The Role of Family Support in Autism: A Case Study

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that eventually affects social interaction, communication and behaviour. This case study basically focuses on how the family is supporting their 14 year old boy who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is currently studying at the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in Kolkata. The paper aims to focus how well the family is supporting their child who is going through ASD. This paper further aims to develop a comprehensive intervention plan for the specified child which will be beneficial for his overall development in the coming future. A case study method was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the given ‘Neurodevelopmental Disorder’. It shows a significant improvement in the client’s basic life skills, social interaction and overall communication abilities as well as the positive role played by the family in this given context. Psychological assessments indicated mild symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as evidenced by ‘Indian Scale of Assessments of Autism’ (ISSA) along with other Psychological assessments. The collaborative approach among the psychologist, parents and specialized therapies have effectively fulfilled his needs in a structured way. The study emphasizes on how well a family has supported their child during the ongoing treatment procedure which eventually helped the child in a very positive note. In addition to provide us an overview of various results of Psychometric assessments, the parents have played a pivotal role in their child’s life. Their personalised intervention plan has greatly enhanced the child’s everyday lifestyle.