Who are the professionals I may encounter?

An advocate is a person who helps families of children with special needs to identify and obtain special educational, social and recreational services, support and programming.  A good advocate should be trained in advocacy and understand the local and federal special education laws, as well as be knowledgeable about your school district.

Aide (See educational aides)

An assistive and augmentative communication (AAC) specialist is a professional who evaluates and teaches nonverbal children or those whose spoken language is not adequate for meeting their educational and social and emotional needs how to use alternative methods, such as letter, word, picture and symbol boards and books, as well as high-tech electronic devices.  AAC specialists also train family members and consult to schools on the effective use and programming of communication devices.

An audiologist is a health care professional who tests hearing ability.

A behavior specialist teaches children and adolescents how to behave in socially acceptable and appropriate ways.  Using one specific approach or a variety of techniques, this person may also consult parents and educators in order to design behavioral plans, modify language and other communication methods and alter the home and classroom environment in order to elicit positive behaviors, such as improved attention, learning and cooperation.

A board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) is one type of behavior specialist who has completed training, including graduate-level course work and a certain number of supervised hours working in an educational setting, and passed a certification exam in applied behavior analysis. (Many behavior specialists have taken courses and have training and experience in similar methods but have not met all the requirements for board certification.)

A behavioral optometrist works with people who have visual challenges, such as focusing, or who have difficulty in tracking printed material.  The behavioral optometrist will often prescribe specific visual exercises, altering lighting and positioning, and modifying the environment for optimal visual processing and learning.   A clinical mental health counselor (CMHC) is a professional, affiliated with a clinic or in private practice, who may specialize in working with children with disabilities and other special needs and their families.  (In Massachusetts, a licensed mental health counselor [LMHC] is required to complete a certain number of graduate–level courses and supervised training/counseling hours in addition to passing a licensing exam.)

A behavioral/developmental pediatrician is a specialist who has additional medical/developmental training and is board-certified, specializing in the behavior, health and development of children with developmental disabilities.

A DIR/Floortime specialist is an individual with training in the guiding principles and interventions pioneered by Stanley Greenspan, MD, and Serena Wieder, PhD. Rather than focusing on and treating only the symptoms of ASD-DIR (which stands for Developmental – Individual Differences – Relationship-based), works with each child’s underlying processing differences, teaching language and interaction through relationships and play and involves emotions as well as cognitive skills.

Educational aides or assistants:

A dedicated or one-on-one aide is a person assigned to work with and support one specific student for all or part of the school day.

A classroom aide assists teachers and students in a class who may require additional instruction or support in academic, social, recreational and self-help skills.

A shared aide most often works with two or three students who need some additional support, but do not require 100 percent of a person’s attention for the entire school day.

A feeding specialist/feeding team are individuals or groups of specialists who help identify feeding problems and teach parents and educators how to work toward solving them.

A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating problems of the digestive system. 

A geneticist is a doctor who specializes in identifying and helping patients and their families understand and manage disorders and conditions that are caused by differences in a person’s genes.

A genetic counselor is a health care professional with training in both genetics and counseling techniques who helps families understand the causes and risk factors of genetic problems.  This person often counsels families regarding prenatal testing and other procedures when they are considering having more children, especially when there is a known risk factor.

A home trainer is a person who works with your child and often with other family members at home on a regular basis, rather than meeting at a clinic or in school.  A home trainer may have a background and training in special education, psychology, including behavioral techniques, occupational therapy or other therapeutic interventions and can help your child acquire academic, daily living and social skills, as well as provide parent training and advice.

An inclusion specialist is an educational professional who consults to classroom teachers and other school staff regarding methods for educating both typically developing students and those with special needs in the same classroom for all or part of the day.

An interpreter is a person who speaks the primary language of the patient and family and has training and experience in translating language related to the patient’s medical care or education. An interpreter should accompany and translate for a non-English speaking family at medical appointments, assessments and educational meetings so that terminology and information, such as a diagnosis or instructions for taking medication, are fully understood by those responsible for implementing it.  Written instructions in the patient’s primary language should also be provided whenever possible.

A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the functioning of the brain and diagnosing problems of the central nervous system. If a child is suspected of having had a seizure, has lost language or previously mastered skills or is experiencing other problems, such as double vision or a sudden and severe change in behavior or affect, a neurologist should be consulted.

Neuropsychologist (See psychologists)

Nutritionist (See registered dietitian)

An occupational therapist (OT) is a health care professional who helps children with fine motor skills and motor planning.  These may include improving pencil grip and writing, keyboarding, using utensils, dressing, including buttoning, snapping and zipping, and other daily living and play skills. OTs can be very helpful to parents and classroom teachers, as they keep up to date on the latest devices, therapeutic equipment and materials and developmentally appropriate toys. (See also sensory integration specialist)

An opthamologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating vision problems and diseases of the eyes. 

Optometrist (See behavioral optometrist)

An otolaryngologist (ORL) is a doctor who specializes in problems of the ears, nose and throat; for example, frequent ear or sinus infections, bronchitis and sleep apnea. 

A pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in caring for a child’s basic health care needs, such as regular check-ups, immunizations and typical illnesses. Your pediatrician may have specialized knowledge and training in a specific area or refer your child to specialists for some care.

A child psychiatrist is a medical professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating the emotional and behavioral problems of children, such as anxiety, mood disorders and ADHD, including prescribing medication if necessary.

Psychologists:

A clinical psychologist diagnoses and works with children with emotional, behavioral or learning problems. Psychologists do not prescribe medication.

A behavioral/developmental psychologist specializes in working with infants and children with developmental challenges and disabilities.

A neuropsychologist works with works with children and adolescents who have developmental disabilities, learning problems or other thinking and processing disorders due to known or suspected damage or differences in their central nervous system.

A personal care assistant (PCA) is person who assists individuals with disabilities and helps them participate more fully in daily living tasks, such as dressing, personal hygiene, eating, getting around in the community, enjoying leisure activities and socializing.  

A psychopharmacologist is a psychiatrist who specializes in the use of medication as part of a treatment plan for various conditions, such as anxiety or depression. A Pediatric psychopharmacologist has particular expertise in evaluating and treating children and adolescents.

A physical therapist (PT) evaluates and works with children to develop gross motor skills, strength and balance and improve function.

A registered dietitian evaluates and treats children who have problems with their diet, eating, growth or weight gain.

An RDI specialist, a relative newcomer in the autism field, is a specially trained provider who works with children to develop and enhance the core deficits of autism.  The letters stand for Relational, Developmental, Individual Differences.  The approach incorporates fun, games and high affect as a method for engaging children who have difficulty with communication and social interactions.

A resource specialist helps families identify appropriate resources – in the community, nationally and on the internet.  These may include, but are not limited to, books and articles, medical and therapeutic organizations and individuals, support groups, recreational and leisure activities, conferences and training programs.  You will find such an individual at a clinic or hospital, an autism support center or within another organization.

A respite worker provides care for your child with ASD so that parents can have a break or care for and spend time alone with their other children. Not every respite worker has specific training in caring for children with ASD, so it will be important to identify those who are knowledgeable and experienced.

A sensory integration (SI) specialist is a professional, usually an occupational therapist, who has specialized training and experience in helping children overcome or cope better with sensory issues, such as sensitivity to sound, light, or textures of materials and clothing, crowds of people and excessive movement, among other stimuli.  Providing a SI program or “sensory diet” helps many children become calmer, more focused, less agitated and able to learn.

A social worker meets with and advises families on ways to access health care and related services, cope with difficult personal or family circumstances or “troubleshoot” specific situations that arise. Social workers are often well informed regarding state and community resources.

A special education attorney specializes in the state and federal laws related to a child’s education and access to appropriate programs and services.  Both families and schools work with special education attorneys to protect and advocate for their own interests when there is a discrepancy between what the school and family feels constitutes an appropriate educational program or placement for a child.  

The special education director manages the district’s special education programs and services, including staffing, structural and financial aspects.

The special education administrator reports to the Special Education Director and handles the logistics and perhaps the scheduling and day-to-day operations of the special education department.

A speech and language pathologist (or therapist) is a professional who identifies and treats children with expressive and receptive language problems as well as other difficulties with communication.  This may include play and pragmatic language skills, working with symbolic communication, such as PECS, and determining if additional specialists, such as an AAC specialist, need to evaluate the child.

A social skills specialist (or facilitator) is a person, sometimes a speech therapist, psychologist or counselor, who works with one child or groups of children to develop age-appropriate, interactive, conversational and play skills. A social skills specialist may work in a school system but most often is in private practice and consults to schools and families.  The social skills specialist uses social games, music, drama, role-playing, team sports and even electronic toys and activities in order to get children connected and engaged with each other.

Much of the information in this section was derived from Cerebral Palsy: A Resource Guide for Families. Boston: Center for Families, Children’s Hospital, 2000.