Welcome to the Online Parent Training in Early Intervention (OPT-In-Early). Please read this introduction all the way through before starting this program!
OPT-In-Early is mainly for caregivers of children aged 1 to 5 years old who may have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or another developmental condition. It is designed to help you teach important skills to your child. It will also help you understand and manage behaviors that may interfere with your child’s learning and interactions with others.
The program is also for children who do not have a diagnosis, but for whom caregivers or physicians suspect ASD or another developmental condition. Parents of children not suspected of having a developmental condition like ASD, but who may be slow to learn certain skills or have social challenges, may also find some of this material useful.
We focus on children aged 1-5 years. But- parents of older children will also find useful material. For older children, caregivers might want to start with basic principles (Modules 2 and 3). Then decide on skills you can teach your child using these principles.
Some children will have therapists or other clinicians to work with them. If so, we encourage you to talk to them with any questions or concerns about OPT-In-Early. Your child’s provider might use a different approach.
Many caregivers who are concerned about their child’s development cannot get professional intervention for their child as soon as they would like, if at all. Web-based parent training like this program is not a substitute for professional intervention. However, you may be able to give your child a head start on learning and development by using the basic teaching methods discussed here.
If you are concerned about your child’s development, try to get the child to see a doctor if you have not already done so. This could be a pediatrician, psychologist, or psychiatrist. In general, it does not help to wait and see what happens. It is often the case that children who receive the help they need early in life make faster progress.
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We have created this material from research that we and others have done, and from our years of clinical experience. If you would like to learn a little more about us, please go to Meet the Experts.
About half of the modules use “he” and half use “she.” But please remember that we are always talking about both boys and girls. Also, we use the words “autism” and “ASD” to mean the same thing.
This Online Parent Training in Early Behavioral Intervention (OPT-In-Early) program was developed by UConn faculty and their colleagues with a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. We are extremely grateful for this funding, and for the help of the children, parents and therapists you will see in the video clips and photographs.
If you want more information about OPT-In-Early, please email the principal Investigator, Dr. Deborah Fein at deborah.fein@uconn.edu.
Copyright 2024 Dr. Deborah Fein and Dr. Lynn Brennan