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The Cumberland County Autism Society is looking for autistic children to participate in an intensive early intervention program at Cape Fear Children’s Center in Spring Lake.
The program is being offered to 10 children ages 16 months to 48 months who have been diagnosed with — or determined to be at risk for — an autism spectrum disorder.
Early intervention has been shown to lead to a better prognosis for autistic children, said John Thomas, a spokesman for the Autism Society of North Carolina, which is funding the program.
Thomas said children in counties surrounding Cumberland are also eligible to apply for the program.
The program begins Jan. 7 and ends June 27. Developmental assessments and parent participation orientation began Dec. 7. A $100-per-month fee for the service will apply, but some scholarships are available, said Anna Finch, president of the Autism Society of Cumberland County.
Children will participate in classes from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Transportation help is available. Parents are required to commit an hour per day of at-home participation.
Finch said Cumberland was one of three counties that each received $375,000 in funding for the pilot program from the Autism Society of North Carolina. Wake and Guilford were the other counties.
The county won’t receive the money if the local autism society doesn’t find 10 children to participate in the program, Finch said. The Autism Society of Cumberland County got involved in looking for the children only very recently, she said.
“This is such a wonderful opportunity for families, something that was certainly not available when my son was that age,” said Finch, the mother of a 19-year-old autistic man. “We clearly know that there is a need for programs such as these, but finding and identifying these families can sometimes be a challenge.”
Contact information
For an application or more information about the Autism Early Intervention Model program, call the Easter Seals United Cerebral Palsy Cape Fear Children’s Center at 910-436-1211.
source Fayettevill NC Observer www.fayobserver.com on 12/29/07
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