Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex brain disorders which affect social interaction, communication and behavior. The combinations of symptoms of autism vary from one child to another.
Common Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders
At SSM Health Treffert Center we know with early diagnosis, therapy can begin earlier and is more likely to be helpful for your child. Common signs of ASD can vary depending on the individual, but they may include:
- Little or no babbling, pointing to objects, or make meaningful gestures by one year of age
- May repeat or echo words, phrases, or memorized scripts over and over
- No longer saying words they once did
- Difficulty or delay in pretend play
- Does not use gestures or pointing to communicate needs and wants
- Does not speak one word by 16 months
- Does not combine two words by 24 months
- Repetitive behaviors (rocks, spins, flaps hands, twirls fingers)
- Strong adherence to routines, order, and rituals/difficulty with change in routine
- Preoccupied with parts of toys or objects or observes them from an odd angle
- Intense area of interest that is abnormal in intensity or focus
- Obsessed with a few repetitive activities or holding specific items
- Maybe overly sensitive to sounds/smells/touch/light/textures
- High pain tolerance
- May line up toys or other objects
- Poor eye contact
- Lack of interest in peers or social activities
- Doesn’t respond to parent’s smile
- Does not respond when name is called
- Does not point things out or show objects of interest to others
Getting an ASD Diagnosis & Next Steps
You can contact SSM Health Behavioral Health, formerly Doll & Associates, at 920-907-8201 for a strength-based assessment and diagnosis.
What's the evaluation process?
- Call SSM Health Behavioral Health to do an intake over the phone.
- We see patients from across the state of Wisconsin.
- Pre-visit packet will be mailed. Once packet is returned to the SSM Health Behavioral Health office, a staff member will call to schedule an initial evaluation.
- Insurance verification is completed by SSM Health Behavioral Health staff.
- Testing and follow-up care is scheduled at initial evaluation.
- Prepare for the evaluation.
No, our team comes to you. Treatment teams are available in Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Outagamie, Waushara, and Winnebago counties are ready to help. Whether in homes, in day cares, or in the community, we work collaboratively with all entities.
We utilize the environment the child is in. A specific therapy room is not needed. Our staff collaborates with families, schools, day cares, etc. to determine the best combination of settings for each child’s specific needs.
Once you have received an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, SSM Health Behavioral Health will provide you a list of available resources.
Our team provides in-home and center-based autism services throughout 8 counties.
*Please Contact 920-907-3928. Have insurance card handy prior to calling.
Treatment is evidence-based, play-based therapy. Our professionals build a trusting relationship with you and your child first using a child’s ability to “play” to help them build skills and meet their individualized goals.
Staff sits at a table for therapy if and only if it makes sense to do so (e.g. Playdough, coloring, etc.) Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy does not need to take place at a table to be effective. In fact, evidence indicates generalization of skills is most effective when it takes place within the natural environment in a variety of ways.
We use several developmental assessment tools to develop goals. In addition to these tools, we talk and work extensively with parents, teachers and other therapeutic entities to develop a treatment plan specific to each child.
SSM Health Treffert Center Autism Services is contracted with more than 30 insurance companies to provide mandated autism services. We are also an approved Medicaid provider to offer comprehensive autism treatment to children ages six and under.
SSM Health Treffert Center Autism Services
Specialized Treatment for Children Under Six
Autism Services, formerly Agnesian Beyond Boundaries of Autism (ABBA), was originally founded in 2004 and became a part of SSM Health in 2019. We partner with families, schools, day cares and other entities to provide high-quality, relationship-based treatment plans for children ages six and under. Services are offered wherever the child is at including home, the classroom and the community. Our plan builds on the strengths of every child and utilizes applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and early start Denver model (ESDM), both evidence-based practices, to provide relationship-based treatment for children.
Home-based behavioral treatment services are currently provided in the following counties: Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Outagamie, Waushara, and Winnebago.
Center-based behavioral treatment services are currently available at our Mayville and Fond du Lac locations.
What Makes Us Different?
- Play-based and Naturalistic Assessment
- We recognize each child for who they are, supporting them with an individualized, comprehensive assessment and play-based assessments.
- Strength-based
- We hold the core belief that all children have strengths and talents. Our aim is to build upon each child’s skills and interests by assisting them in developing goals to reach their full potential.
- Nurturing Relationship
- Building healthy and strong relationships with your family is at the foundation of all we do.
- Sensory Aware
- We identify and understand differences in how the world is experienced, perceived and processed. We support children in learning strategies to assist them in successfully interacting with others and their environment.
- Natural Environment
- Our ESDM-Certified and Board-Certified clinicians use strategies based on the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) to develop and supervise play-based programs that combine behavioral and developmental approaches to autism treatment. We are proud to provide this evidence-based, naturalistic treatment option built on fostering strengths. We are one of very few providers with certified ESDM practitioners on our teams.
A child's assessment is ongoing, which means goals are modified regularly in response to skill development and growth.
Our Team
Our team features behavioral treatment therapists including board-certified behavior analysts, licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, master’s level special education teachers and early start Denver model (ESDM) certified practitioners. Many of our therapists have more than 20 years of experience working with autism.
As members of SSM Health, our team also has access to speech and occupational therapists, as well as mental health specialists. Our behavioral treatment technicians receive extensive training in the Treffert Approach, ABA, ESDM, behavioral supports, play-based interventions and natural environment teaching.
