Autism Spectrum Disorder
People with autism spectrum disorder and what was previously known as Asperger’s have several areas of vulnerability, including:
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Difficulties with language and social communication, especially conversation
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Rigid, inflexible thinking and behavior
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Difficulties with social interaction, especially with peers
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Difficulties with emotional regulation
Autism, high functioning autism, Twice Exceptional or "2E", or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS) are specific forms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In our practice, we think of autism spectrum disorders as a kind of learning disability. In our view, the unusual behaviors in autism spectrum disorder are attempts to manage a world that often feels overwhelming due to difficulties in the brain in processing social, sensory, and emotional experience. There are effective treatments, but it is essential to start with a thorough specialized evaluation, as soon as possible.
You have come to the right place for help with Autism Spectrum Disorder and what was previously labeled Aspergers.
Assessment
Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Aspergers are not all alike. Some may behave and interact well with an interested adult in a quiet office. We have seen many kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Aspergers misdiagnosed or unrecognized for years. Parents and teachers are left in the dark and the child does not get the help he needs. We have even some adults with Aspergers disorder whose struggles were never understood. In our practice, you will have our experience with Autism Spectrum Disorder and what was previously called Aspergers to help you understand your child’s struggles, and a detailed qEEG brain map interpreted by a team of professionals well recognized for their contribution to the body of research in existence.
There are many ways to support a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and every child responds differently. That is why we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.
Following a comprehensive evaluation, we develop an individualized program that may include NeuroTiming™ training using Interactive Metronome®, therapeutic listening programs, primitive reflex integration, sensory-motor exercises, photobiomodulation (low-level laser therapy), and home-based activities designed to strengthen the brain systems involved in attention, regulation, communication, movement, and learning.
Rather than attempting to "treat autism," our goal is to improve the underlying skills that make everyday life easier—helping children become calmer, more organized, better regulated, and more available for learning and social interaction.
Many families report improvements in areas such as:
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Attention and sustained focus
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Processing speed
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Motor planning and coordination
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Bilateral integration
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Timing and rhythm
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Sensory regulation
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Emotional regulation
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Executive functioning
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Social engagement
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Communication readiness
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Independence in daily activities
Because every nervous system is unique, recommendations are tailored to the individual child's strengths, challenges, and goals.
Treatment
Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder
It’s not easy to raise children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They are in their own world much of the time. They often do not really seem to connect with you or seek or even accept your guidance and care. They can be rigid and tense. Most have frequent meltdowns. Even though you may understand that these difficulties come from Autism Spectrum Disorder, there may be times when you find yourself feeling sad, frustrated, angry, and guilty. Often parents disagree on how to handle the challenges associated with raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many parents feel isolated and alone. You surely worry about the future.
Maintaining a strong partnership and supportive social network is critical to the family’s well-being, and we see multiple family members concurrently, training individual neural networks for the family’s optimal stress management and performance.
NeuroTiming™ Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder
One of the core therapies we utilize is NeuroTiming™, our clinical application of millisecond timing and rhythm training using Interactive Metronome®.
Research increasingly demonstrates that precise timing is fundamental to how the brain coordinates movement, attention, language, executive function, and social communication. Children with autism frequently demonstrate differences in timing, synchronization, motor planning, and sensory integration. Training these foundational timing networks may improve the efficiency with which different regions of the brain communicate.
Interactive Metronome provides real-time feedback measured in milliseconds while a child performs carefully designed movement activities. Through thousands of repetitions, the brain practices becoming more accurate and more efficient, strengthening the timing networks that support learning, regulation, and daily function.
Unlike simply practicing a skill, NeuroTiming provides immediate feedback on the precision of each movement, allowing the nervous system to continuously adjust and improve.
Therapeutic Listening
Many children on the autism spectrum also experience differences in sensory processing, auditory processing, and autonomic regulation.
Depending on a child's needs, we may incorporate evidence-informed listening programs such as Therapeutic Listening®, Integrated Listening System (iLs®), The Listening Program®, or the Safe and Sound Protocol® as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
These programs are designed to support sensory processing, self-regulation, auditory processing, and nervous system organization. Emerging research suggests that, when appropriately integrated into therapy, listening interventions may help improve emotional regulation, social engagement, and sensory processing for some children, although research is still evolving and outcomes vary between individuals.
Listening therapies are never used in isolation. Instead, they are combined with movement, timing, sensory integration, and functionally-based strategies to create meaningful changes in everyday life.
Assessment
Every program begins with understanding why a child is struggling.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are incredibly diverse. Some communicate well but struggle socially. Others experience significant sensory sensitivities, emotional dysregulation, motor coordination challenges, or executive functioning difficulties.
Our assessment combines a detailed developmental history, clinical consultation and review of systems, and quantitative EEG (qEEG) brain mapping to better understand patterns of brain function. While qEEG is not used to diagnose autism, it provides objective information about how different brain networks are functioning and helps guide individualized recommendations.
Rather than treating a diagnosis, we identify the systems that need support.
See the problem, then correct it.
Neuroscience is increasingly showing the basis in the brain for Autism Spectrum Disorders. In fact, in a small study we completed with colleagues at the NYU Brain Research Center, qEEG identified subjects with ASD more accurately than the very best behavioral measure. Although more research is necessary, this study suggests that the EEG taps into the basis in the brain for ASD.
Medications just treat the symptoms and do not correct the source of the problem in the brain. Our approach is different. We measure brain function with a quantitative EEG brain map, so that you can see the reason for your difficulties. The image below is from the qEEG analysis of one of our clients with autism spectrum disorder. The area in red shows excessive activation in a part the brain’s emotional network. Once we see the source of the problem, we target that area for change through neurofeedback brain training as part of our functional neurology approach (see Integrative Approach tab). This allows you to reshape your brain, not just mask your symptoms.