Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

Melissa - posted on 01/17/2009

Trisha thank you for the information, it sounds very realistic I'm going to check out the site for my 5 year who about to start mainstream school in 2 weeks.

Trisha - posted on 01/17/2009

I will do my best to explain it but I'm not an expert.  This is a program that is based on remediating the core deficits of autism.  I was a special education teacher who worked with autistic children every year I taught so when I found out my son was autistic I was scared to death.  I knew I couldn't rely on just our school system to help him.  I helped many autistic children learn to read and do math problems but I had no idea how to help "fix" the autism.  When my son was first diagnosed we were told about RDI.  We checked out the website www.rdiconnect.com and found a 2-day conference that my husband and I attended.  The program is based on working with your child at the level that he is at.  I believe the program has twenty-some levels with objectives on each level.  These objectives are things that a neurotypical person learns automatically but for some reason autistic children do not.  You start your child at the level they are at and do activities with them to help them learn the objective.  There are RDI consultants who have been trained and will work with you and guide you along.  If you go to the website you will find certified consultants in all the different states as well as in other countries around the world.  Your consultant will work with you to guide but you are doing the majority of the work with your child. 

I have a friend who has two autistic children.  One is mild and the other is moderate.  They have been doing RDI for 2 1/2 years and their child who is mild is no longer considered to be on the autism spectrum.  However, they continue to do some RDI with him at home.  He continues to require some assistance at school for math/reading due to attention issues but he plays with my neurotypical son and I wouldn't be able to tell that he is autistic.  He has friends at school!!!  His brother who is moderate is also doing well.  His parents homeschool him in the afternoons so he can have two hours of direct RDI therapy each day.  They are hoping that by the time he reaches 7th or 8th grade he will be independent.

Check out the website.  There are also books and a 5-hour video/DVD that explain RDI.  I encourage all parents to check it out.  If it is implemented in your house I am positive you will notice improvements with your child.

Trisha

Melissa - posted on 01/16/2009

Hi, sorry but I I haven't heard of this therapy before, could you explain how it work's? I'm interested.