Supporting kids with developmental disabilities
Oakville’s Monarch House is a unique pediatric treatment centre that is now filling the therapy and educational gap for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other behavioural, communication and learning challenges.
An early start
It is important to start interventions for autism when the child is young because research shows the value of early, intensive ABA (applied behaviour analysis). So, Monarch’s no-waiting-list policy for timely diagnostic services is helpful for parents who are concerned and looking for quick, personalized support and assistance.
In addition to providing medical expertise and timely state-of-the art services, Monarch House offers a seamless, family-centric approach that welcomes family involvement with guidance, critical interventions, self-help and coping skills, group therapy and facilitation of peer connections. Learning sessions involve both fine and gross motor skills, play skills, and ongoing lifelong daily living and vocational skills.
Monarch House is part of the CBI Health Group, an interconnected
network of clinical experts dedicated to the advancement of evidence-based best practices and serving its local communities. It has six existing locations in British Columbia.
“We know that as children grow up and go through different stages, the family’s needs will also change,” says Christopher Szybbo, CEO of CBI Health Group. “It’s in our company’s DNA to make sure we have a long-term, positive impact on holistic health outcomes for everyone. Our rehab experts follow a very collaborative, integrated approach to develop a strong relationship with the child as well as his
or her parents and siblings,”
Options and results
Every youngster has access to an interdisciplinary team that can follow them as they transition from infancy, through their primary school and teen years and into adulthood. “From an early stage, Monarch House really inspires parents by giving them more options and by aligning resources more efficiently to support successful results,” says Szybbo. “Our goal is to understand individual capacity and needs relative to available resources.”
While obtaining funding can be challenging and different from family to family, Szybbo says there the team considers the practical realities in each. But, at the end of the day, it is Monarch’s goal to find
innovative ways to bridge any gaps, navigate the funding system and provide day-to-day administrative support.
