Help for Autism

DENVER, Colo. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- At least one in 500 people are affected by some form of autism. It affects males about four-times as often as females and affects people of all racial and social backgrounds. A hallmark of the disorder often is a lack of verbal skills. Now a new technique can boost those skills.

Working with his mother is part of 4-year-old Pete Mitchell's regular therapy. At age 2, his communication skills started to slip.

"He wasn't following simple directions. He didn't seem to be excited about playing, learning," his mother, Julie, tells Ivanhoe.

Pete was diagnosed with autism. Julie first enrolled him in therapy where Pete worked with therapists -- but Julie wasn't involved. After meeting Terry Hall, M.A., C.C.C., they began using the Denver Model technique. It teaches play skills and life skills.

"We've really found that getting the parents involved in being a big part of the intervention has been a very big plus definitely to the whole approach," says Hall, a speech language pathologist at JFK Partners, an interdepartmental program of the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

This team approach is individualized for each child. It focuses heavily on verbal skills and communication. Hall says communication is a prognostic factor for how a child will be able to function as an older person. In the past, only 50 percent of autistic children became verbal. But 75 percent to 95 percent of Denver Model children talk by age 5.

Nick Zabrowski lost his verbal skills at 14 months. His mother, Michelle, says, "It just went away and he was not aware of his environment."

Now he's in school, playing soccer and improving every day.

"I think when we see Nicholas smile and be able to talk to people, it makes it worth it," says Michelle.

Both Nick and Pete have to work at it between 40 and 50 hours a week.

Successful intervention for young children with autism requires that most of their waking hours be spent in socially oriented activities. Providing more than 20 hours per week of structured intervention is necessary for optimum progress. For more information on the Denver Model technique, visit the Children's Health Channel at Ivanhoe.com.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Sarah Ellis
Director, News Media Relations
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and University of Colorado Hospital
4200 East Ninth Avenue, #A092
Denver, CO 80262
(303)-315-7470