On the Move

In treating children with Autism practicing Pediatric physical therapy or Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), I see core difficulties in children with Autism as they try to manage the challenges of daily life.  One is that they have difficulty negotiating a world of Multiple Demands/Roles/Goals. 

Dr. Steve Gutstein, founder of RDI, says, "We are constantly shifting our roles and relationships and do it without conscious reflection most of the time. Faced with multiple goals and daily demands, we easily find ways to prioritize".  Well, I agree with most of what he says...I'm not so sure about the "easily". 

In my life these multiple demands appear on so many different levels.  For example, last night when I get off work, I had to decide:

• Do I leave work now or stay and get some of this paperwork done?  (You've got the essentials done. It's 7 pm.  Get out of the office!)
• Do I have time to work out at the gym?  (No, don't have time.)
• Do I go home first and find out what the DELL repair people said about my fried lap top or do I go ahead and price what a new lap top will cost?   (Go ahead and price a new one, their original quote to fix the fried laptop was $500. Surely I can find a new one for almost that price.)
• How many stores should I get price quotes on?  (Let's try 2. I can hit both of those on the way home and still make it home by 9 pm when the DELL repair office closes.)
• Do I go ahead and buy the one on sale with limited numbers in stock for $429?  (No, I better wait until I hear DELL's final cost for repair and if they will consider it in warrantee.)
• My new artist housemate got paint on the floors, do I have time to go to Home Depot and find something to protect the floors tonight or risk having more paint splattered on my wood floors before buying something suitable? (Yes, take care of it tonight. I have time (and money) now that DELL says the work is under warrantee.)
• My housemate says Home Depot will have what I need, but this seems more like an Office Max kind of problem. I don't have time for both, which one should I go to?  (Call Home Depot and ask before you waste a trip.)
• Now that I am back from Home Depot with flooring cover in hand, what do I have time to eat?  I'm starved!  (A can of soup is all you have time for. Fire up the Microwave.)

You can see how I have in just one evening multiple goals, demands, and roles to juggle... and this was the list of the main choices.  Lots of smaller multiple demands were handled in between.  These are challenges our kids with Autism struggle with (and me too many days).  RDI helps build the precursors to these skills. 

If I can help your child with Autism, give me a call.  Amy Sturkey 704 332 4834 ext 114.