If you have a child or teen with autism, RDI can help!
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI®) was developed in order to add something to the intervention puzzle that had been sorely missing, THE RELATIONSHIP FACTOR. It empowers parents by giving them a second chance to “re-do” the relationship with their child. The RDI® consultant guides parents in remediating the core deficits of autism using every day activities and emphasizes the step by step growth of the child across developmental milestones.
Who Is RDI For?
RDI will be beneficial to any age group and for a wide range of functioning levels. A key concept in RDI is that there is not a critical period for intervention. The brain is capable of growth at any age. Parents are asked to seek treatment for co-occurring disorders in order to ensure that their child is able to receive the maximum benefits from RDI® intervention.
How Can RDI Help?
RDI teaches parents:
- how to develop a stronger relationship with their child
- how to foster the cognitive and social-emotional growth of their child
- about the core deficits of autism and how to remediate those deficits using “every day” activities
- how to foster their child’s step-by-step growth across developmental milestones beginning in infancy and moving forward at their child’s pace
- how to develop their child’s experience-sharing and mult-channel communication (eye gaze, facial expression, gestures, prosody, etc)
- how to develop their child’s critical thinking skills rather than memorized answers to life’s challenges
- How to develop episodic memory and resiliance for seeking new challenges
- How to develop internal motivation for learning and discovery
- How to develop neural-connectivity across brain centers
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How to develop co-regulation of actions and emotions
- to use a guide-apprentice teaching model
- to manage their stress and create a more balanced lifestyle for their family.
RDI Testimonial: Mother of a 17 Year Old Teen, Burbank CA
“Before RDI, we had very little hope for our son’s quality of life. We were told over and over again, by doctors and therapists in the field of autism, that since Marc had passed his 5 year “window of opportunity,” we should not expect anything more from him. My husband, and Marc’s three brothers, tried for years to build a relationship with him which only led to hurt and frustration. RDI gave our family the tools to interact with Marc on a whole new level. He is becoming part of the family instead of just “an outsider looking in.” This isn’t a once a week therapy, it’s a lifestyle that can be easily incorporated into everything you do. Marc is coming to life right before our very eyes and we, as a family, are helping to bring him there. We no longer feel helpless, and hopeless, when it comes to Marc’s future. With RDI training, some hard work, and patience there’s nothing that Marc can’t accomplish.”
