Criteria for Eligibility


Age: 3 – 22

Diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder including Autistic, Autistic-like, Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD), PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Disorder.

Consistent with recent understanding, the Boston Higashi School serves students with diagnoses along the Autism Spectrum. Such diagnoses include Autism, Autistic-like, PDD-NOS, and Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as older terms still sometimes used such as the general term PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), Infantile Autism or Classic Autism or newer terms not yet included in DSM IV but in common use such as High Functioning Autism, Social-Communication Disorder, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.

Students with any of these conditions, which have in common the defining triad of impairments in the areas of socialization, communication, flexibility and imagination, may meet the criteria for eligibility for the Boston Higashi School. The DSM-IV Text Revision, published in 2000, provides narrative descriptions of the defining features that characterize many of these conditions.

“Pervasive Developmental Disorders are characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development: reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills, or the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests and activities. The qualitative impairments that define theses conditions are distinctly deviant relative to the individual’s developmental level or mental age.”

In addition, however, many other features are now also recognized as important characteristics that must be considered for individuals with Autism Spectrum disorders. It is now explicitly recognized that many such individuals experience difficulties with their perception and integration of sensations. They may be generally under-reactive (hypo-sensitive) or over-reactive (hyper-sensitive) or they may experience difficulties in one or more specific modalities but not in others. A single individual may be hypersensitive in one or more areas, such as to tastes/food textures and sounds, but hyposensitive in other areas, such as reactivity to pain.

Similarly, individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders may have deficits in various aspects of gross and/or fine motor development. Movement disorder issues include difficulties with balance, with coordination, with judgment, with attention and awareness of one’s own body boundaries and of oneself in space, with clumsiness in large muscle activities as well as in eye-hand coordination for skills needed for daily living, for academic learning, or for play. Speech production as well as the ability to chew one’s food can be affected.
Other areas recognized as having a continuum from mild to severe deficit as part of Autism Spectrum Disorder are activity level, level of anxiety, and cognitive capability. While some students may be quite passive, others are seen as being extremely hyperactive. Many students react with overt anxiety to new situations, loud noises, transitions, or changes in routines but others show this by irritability, tantrums, stereotypical behaviors, aggression, or oppositional-defiant attitudes. Intellectual capabilities of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder can run the entire range as well as including those with general retardation but splinter savant skills.

Although at times individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder are given specific additional diagnoses such as ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, the frequency with which these features characterize those with ASD make it useful to see them as associated and common aspects of ASD which must be addressed educationally.

Students with Asperger’s Disorder show specific patterns of strengths and deficits that tend to differentiate them from others along the autistic continuum. Socially, they may be more aware of peers and desire interactions and friendships, but lack the skills to interact appropriately. In communication, they may be quite verbal but lack comprehension commensurate with their apparent fluency. They may tend to think in a literal fashion and may therefore fail to understand humor, sarcasm, or idioms as well as the non-verbal cues of facial expression or body language. They may become stuck only pursuing their own interests rather than responding mutually in social interactions or be overly naïve and misinterpret social situations.

Students whose diagnosis falls within the category of Autism Spectrum Disorder, as described above, are eligible to apply for admission to the Boston Higashi School. The Boston Higashi School does not have treatment facilities for students with mental health diagnoses and emotional disturbances or conduct disorders. Additionally, students must be able to fully participate in the vigorous physical education and group dynamic program that underlie the methodology of Daily Life Therapy ® Admission decisions are made on an individual basis and are reviewed as circumstances change. The Boston Higashi School does not discriminate on the basis of a student’s race, color, sex, national origin, age, or sexual orientation.

Facts:
The American Academy of Pediatrics promulgates these important facts:
• Autism Spectrum disorder now affects 1 out of every 100 children
• ASD is a disorder of brain development, not a specific disease
• The importance of early diagnosis cannot be overemphasized as early intervention is associated with improved long-term outcomes

It is also generally recognized that:
• ASD is a life-long developmental disability
• ASD is 4 times more common in boys than girls
• ASD occurs all around the world and in all socioeconomic groups
• With appropriate education, individuals with autism can lead dignified, productive lives in their communities and strive to reach their fullest potential

Admissions:
The admissions process consists first of a referral stage during which the source of the referral (typically school or parent) application forms, medical forms, prior evaluations, assessments and IEPs, funding information, and a current video are submitted and reviewed. A school tour will be offered to parents and child if not previously conducted.

The second stage consists of an interview with the parents and time for exploration and evaluation for the student with Higashi staff in various activities and classroom settings. We may request additional information or an additional visit day if the one visit was not sufficient. Residential applicants will have an opportunity to meet with residential staff and tour the residence as well as interview with day program staff. Students are admitted on a rolling admissions basis, therefore applications are reviewed throughout the year.

An admissions decision is typically made within seven to fourteen days following completion of the process. The Admissions Coordinator will contact the referral source when the decision is made.

Enrollment is contingent upon the completion of various formalities all of which need to be attended to by the contracting parties.


Enrollment will be contingent upon:


Permissions and Agreements to be signed prior to enrollment:


The Daily Life Therapy Guidelines book and a School Calendar will be reviewed with parents prior to the student’s enrollment. The “Parents and Staff Partnership” is also discussed. A list of necessary belongings will be sent.

Day of Admission (Welcome to Boston Higashi School!)
Parents will meet with the Admissions Coordinator, Clinical Psychologist, Speech & Language Pathologist, Nurse, Director of Special Education and others as needed to review calendar, guidelines, discuss placement agreement, New Student Assessment and to meet the staff. The classroom teacher will come to meet the parents and take the student to the classroom.
Parents of residential students will have the opportunity to visit the Residence and set up their child’s room.

After Admission
Parents of residential students will be called the day of enrollment, by the classroom and residential teacher, to let them know about their child’s first day and again to update them within the first week. Parents and Staff will work out a convenient time in which they can telephone their child or their child’s teachers.

Parents of day students will maintain communication with the classroom teacher via daily notebooks and/or direct conferences.