Helping Children with Autism and Their Families:
Meeting the Need in Central Florida
By Kelly Schaffer, MS, BCBA

Approximately one out of every 150 children is diagnosed with Autism, and ratios are even higher for children born with developmental disabilities in general. The Devereux Center for Child Development (DCCD) offers central Florida much-needed services for children and adolescents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, including Autism. The center provides services to children utilizing the principles and techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), teaching children appropriate behaviors, while reducing problem behaviors that children may exhibit because of their developmental delays.

We are not concerned with diagnoses. Rather, we simply ask the question; Is there enough of a concern to warrant intervention? If the answer is yes, then DON'T WAIT.

Here are a few questions we ask to determine such a concern:

Does your child appropriately communicate with you? (Say, sign, or point to "Milk" when wanting milk in your presence?)

Does your child attend to others? (Turn toward familiar voices, look at other children?)

Does your child socially engage with others? (Play peek-a-boo, follow other children?)

Does your child learn from his/her natural environment? (Manipulate and explore a variety of learning materials and toys?)

If the answer to any of these questions raise a concern for you or someone you know, DON'T WAIT. As parents, we have precious little time to support our children. Every minute that passes without addressing our concerns, is wasted. You know if there is something wrong. Don't let it go. Find a support that is right for you and your child, today.

Kelly Schaffer, MS, BCBA is the program manager. She explains that what makes this program different is that “we focus on creating an environment with which a child wants to learn. One way we do this is to teach skills that are meaningful to the child, giving them their own voice.”

Kelly explains that a major component of the program is parent training. The DCCD staff provide individualized instruction to teach parents how to implement ABA techniques in their own home. As a result, parents are empowered to deal with difficult behaviors and provide the tools necessary for their children to learn new skills in generalized settings. Devereux parent, Patricia Troutwein-Cutry explains “Devereux has opened doors for our son we once thought were not possible! Thank you Devereux.”

The DCCD program has been open for just over a year, and the program has received referrals from school professionals, pediatricians, psychologists and most of all, through parents and professionals working with children with Autism.

The services provided at the DCCD include;
• 1:1 ABA services
• Verbal Behavior
• In-home and In-clinic services
• Social Skills Groups
• Parent/Caregiver Training
• Home/School Consultation
• IEP Program Design & Monitoring
• Preschool Program
• Functional Behavior Assessments
• Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS)

Kelly D. Schaffer MS BCBA
Program Manager
Devereux Center for Child Development
1010 Executive Center Drive
Suite 100
Orlando, FL 32803
321-281-3840 ext. 270
fax# 321-281-3888(cell) 1-407-276-5200
kschaffe@devereux.org