Q. What services do you offer? A. Our quality services include: Comprehensive Assessment & Evaluation which consists of the following: Functional Behavior Analysis & Assessment; Speech & Language Assessment & Evaluation; Occupational Therapy/Sensory Integration Assessment & Evaluation; and Diagnostic Assessment & Screenings; Applied Behavior Analysis & Case Management which consists of the following; Consultancy and Related Support Services; Consultation; Modified Discrete Trial Therapy; Incidental Teaching/Pivotal Response Training; School Shadowing; Learning Support Services; Speech Therapy; Occupational Therapy/Sensory Integration Therapy; Social Skill Groups and social skills training; Parent Training; Professional Development and Training for different specialists/professionals; and Community Outreach Support & Recreation such as summer camp programs, etc. Q. Do you offer services in English only or in both Arabic and English? A. All services can be provided in either English or Arabic at our center. Q. Are you strictly an ABA program or do you use other intervention methodologies? A. While we adhere to traditional ABA methods, our program is comprehensive and individually tailored to meet the unique needs of each child. We utilize various methodologies such as discrete trial teaching, incidental teaching, social skills training, language-based interventions, and facilitated playdates, all of which fall under the canopy of Applied Behavior Analysis. Further to this, we use a variety of other treatment methods for those individuals not diagnosed within the autism spectrum (e.g. Down’s Syndrome, ADHD, Speech and Language disorders, etc.). Q. What are the ages of the children you serve? A. We serve children as young as 18 months of age and work with populations of up to 12 years of age across the services we provide. However, depending on the areas of need and services required, we may also serve individuals over the age of 12 in other capacities (e.g. speech therapy, learning support, etc.). Q. Does your program supply all materials for a child’s program? A. We supply therapy/treatment materials for all center (clinic)-based services. Q. How many in-home hours of ABA will my child receive? A. We cannot predetermine the number of hours that will be recommended for any child until we have first had the opportunity to do a complete assessment of the child. Upon completion of the assessment process, there will be recommendations made as to how many hours we feel would be clinically appropriate to meet the specific educational and treatment needs of the child. Q. I think my child has autism but I am not sure. How can you help me? A. We would set up an initial consultation with a clinician to examine your areas of concern for your child. Following this process, the information collected by the clinician is shared with our multidisciplinary clinical assessment team who then make recommendations on what the next steps should be (e.g. whether or not an assessment is warranted, what type of assessment, etc.). Part of this assessment would entail having your child undertake diagnostic testing (using standardized testing methods) to determine whether he/she meets diagnostic eligibility for an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Q. What are the causes of Autism? A. There is no known single cause for autism spectrum disorder, however, research suggests that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in children with autism compared to in neurotypical children. Researchers do not know the exact cause of autism but are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetics and other medical problems. Q. My child does not have autism but Asperger’s syndrome, can he still receive your services? A. Although the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM)-5th version no longer has Asperger’s Syndrome as a diagnosis (whereas in prior DSM versions it had its own diagnostic criteria and was considered part of the family of Autism Spectrum Disorders), the symptoms can still be addressed by the services we provide such as through speech therapy (address pragmatic language deficits), ABA (focusing more on social skills training/approaches) and social groups. Q. What will be done during Occupational Therapy? A. Sensory processing areas of need as well as motor areas of need are targeted. Occupational therapy, known as OT, is designed to help children and adults acquire (or regain) the skills needed to perform the activities—or “occupations”—of daily life. OT helps kids who have a physical, sensory, or a cognitive disability carry out everyday activities like brushing their teeth or putting on shoes and socks. Some occupational therapists help kids create alternate ways to play popular games they might miss out on because of their illness or injury. Many work with kids who need help with their handwriting or in developing learning strategies to help them remain focused in class and get their homework done. Q. Do you treat swallowing difficulties? A. This depends on the nature of the swallowing difficulties. Generally, one of our clinicians specialized in working with specific populations who have swallowing difficulties conducts an assessment and/or refers to an outside professional who may further assist in obtaining a proper assessment in order to make appropriate treatment recommendations. Q. Are behavior problems really severe in people with autism? A. This varies from individual to individual and also depends on when the individual was diagnosed, when they began treatment, and the nature of the symptoms (how severe are the behaviors displayed, how often, what treatment methods have been used to address the behavior, whether or not they have been effective, etc.). Q. Can you help us gain admission for our child in a school? A. We can support you by ensuring your child receives a thorough assessment and appropriate treatment recommendations and school placement recommendations based on testing outcomes. Parents then may share our findings/reports with schools. However, there is no guarantee of placement as that is left up to the school’s discretion. Q. Do you collaborate with different schools? A. Yes we do. We often receive referrals from schools for students who require an assessment as well as seek services for learning support (e.g. educational aide/school shadowing). We also support schools in training and development of their teachers and learning support personnel. Q. What kind of training you provide? What should be my background/qualification before receiving the training from your organization? A. Our training varies based on area of specialty. To ensure we are available to meet your training needs, please contact one of our representatives who will send a questionnaire that examines your training areas of interest. Based on your feedback, we can determine if we have training workshops or programs that can support your area of interest/needs. Therefore, it would be good to ask if such trainings are upcoming in the near future, from when the inquiry is made, as such trainings are offered throughout the year by different specialists covering different topics. Generally, the training or workshop often addresses which populations of professionals would benefit from such training. Frequently Asked Question's