Importance of respite care for ASD

[Laurie4b]

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/01/05/respite-more-beneficial/14714/

 

A parent of a child with autism pointed this article out to me about the importance of respite. I thought it was interesting.

[funnygirl]

This is certainly true at our house! Now if I only had the money to pay for frequent sitters I'd be in great shape!!

[Crimson Wife]

I find it strange that they would expect to see an association between ST/OT and hospitalization and when they did not, question the effectiveness of those therapies. How about asking whether children who receive ST/OT are more likely to be able to be mainstreamed or graduate with a regular H.S. diploma rather than a certificate of completion or hold gainful employment as an adult or what have you?

 

We have not yet heard from the Regional Center whether or not we will qualify for any respite hours. With the budget crisis, I suspect they will be very stringent in qualifying new clients in order to preserve the services to their existing clients as much as possible.

[Dmmetler]

I can see where respite has a bigger effect on hospitalization than ST/OT. Both of those are therapies where you see a result over months or years, and where sometimes it gets worse in one area before better. Hospitalization is more likely to be due to a parent just plain getting at the end of their rope and being unable to cope with behaviors, or is so fatigued that they're no longer able to catch the first signs of difficulty and intervene, leading the behavior to escalate, and respite gives the parents the time to rebuild a little bit.

 

I don't think it's a case of respite vs therapy-it's that families with ASD kids (or, really, any child who cannot be babysat by any reasonably competent adult) NEED trained respite caregivers so that they can keep their energy up to follow through with therapy and the child's needs.