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Working With The Autism Spectrum

By Saleem Rana


The Clinical Director for Daniels Academy talked about the complexities of working with the autism spectrum with talk radio show host Lon Woodbury and Elizabeth McGhee. The interview was on the radio show, "Parent Choices for Struggling Teens."

The host of the show is Lon Woodbury and his co-host is Elizabeth McGhee. Lon is an Independent Educational Consulant who has worked with families with at-risk adolescents since 1984. Today, he is the founder of Struggling Teens and publishes the Woodbury Reports. Elizabeth is the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations for the Sandhill Child Development Center in New Mexico.

Doug. W. Maughan Professional Background

The Clinical Director of Daniels Academy, Doug W. Maugham has an MA and LCMHC. After getting his BA from the University of Utah, he served as a Utah Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) case manager. The therapeutic boarding school he now works at helps boys between the ages of 13 to 18 years. These autistic children struggle with academics, emotional issues, and executive functioning.

Four Constructive Ways of Working with the Autism Spectrum

Students within the autism spectrum are often misunderstood. They are often misdiagnosed by psychologists as having Oppositional Defiant Disorder or mislabeled by teachers as willful. However, these adolescents actually are unable to shift perspectives or follow the rules of traditional education because of problems with their prefrontal cortex functioning.

Awkward in peer relationships, autistic students do not react well when they are teased or bullied. This becomes a huge issue for them and sometimes to fit in they tease or bully others as well.

Students at Daniel's Academy are all within the Level One autistic category defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, version V. This means that they are actually very bright, but may have tremendous problems with self-esteem. Staff educate the boys in social skills using group milieu settings or through individual settings. These students also learn social skills by participating in local community events.

The Four Pillars is an educational process for children with autism used at Daniels Academy. Besides improving motor skills, students learn skills for daily living, skills for mood regulation, skills for social thinking, and skills for executive functioning. All these skill sets teach students about adapting socially. If students can demonstrate that they are able to maintain these essential skills for a minimum of six month, the program is considered successful.




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