Autism Therapy & Treatment

What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes difficulty with communication, social skills and specific behaviors. The exact cause of ASD is unknown, but a combination of genetic and environmental factors likely causes it. It affects about 1 in 68 children and is more common in boys than girls. ASD is a lifelong disorder and is considered a spectrum disorder because the severity varies and will not look the same in every child.

How We Can Help Children with Autism

The Sutcliffe Clinics’s integrative treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) combines medical wellness, behavioral intervention and educational support strategies, enhancing the child’s communication and social skills.

Contrasting with methods that solely focus on medication or predominantly on only one specific therapy for ASD, our comprehensive approach is designed to promote development beyond just symptom management.

Children with core ASD symptoms, such as communication difficulties, social challenges, and sensory sensitivities, can benefit significantly from our whole-child approach to treatment.

Our experienced team specializes in supporting children across the diverse autism spectrum, leveraging a meticulous assessment process and multidisciplinary set of evidence-based therapies.

We are dedicated to improving not only the symptoms of autism but also nurturing a child’s overall development. We aim to profoundly transform a child’s life and offer meaningful, lifelong benefits.

Medical Wellness
To support your child’s overall wellness and if necessary, for additional assistance with focus and/or anxiety.
Psychological Testing
For a specific diagnosis and to assess the best ways to offer support.
Educational Support
Collaborate with your child’s school to optimize accommodations and offer group programs to strengthen skills.
Behavioral Intervention Program
To help children address challenges that affect how they function in their daily life.

How We Diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder

At the Sutcliffe Clinic, our process for understanding how an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts your child is unparalleled in its comprehensiveness and precision. We go beyond the core symptoms to understand each child’s unique profile across various developmental domains.

Our expert clinicians conduct psychological assessments to quantify functioning across academic, adaptive, executive, and social-communication skills. We supplement testing data with developmental histories, clinical interviews with caregivers, and systematic observations of behavior across settings, including structured and unstructured interactions.

Our observational methodology uses research-based protocols to capture subtle aspects of social communication like shared attention, initiation of interaction, and emotional regulation. We analyze videos and speak with your child’s teachers and therapists to discern if symptoms are consistent across contexts or dependent on environment.

We collaborate with outside providers to integrate information on the child’s functioning at home, school and in the community. This 360-degree perspective, combining robust testing data with insights gathered from diverse situations, enables our team to not only diagnose ASD with greater precision but importantly allows us to truly understand your child’s unique developmental and behavioral profile.

An ASD Treatment Plan Unique To Your Child

Families can expect recommendations for a fully personalized treatment plan and roadmap integrating Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy for behavioral challenges, speech-language pathology for communication growth, occupational therapy for sensory skill building, and social coaching for interpersonal connections.

We further provide family education and active participation opportunities so parents can help nurture progress through our integrative approach. Treatment is holistic, nurturing growth across all developmental domains.

These multi-protocols lead to marked positive transformations as children gain communication abilities, behavioral control, social awareness, and adaptability to change. Families observe their child’s emergence of confidence, independence, and readiness to engage with the world around them.

Our comprehensive, whole-child therapies foster improved quality of life for the child and family by providing all the necessary tools for managing autism daily.

Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding behavior, particularly in children with ASD and developmental disorders.
Early Intervention Program
The Sutcliffe Early Intervention program provides caregivers and their learner with a way to begin therapy amidst the many choices that need to be made.

Kelly Kruger,
Autism
Executive Function and ADHD Coach
Trenna Sutcliffe, MD MS FRCPC FAAP
Autism Behavioral Pediatrician
Medical Director, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician
Board Certified Medical Doctor in Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics and General Pediatrics
Vickie Messick, MA BCBA
Autism Behavior Analyst
Behavior Team Clinical Director
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
PC-CARE Certified Provider
PRT Level 3/PRT Level 4 Initiations
Scott Lafranconi, MA LMFT
Autism Therapist
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist