Search for Advocacy

1
Search for Advocacy

• Christina Di Buono

2
Purpose

• During my several years of experience working
  with autistic children and their families, it
  seemed that these families require more support
  and education. I set out to research support
  group needs of parents with autistic children and
  their families.

3
Hypothesis

• A support group would benefit autistic parents
  and their families

4
Assumptions

• I believed that from the surveys, I would find
• a great need for social outlets for autistic
  children
• if autistic children had social outlets, they
  would be in school or at daycare
• parents do not have anyone currently giving them
  the newest information and theories on autism
• autistic children would be struggling with
  language and communication
• most parents are not attending regular support
  groups

5
Operational Definitions

• Autism
• Support Group

6
Design of Study

• Data Collection
• Population
• Limitations
• Note Due to the study being qualitative, the
  following will be a synopsis of the findings of
  the survey.

7
Initial Information Limitations

• Initial diagnosis
• Parent research
• Doctors versus Schools
• Due to the varied doctor diagnoses under the
  autism spectrum parents are often confused or
  don't understand their child has autism

8
Ongoing Information Limitations

• Parents find only limited resources through their
  childs school or education program.
• Parents feel a lack of information on
• tools
• seminars
• insurance companies awareness
• research
• upcoming developments on autism
• 100 percent of the parents surveyed wanted to
  know the cause of autism.

9
Socialization

• The biggest challenge for students with autism is
  understanding the rules of social interaction.

10
Socialization Struggles

• Limited social activities
• Lack of outreach programs
• Nonintegrated socialization

11
Language and Speech Struggles

• All of the five parents that completed the survey
  stated that their child has difficulty in
  language and speech.

Parent QuotesHe struggles with putting together
what he wants to say. I have a hard time
dealing with my lack of understanding of my sons
speech
12
Additional Struggles

• potty training
• parents patience
• temper tantrums
• parent temptation to interfere with
  age-appropriate tasks
• doubts on what whether their child could lead a
  normal life
• getting caught up with peers
• bed time
• change in routine

Parent Quote Sometimes feeling my sons own
struggles
13
Quality Support Groups
14
Support Group Trepidation
Would You Join A Support Group?

• All the parents surveyed are not currently
  attending a support group.
• Parent resistance
• Only one of the parents was adamant about
  starting a support group.

15
Conclusion

• Again and of significance, is that none of the
  parents that were surveyed are currently
  attending a support group.
• Also, I was amazed that more parents were not
  willing to complete the survey.
• The study show that a support group would
  tremendously benefit all of the parents that were
  surveyed.
• A support group would assist parents of autistic
  students to keep up with the newest information
  available.
• A support group would not only provide the
  necessary information but it would provide a
  place to help parents through the stresses of
  raising an autistic child.

16
Recommendations

• Form a support group for parents of autistic
  children
• Further research to find and encourage
  participants