical emergencies or accidents.

Since all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, along with traditional therapies and clinical treatments and interventions, autism treatment centers also need to have recreational facilities on campus.

At India Autism Center we believe engaging in recreational activities is an excellent way to enhance sensory integration and improve social and communication skills.

From art and music therapy to well-supervised outdoor sports, we are convinced that such activities allow our residents to feel a sense of comfort and home, and develop strong friendships.

In an ideal world, every autism center should live by the motto that autism is not a disease you suffer from, but a part of your identity you optimize.

At India Autism Center, we do!

 Author: Medha Dey | Training Academy Mentor