Using the DIR method to work with children

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Intervention using the DIR/Floortime Model The DIR /Floortime model was developed by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a child psychiatrist. The model uses interactions and relationships to teach children with developmental delays, such as those associated with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Greenspan’s Floortime method is based on the theory that autism symptoms are caused by problems with brain processing that affect a child's relationships and senses, among other things. With Floor Time, a child's actions are assumed to be purposeful, no matter what they do. It is the caregiver’s role to follow the child’s lead and help him develop interaction and communication skills. The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based (DIR)Model is a framework that helps in comprehensive assessments and intervention programs tailored to the unique challenges and strengths of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other developmental challenges. The “D” part means a focus on whether the child needs more work on engagement or two-way communication, the “I” is focusing in on their individual ways of their biologically based ways of dealing with sensations like being over or under reactive, and the “R” is learning relationships that are tailored to their individual difficulties, and meet them at their developmental level. The objectives of Floortime are to build healthy foundations for social, emotional, and intellectual capacities rather than focusing on skills and isolated behaviors. This is achieved by challenging the child to do six things at once to the highest level the child can. These are known as the Six Developmental Milestones. The child may not be capable of all six initially, but the aim is to get them there eventually(Greenspan and Weider, 2005). The first of the milestones is Shared Attention and Regulation, in which a child learns to respond to
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