Anyone interested in RDI - there's a 2day workshop in London in May

[Saker]

RDI (relationship development intervention) is a home therapy programme for autism developed in the States. Steve Gutstein who developed this therapy is over here doing a 2 day workshop and introduction to RDI for parents and professionals in May.

Details here for anyone who is interested. We currently run an RDI program with Ds2 and I am happy to chat to anyone about it who is interested.

I'm very interested in this, though not sure whether it would be brain overload for me - only just getting to grips with ABA! How's DS2 getting on with RDI Saker?

I have to say we are moving quite slowly but I do feel we are progressing. We changed consultants and we are a lot happier with the one we have now. Our main objective is working on Ds2 orientating towards our faces and he does this so much more now - he is finally starting to realise that faces convey information and frequently glances up at me now when puzzled or not understanding. He has become more confident with other people also but as always it's difficult to say how much relates to the RDI and what would occur naturally.

The main problem we have is time working round school and the fact that he is tired by the end of the day. We are getting better at incorporating it as a lifestyle thing and I think this would be easier for anyone whose child didn't have such motor problems -a simple task can be quiet difficult for Ds2 to accomplish physically which distracts from the aim of the exercise.

I still have great faith in it as a therapy - however it is not really compatible with ABA - so I don't think you could really dabble in it and keep going with the ABA programme.

Steve Gutstein is a very interesting and motivating speaker so it will be a good two days no doubt. Let me know if you do decide to go - I'd love to hear what you think.

thanks saker - dh is going to try and get to this - if he can get the time off. ours is going well, but it's so hard to tell if it's a natural maturing or rdi, we definately do the lifestyle type things rather than hours of activities - do you want to share what's worked for each of us? -i do think as is so individual it's hard to share -beanbags do not work for us!- cat me if you do. my ds is also much more confident with other people now -isn't it lovely!
sphil - if you want to watch the RDI dvd you are welcome to borrow mine - all 9 hrs of it!

just noticed it's the weekend so yes we will be going!

Glad it's going well for you Luckylady - have you signed up for the RDIos - we are now working through the e-learning on that which I think is in fact a recording of the 2d workshop. I will email you - will the email address I have still work okay?

I think I lent Sphil the dvd previously! It's only 5 hours I think - a mere trifle . You certainly can't accuse Steve Gutstein of dumbing down.

Ooh this looks interesting! I hadn't heard of RDI,thanks Saker.

it's [email protected] we are sad techno phobes but i will look at it!

Yes Saker did lend me the DVD - it was a bit of a marathon

I have just bought The RDI books, a lot of it is common sense and I was glad to find that some of the techniques (eg funny voices, comical exaggeration)are things that i do instinctively to get attention from all my kids. Working through the exercises is going to be hard unless i can persuade school to let me keep DS2 off school two or three afternoons a week, it would be the only way to get peace and quiet when he is not tired out by school. I am basically using RDI as part of a mix and match social and emotional training programme to be done by me as the provision from schools and SLTs seem to be paltry. I hope it works even though i will have to do it non-intensively but my son only has mild AS so fingers crossed. I am interested to hear what has worked for others,

Allytjd - I think the books are greatly outdated now although the general idea is the same. But rather than RDI being a series of exercises to work through it is seen more as a "lifestyle" therapy that you try to incorporate into lots of things you do. For example, our current objective is to get Ds2 to orientate to our faces as a precursor to referencing (ie obtaining information from our faces). We might work on this while loading the washing machine - I pass him a piece of laundry and he puts it in the machine. As I pass it I make a silly noise, or I wrap it round my head to highlight my face (choose your washing carefully) or I play peekaboo behind it. To start with he was so absorbed with the task that he hardly looked up but now he is much more interested in what I am doing and looks at me lots more. So the silly faces etc thing can still be part of it but there are ways to incorporate it into life without having to take your kids out of school! If you can manage to get to the 2 day I would really recommend it even if you don't intend to work with a consultant because it will give you a much clearer idea of RDI than the books. Tbh I don't think they should still be selling those books as they can be misleading.

Luckylady - I just emailed you.