In listening to Peyton, we are compelled to ask ourselves how many souls have been daily cast away from meaningful life because we do not know how to reach them, recognize their potential, afford them opportunities to have their voices heard? As clinicians, educators, and parents, we have to question whether our own perceptions about those who rely on us for assistance are accurate, and whether, as a society, we are doing the best we can for those who are unable to speak for themselves (Goddard & Goddard, 2012, p. xiii).
Throughout Peyton Goddard’s life story, one thing was clear: Peyton is aware and intelligent, despite being a non-verbal communicator who is severely autistic. One thing that was not as clear is that Peyton’s experiences are not singular, just as abuse, depression, exclusion, and misdiagnosis are more common among individuals with autism than not. The above excerpt implores clinicians, educators, and parents to reconsider their beliefs and practices. Based on Peyton’s experiences, four actions SLPs can take to ensure other individuals with autism do not experience the same injustice include: 1) counseling, 2) presuming competence, 3) ensuring equal access, and 4) providing appropriate strategies for communication.
Firstly, there is an unsaid responsibility for SLPs to reach out to students who may have experienced inexplicable prejudice or trauma, whether as a byproduct of their disorder or as a result of others taking advantage of their disability. Autism is often associated with a plethora of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, and sleep disorders (Kluth & Shouse, 2009). According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, one of the roles of SLPs is to actively partner with families in assessment and intervention in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASHA, 2006). The scope of practice for SLPs extends beyond speech and language, to counseling, education, training, service coordination, and family advocacy (ASHA, 2006). If warranted services are beyond the scope of practice for SLPs, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team of professionals, including psychologists, counselors, and autism consultants, is even more essential.
Secondly, SLPs must engage in an active and conscious pursuit to presume competence and recognize the potential of individuals with autism, which may be easily overlooked in the face of other competing behaviors. Despite setbacks, it is important to focus on small gains, perceive strengths, and provide waiting time. Like Peyton, individuals who are severely autistic may not be able to provide visual indicators demonstrating competence; however, Peyton writes, “Ultimately, teachers and parents, in heart of cool love, must dare assume each person is competent and has intellectual potentials that can and must be reached” (Goddard & Goddard, 2012, p. 141). The label of autism should not lead professionals or even the general public to view behaviors through a lens of deficit and dismiss the potentials and abilities of individuals with autism. Though Peyton was fully competent of her surroundings, she exhibited behavioral impulses as a result of her autism, and sometimes out of frustration of being a nonverbal communicator. As SLPs, one way to presume competence is to talk to individuals with autism rather than about them in their presence. More often than not, individuals with autism are perceptually aware and cognitive intact. For example, Dr. Friedman, whom Peyton refers to as Dr. Freed Me, spoke directly to her and validated her behaviors. To Peyton, Dr. Friedman’s actions spoke volumes about his presumption of her competence, as he saw her as worthy of his clinical efforts.
Thirdly, SLPs are to ensure equal access to learning curriculum, which is a basic human right. As Peyton writes, “All students must be supported and accommodated to facilitate their success—in learning and in life; without the right involvement in the choices of one’s life, one lives in fear and frustration and will never know the joy of independence (Goddard & Goddard, 2012, p. 144). One of the roles for SLPs in assessment and intervention in autism spectrum disorders is to provide “access to literacy and academic instruction and curricular, extracurricular, and vocational activities (ASHA, 2006).” For Peyton, access to education included special accommodations, such as: communicating with professors beforehand, establishing an emotional connection with test proctors, reserving classrooms free of distractions, providing extra time for exams, enlarging presentation of test material, and allowing certain movement strategies to cope in the classroom. By providing individual accommodations, Peyton was able to access the curriculum and graduate from community college. In addition to accessing the academic curriculum, access to the informal, hidden curriculum involves explicit instruction and extracurricular inclusion and is as important as formal education (Hinkle, 2012).
Lastly, SLPs are to provide appropriate strategies for communication, which is another basic human right. All too often, speech therapy for individuals with autism revolves entirely around behavior management. However, behavior management is a reactive approach and may not be as proactive and preventative as simply reaching out, recognizing potential, and providing different strategies. Providing different communicative strategies may mitigate problematic behavior and allow for more effective therapy and more independent clients. One strategy is facilitated communication, which involves “facilitating movement with physical, verbal, and emotional assistance” for individuals with autism who struggle with challenges in controlling, initiating, inhibiting, and transitioning between motor movements (Goddard & Goddard, 2012, p. 171). Although there is not enough scientifically controlled evidence to support facilitated communication, it is impossible to ignore the fact that it has been an effective tool for Peyton to successfully communicate and achieve what was previously unfathomable. Said Peyton, “The journey of life cannot be traveled without a clear mode of successful communication and listeners who caringly support. Of utmost importance is the insurance that a system of communication supplies me… With [facilitated communication], I finally gained a mode of dependable communication, which allowed me to tell the truth of my life and begin to relieve the fear which plagued me. (Goddard & Goddard, p. 174-175).” Despite Peyton’s success with facilitated communication, more research is needed to demonstrate its scientific validity and reliability among individuals with autism who are nonverbal (ASHA, 1995). For SLPs, it is important to consider what is effective for the particular individual in conjunction with evidence-based practice.
Peyton’s experiences relay the importance of counseling, presuming competence, ensuring equal access, and providing appropriate strategies for communication to individuals with autism. In particular, I Am Intelligent provides a personal, mother-daughter account on achieving educational inclusion via higher education and facilitated communication for individuals with autism (Goddard & Goddard, 2012). One of the most important lessons for professionals is that assessment and intervention in individuals with autism spectrum disorders is not as black-and-white as may be presumed from textbooks. In spite of this, the lessons behind this book are far-reaching and not limited to professionals working with individuals with autism. Rather, others that may benefit from this book include individuals who are unfamiliar with autism, families with individuals who have autism, policymakers and practitioners, and other individuals with autism. Individuals unfamiliar with autism may benefit from reading this book to gain awareness and acceptance about the unimaginable characteristics and challenging struggles that individuals like Peyton who have severe autism face. Family with individuals who have autism may identify with and find solace in the experiences of Peyton and her mother Dianne, and how far they have come in their mother-daughter relationship. Policymakers and practitioners may benefit from being educated about sensitive, oft overlooked issues in individuals with autism, and act as the driving force to make education for individuals with special needs more inclusive. Individuals with autism may identify with Peyton’s diagnosis and experiences, and feel inspired by her ability to overcome myriad setbacks and attain personal and professional success. Despite who reads the book, one conclusive takeaway from Peyton’s account is to never lose sight of the intelligence behind the individual with autism. In the words of Peyton Goddard, a severely autistic, nonverbal communicator, and college graduate: “I AM INTLGENT (Goddard et al., 2012, p. 173).”
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References:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (1994). Facilitated communication [Technical Report]. Retrieved June 29, 2014, from www.asha.org/policy
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2006). Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders Across the Life Span [Position Statement]. Retrieved June 29, 2014from www.asha.org/policy
- Goddard, P., & Goddard, D. (2012). I Am Intelligent: From Heartbreak to Healing--A Mother and Daughter's Journey through Autism. Guilford, CT: skirt!
- Hinkle, S. (2012). The hidden curriculum: social understanding, social skills, and belonging in k-12 settings, post-secondary, and beyond [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved June 29, 2014, from California State University San Marcos Seminar in Autism Spectrum Disorders: http://cc.csusm.edu
- Kluth, P., & Shouse, J. (2009). The autism checklist: a practical reference for parents and teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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