The Nurse Practitioner and the Child with Asperger's Syndrome
The Nurse Practitioner and the Child with Asperger's Syndrome
The purpose of this article is to describe the role nurse practitioners can play in the diagnosis, early intervention, and coordination of care for children with Asperger's Syndrome and their families. The article outlines strategies for how nurse practitioners in both school and primary care settings can use the Individualized Educational Plan as a mechanism where they may join an interdisciplinary team of professionals and parents. Nurse practitioners can assist parents, children, and school personnel in planning, intervening, and coordinating services for these families and their children, who are at risk for academic failure and social isolation. J Pediatr Health Care. (2008) 22, 111-119.
Establishing an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with special health care needs can be a challenging process for all involved. Children with a pervasive developmental disorder such as Asperger's Syndrome (AS) often are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and overlooked. There are a number of ways in which nurse practitioners (NPs) can play a role in the school and/or primary care setting in attending to the needs of children with AS and their families. Early identification of AS, effective monitoring and screening, and health promotion in primary care and school settings comprise the elements of this role. The purpose of this article is to describe the role NPs can play in helping families and children at risk for social isolation and academic failure due to behavioral characteristics associated with AS.
The purpose of this article is to describe the role nurse practitioners can play in the diagnosis, early intervention, and coordination of care for children with Asperger's Syndrome and their families. The article outlines strategies for how nurse practitioners in both school and primary care settings can use the Individualized Educational Plan as a mechanism where they may join an interdisciplinary team of professionals and parents. Nurse practitioners can assist parents, children, and school personnel in planning, intervening, and coordinating services for these families and their children, who are at risk for academic failure and social isolation. J Pediatr Health Care. (2008) 22, 111-119.
Establishing an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with special health care needs can be a challenging process for all involved. Children with a pervasive developmental disorder such as Asperger's Syndrome (AS) often are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and overlooked. There are a number of ways in which nurse practitioners (NPs) can play a role in the school and/or primary care setting in attending to the needs of children with AS and their families. Early identification of AS, effective monitoring and screening, and health promotion in primary care and school settings comprise the elements of this role. The purpose of this article is to describe the role NPs can play in helping families and children at risk for social isolation and academic failure due to behavioral characteristics associated with AS.
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