The other day we were asked by someone on Twitter: What services do individuals with autism need the most?

We replied: A great support team of any kind is #1 priority.

I guess Gary Busey from Celebrity Apprentice said it best by creating an acronym for the word ‘team’: Together Everyone Achieves More.

This academy award nominee is right. By having a team that works together, listens to your needs, concerns, answers your questions and being supportive, you can achieve so much more.

A support team is a generic yet personalized team that aims to provide efficient and effective support for an individual or group. Depending on the circumstances, your goals, your needs, a support team can consistent of, but not limited to:

• Friends and family
  
• Pediatricians or General Practitioners
  
• Naturopathic Practitioners
  
• Dietitians
  
• Special Educational Assistants
  
• Behavioural Consultants
  
• Behavioural Interventionists
  
• Speech and Language Pathologists
  
• Occupational Therapists

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. If someone is not on the same page as you, then it’s time to find someone who knows how to read. You are your child’s biggest advocate, and always want what is best for them so it is very important that the people that you are working with have the same goals and determination as you do. You all need to be on the same page.

This isn’t always easy, but once you create a great support team for you and your child, you will achieve more.

Choosing a professional to work with your child requires parents to gain enough information to allow them to make informed choices. Chapter 3: “Developing a Treatment Team for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder”, from ACT's Autism Manual for BC can help you select the right people to work with you and your child.

Thanks for reading, Tanaya