Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) - 1to1 Therapy Services

Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is a comprehensive, behavioral early ... will do an assessment of the child's skills using the ESDM Curriculum Checklist. Home»Services»EarlyStartDenverModel(ESDM) WhatisEarlyStartDenverModel(ESDM)? EarlyStartDenverModel(ESDM)isacomprehensive,behavioralearlyinterventionprogramforyoungchildrenwithorsuspectedofhavingAutismSpectrumDisorder.ChildrenreceivingESDMaretypicallybetween12-48monthsofage.ESDMisaplay-basedinterventionthatfocusesoncommunication,socialattention,imitationandplayskills.Grossandfinemotorskills,aswellaspersonalindependenceskillsarealsotargeted.Allskillsaretaughtwithinenjoyable,socialinteractions. TheESDMmodelincludesaCurriculumAssessmentthatcliniciansusetoassessthechild’scurrentperformanceinavarietyofdevelopmentaldomains.Thesedomainsare:expressiveandreceptivecommunication,socialskillsandjointattention,imitation,cognition,playskills,fineandgrossmotorsskillsandpersonalindependenceskills.Throughtheclinician’sobservationsandparent/caregiver’sreport,apictureisbuiltofthestrengthsandneedsofthechildineachdevelopmentaldomain.Theresultofthisassessmentareusedtocreateanindividualizedprogramforeachchildthatincorporatesgoalsfromeachdomain. TherearefourlevelsintheESDMprogram.Eachlevelcorrespondsroughlytoadevelopmentalperiod.Level1(12–18months),Level2(18–24months),Level3(24–36months)andLevel4(36–48months). Children’sgoalstendtoclusterintoone(ortwo)levels. WhatdoesanEarlyStartDenverModel(ESDM)sessionlooklike? AnESDMsessionshouldlooklikeplay.Together,thechildandtherapistengageinfun,age-appropriateactivitiesthathelpfacilitatecommunicationandsocialinteractions.InanyESDMinteraction,thechildandadultarebothimportantandactiveparticipants.Bothpartnersofferideas,taketurnsandsharetheresponsibilityforinitiating,playingandendingactivities. Inordertomakesessionsfunandengaging,andtomaintainthechild’smotivation,thetherapistwillpreparetheenvironmentwithavarietyofdevelopmentallyappropriateactivitiesthatarespecificallyselectedwitheachchild’sinterests,preferencesandgoalsinmind. ESDMsessionscantakeplaceinanyenvironmentthatispartofthechild’sdailylife–home,clinicordaycare.AnyadultwhospendstimewiththechildcanuseESDMstrategiestomakeeverydayactivities,suchasdiaperchangingandbathtime,anopportunityforinteractionandlearning. WhathappensinaClinicalCycle? TheESDMprogramisgenerallyruninClinicalCyclesofapproximatelythreemonths.AtthestartofeachClinicalCycle,theclinicalteamwilldoanassessmentofthechild’sskillsusingtheESDMCurriculumChecklist.Parentinputandtheclinician’sobservationsareusedtodeterminewhichskillsshouldbetargetedforintervention. Generally,twotothreeskillsfromeachdevelopmentaldomainaretargetedpercycle.Parentsareencouragedtoprovideinputtotheclinicalteamasthesedecisionsarebeingmadeandtheirchild’sclinicalprogramisbeingwritten. ThroughouttheClinicalCycle,theteamusesthegoalsinthechild’sindividualprogramtoguidetheirsessions.Clinicianstakeregulardataonthechild’sprogressoneachgoal.Attheendofthecycle,theSupervisingTherapistmeetswiththechild’sparentstodiscusstheprogressmadeandnextsteps. Whatistheparents’role? AdistinctiveaspectoftheESDMmodelistherecognitionthatparentsandothercaregiversareintegralpartsoftheirchild’sinterventionteam.Assuch,at1to1Therapy,wewelcomeparents/caregiverstobeactiveparticipantsintheirchild’sESDMsessions.Someparentschoosetotaketurnsplayingwiththeirchildsothattheirchild’sSupervisingTherapistcancoachthemhowtoenhanceeachinteraction.Otherparentsprefertowatchandlearnastheirchildinteractswithhisorhertherapistduringasession. WhoisontheESDMteam? TheClinicalTeamismadeupoftheSupervisingTherapist(ST)whoisaBoardCertifiedBehaviourAnalystandcertifiedESDMtherapist,InstructorTherapists(IT),OccupationalTherapists(OT)andSpeechLanguagePathologists(SLP). TheSupervisingTherapistisresponsibleforcompletingtheESDMassessmentandwritingtheindividualprogramplanforeachchild.InstructorTherapistsarehighlyskilledtherapistswhohavebeentrainedinESDMstrategiesandwhoimplementtheprogramonadailybasis.TheSupervisingTherapistobserves,coachesandgivesfeedbackandsuggestionstotheInstructorTherapists.TheOTprovidessupportregardingthemotorandsensorydevelopmentofthechildandgivesinputintothefineandgrossmotorgoals.TheSLPhelpsevaluateandguidethespeech,language,socialandcommunicationgoals.Theclinicalteammeetstoensurethatchildrenareprogressingandlearninginallareasofdevelopment. HowmuchdoesESDMTherapyCost? ESDMisintensiveinnatureandrequiresanindividualizedcurriculumassessmentandtreatmentplan.InOntarioyoumayaccesstherapythrough funding orthe OntarioAutismProgram. Tobookyournocostconsultationandreceiveanindividualizedquotecontactourcarecoordinatortoday OurServices Contactusformoreinformationortobookanappointmenttoday.