Julie Co has had extensive training and experience as a senior applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapist and is currently working on gaining her registration as a provisional psychologist. She has been providing early intervention for children on the spectrum since 2004 and draws on her skills and current research to develop and implement individualised early intervention programs and strategies. Her full biography is available on our website.

With a focus on outcome, functionality and practicality, Julie provides ABA therapy as part of a well-rounded intervention program that targets various aspects of the child’s daily life. Such as:

• Behaviour management and cognitive development
• Developing social skills and communication

About our early intervention:

We recognise the growing need for effective and well coordinated Early Intervention Services for children with an ASD and will focus on delivering individualised and outcome-focused programs for our clients in Sydney and Wollongong. This initiative will include the following:

• Delivering individualised intervention programs and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy in the clinic, home and school settings;
• Facilitating specialised workshops for parents, carers, siblings and families;
• Facilitating “The Best of Friends” and other Quirky Kid programs.

Visit our Early Intervention page: http://childpsychologist.com.au/service/early-intervention.

If you would like more information about Quirky Kid Clinic, Julie Co, our Early Intervention Services or another enquiry, we would love to hear from you. Please call us on +61 2 9362 9297 or contact us.

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Melbourne assessments are conducted each year as per schedule below. Dates can change according to demand, so please contact us for more information. Telephone consultations are essential prior to scheduling assessments.

• Next planned Melbourne assessments: Wed 13, Thur 14, Fri 15, Sat 15 July 2012

Assessments include:

• Developmental tests for infants and young children, from birth to 8 years.
• Cognitive (IQ) assessments for children aged 6-16 years.
• Cognitive (IQ) assessments for children aged 2-7 years.
• Educational assessments for 4 years and above.
• Autism-specific diagnostic tools, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scales (ADOS).

Assessments are conducted by Developmental and Educational psychologist or experienced child psychologists with over 10 years experience

All assessment results are compiled in a detailed psychological report with a summary of clinical observations, background information, medical history and standardized test results prepared and analysed by the psychologist, not a computer.

The substantial report is finalised with practical recommendations for parents, GPs, teachers in relation to academic, social, behavioural and emotional functioning.

The demand for this service is expected to be high, so please book early.

For further information, or to book an assessment, please contact us. Additional assessment information can also be found on our Services page.

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It is called a spectrum disorder as each child may be affected in a different way. The severity of the disorder can range from mild to severe, and includes Autism, Asperger’s syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not otherwise Specified.

Repetitive behaviours are a core component of the diagnosis of autism, and they form an important part of early identification.

Typical Development of Repetitive Behaviours

• Infants – often demonstrate repetitive behaviours including kicking, waving, banging, twirling, bouncing and rocking. These behaviours however, reduce after 12 months.
• 24 – 36 months – compulsive like behaviours including preference for sameness begin to emerge.
• 4 years – decrease in all repetitive behaviours. By the time a child reaches school age there are usually relatively few repetitive behaviours to be seen.

Repetitive Behaviours in a child diagnosed with an ASD

The amount and frequency of repetitive behaviours seen in a child diagnosed with an ASD is significantly higher than that seen in children without an ASD diagnosis. There are also differences in the types of repetitive behaviour demonstrated in autism and typical development.
Young children with autism are more likely to engage in

• body rocking,
• finger flicking,
• hand flapping,
• mouthing,
• unusual posturing.

Recent studies have shown that a combination of therapies that aim to increase receptive language and improve social skills, can reduce the occurrence of repetitive behaviours.

Need more information?

• Please contact the Quirky Kid Clinic for further information on ASD’s and Repetitive Behaviours.
• You can also view our early intervention services or
• Discuss ASD’s with other parents at the Quirky Kid Huddle – our parenting forums.

Quirky Kid is registered to provide services under the Helping Children with Austins – FaCHSIA.

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Information for this fact sheet was taken from an interview with Child Psychologist Kimberley O’Brien, the Repetitive Behaviours in Autism Spectrum Disorder Workshop attended by Corina Vogler, Provisional Psychologist  and the following articles:

Honey, E., McConachie, H., Randle, Val., Shearer, H., & Le Couteur, A. S. (2008). One-year Change in Repetitive Behaviours in Young Children with Communication Disorders Including Autism. Journal Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 1439–1450.

Honey, E., Leekham, S., & McConachie, H.. (2007). Repetitive Behaviours and Play in Typically Developing Children and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1107–1115.

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This workshop was presented by Professor Margot Prior, University of Melbourne and Ms Josephine Barbaro, La Trobe University. The workshop explored the nature, type and triggers of repetitive behaviours common to children with an ASD.  This was followed by a discussion on how these behaviours can be managed, for the better development of the child and to reduce the impact on families.

Corina has since then presented the workshop to the Quirky Kid team as part of our knowledge management and knowledge sharing program.

If you feel that your child may be displaying repetitive behaviours or if you would like any further information about Autism Spectrum Disorder, please contact us, or visit our resources pages.

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In addition to our Social Skills workshop – The Best of Friends - we have prepared the factsheet below to provide more information to parents about social skill sin children.

An important aspect of maintaining friendships is social skills.

Social skills are specific behaviours such as smiling, making eye contact, asking and responding to questions, and giving and acknowledging compliments during a social exchange. These behaviours result in positive social interactions and have been linked to positive developmental outcomes, including peer acceptance.

How can I tell if my child is having difficulties with social skills?

• Little use of eye contact,
• Uninterested in social interactions,
• Difficulties initiating social interactions,
• Difficulties interpreting verbal and non-verbal social cues,
• Inappropriate emotional response,
• Lack of empathy towards others.

It can be upsetting for parents to realise that their children are having difficulties making friends. Research has shown however, that social skills can be effectively taught to children.

How to encourage your child to develop social skills

• Help your child make friends by organising play dates, having sleepover and joining clubs.
• Offer suggestions on ways to handle situations at school and with friends.
• Children learn a lot by observing how adults interact so it is important to always model appropriate behaviour, such as greeting shop assistants and using Peoples names when possible.
• Help your child to understand different points of view by describing feelings and having conversations about how other people might feel. This can help your child to develop empathy and will help them deal with conflict when it occurs.
• Help develop conversation skills such as asking questions and listening to others
• Discuss behaviours such as teasing and bullying with your child, to help them understand that some comments could upset others.

How can the Quirky Kid Clinic help your child?

The Quirky Kid Clinic is a unique place for children and adolescents aged 2-18 years. We work from the child’s perspective to help them find their own solutions. Additionally, we offer a variety of resources, workshops and individualized consultations to support children experiencing difficulties with social skills.

• The Best of Friends Workshop ^TM is an innovative social skills and communication program for children aged 3 to 13. This activity-based workshop encourages children to make the most of their friendships by developing good communication skills. Workshops are available throughout t the year both in school and clinic setting.
• How to be a Friend Book - This book published by Quirky Kid helps children to understand how friendships are formed and the best way to handle conflict. It is a must for all children and proactive parents.
• Face it Cards are a set of 35 hand-draw facial expression cards. The cards give greater meaning to discussions involving feelings and behaviors. They can help families resolve conflict and classmates explore social scenarios or ethical dilemmas and also allow children to ‘pointing out’ their emotions, helping then to increase understanding, problem-solving and empathy when dialogue is difficult.
• Tell Me a Story Cards are a useful tool for parents and professionals working with young people. They invite children to recall and retell their own memorable moments of extremity, this facilitates communication, highlights strengths, and boosts self-esteem.

Please contact the Quirky Kid Clinic on 9362 9297 for further information. You can also discuss Social Skills with other parents at the Quirky Kid Hudle – our parenting forums.

—-
Information for this fact sheet was taken from an interview with Child Psychologist Kimberley O’Brien,  the Raising Children Network website, and the following articles and was compiled by Corina Vogler, Interm-Psychologist at the Quirky Kid Clinic

Reference: Tse, J., Strulovitch, J., Tagalakis, V., Meng, L., & Fombonne, E. (2007). Social skills training for adolescents with asperger syndrome and high functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1960-1968.

Rao, P., Beidel, D., & Murray, M. (2008). Social skills training for children with Aspergers’s syndrome or high-functioning autism: a review and recommendations. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 353-361.

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The FACE IT collection always makes an impression! This set of thirty-five (35) hand-drawn cards, depicting a wide range of facial expressions, are designed to engage children and adults from diverse social and cultural backgrounds as well as those on the Autism spectrum or with other special needs.

Parents, teachers and therapists will find the FACE IT cards are an exceptional resource to increase communication in the home, school, clinic or community setting.

Effectively used with both individuals and groups, the FACE IT cards allow participants the option of ‘pointing out’ their emotions to increase understanding, problem-solving and empathy when dialogue is difficult.

We hope you enjoy using them as much as we do!

Buy the Face It at the Quirky Kid Shoppe

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If you feel your child may have some sensory processing difficulties, you may consider the Sensory Profile to identify their sensory strengths and weaknesses.  Please contact us if you would like more information on managing your child’s behaviour.

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The Sensory Profile is a measure of children’s responses to sensory events in daily life. The assessment requires the Parent to assess the frequency of their child’s responses to certain sensory processing, modulation, and behavioral/emotional events. The Sensory Profile can help identify your child’s sensory processing patterns; then we can consider how these patterns might be contributing to or creating barriers to performance in their daily life.

The Sensory Profile is particularly helpful when developing an early intervention program for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

To find out more about the Sensory Profile, or to book an assessment please contact our reception on (02) 9362 9297.

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Children with Asperger’s Disorder have a marked and ongoing impairment in social interaction, and they develop restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests and activities. In contrast to Autism, there are no significant delays in language acquisition and development. During the first three years of the child’s life, there are no significant delays in cognitive development, and they experience normal curiosity about their environment.

They do not experience significant difficulty in acquiring age-appropriate learning skills and adaptive behaviours, apart from social interaction. Children with Asperger’s Disorder may show a marked impairment in non-verbal behaviours such as eye to eye gaze, facial expression, body postures and gestures.  They may have difficulty regulating social interaction and communication with others.

What should I look for?

• Does your child have difficulty expressing him/herself using non-verbal behaviours like eye contact, facial expressions, body postures and hand gestures?
• Does your child have difficulty developing and maintaining friendships?
• Does your child have difficulty sharing their enjoyment, interests or achievements with others?
• Does your child lack emotional exchanges with others?
• Is your child preoccupied with one particular topic of interest at a level that seems unreasonable for his/her age?
• Is your child inflexible in following set routines or rituals?
• Does your child have repetitive body movements, such as hand or finger flapping or twisting?
• Is your child persistently preoccupied with parts of objects, rather than the entire object?

How can the Quirky Kid Clinic help your child?

The Quirky Kid Clinic is a unique place for children and adolescents aged 2-18 years. We work from the child’s perspective to help them find their own solutions.  If you suspect your child may be showing signs of Asperger’s Disorder, or if your child already has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder, you might consider one of the following options:

• Assessment and Diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.
• Book an individual session with our experienced Child Psychologists
• Register for a  Social Skills group or ASD specific workshop
• Contact us for more information

The Quirky Kid Clinic is part of the FaHCSIA Early Intervention Service Provider Panel for the Helping Children with Autism Package and intervention can be claimed as part of this funding.

Reference:

American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

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