With the Summit on Autism just weeks away, on Sept. 17, excitement is definitely building about the event – especially among members of the parent community.
“We’re absolutely looking forward to the summit – the whole thing,” says a parent of a seven-year-old son who attends school at KiDA. “I think it will have things we can take home now and implement today to make his life and our lives better, as a family.”
The national conference, which is designed to be a community service to educate parents, family members and friends of those with autism, will feature panels that focus on autism and its impact on the family, and technology’s impact on autism.
And what’s the summit’s major buzzword? Technology, as in the panel featuring cutting-edge research from Children’s Hospital Boston’s Howard Shane and MIT’s Matthew Goodwin.
“Technology is the one thing that drew our family to the summit,” says a mother whose six-year-old daughter attends KiDA. “I’d love to see if there are new technologies that we should be looking at, or even if there are any new things we’re not doing on the iPad that could help my daughter.”
While many of the parents said their children are already using the iPad – which Shane calls a “game-changer” – they want to learn more about where the device is headed and how it’s making great strides toward helping children with autism gain cognitive skills, sociability and degrees of independence.
“Even though my son has been using the iPad for a while now, we’re not at the point where we’re comfortable yet, so I want to acquire more knowledge about technology,” says a parent whose six-year-old son attends KiDA. “Right now, we have the tool, but we need more help to get to the next level.”
And many parents we talked to felt the same about doing whatever they could to advance the development of their children. That’s why parents aren’t just coming to the event themselves – they’re bringing others.
“My parents are going, too. I think it’s important for them to see what we go through each day,” one mom says.
Another mom agrees, as her husband, brother and some of her friends are all planning to go. “I think it will help them understand that it’s not just us — we’re talking about everyone who has to deal with autism. It’s not just our family; it’s not just our problem or our issue.”
“I think the summit will help us create an even more supportive family,” says one parent whose mother, mother-in-law and sisters are going as well. “I’m trying to get everyone to go so they can learn more about what’s involved with families who have a child with autism.”
And that’s really the main point of the event, says Kristin Coates, manager at KiDA. “We are excited about the great learning opportunities this year’s Summit on Autism provides, especially for families affected by autism,” she says. “With technology improving so rapidly, it is hard to keep up with all of the advancements available for kids on the spectrum. Already, we have had an outstanding response from both families and professionals.”
-article written by David Lott
For more information and to register for KiDA’s third annual Summit on Autism, visit www.kida.com/summit or call 949.222.2214.
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