Kim Downey,

Kim was one of the first in a growing sub-group of our Certified Consultants: Professionals already working with special needs children who discover and embrace the RDI™ Program as a result of having their own child on the spectrum. Kim has worked with special needs children for over 10 years and became certified in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) during her career as a Physical Therapist. In 2002, her son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and Kim shifted her professional focus to the field of autism. The following year she became a Certified RDI™ Program Consultant. Her private practice, “Special Connections L.L.C.” is based in Brookfield, CT.

We interviewed Kim from her home in Brookfield, CT.

Tell us a little about your background working with children with special needs.
Within a year after graduating as a Physical Therapist from Ithaca College in 1988, I started working in the area of pediatrics, which quickly became my primary area of interest. I really enjoyed working with kids who had special needs and I worked with a wide range of developmentally-delayed children. This included working with premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Norwalk Hospital, Birth to Three work in home and daycare settings, public school work from preschool through high school at Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Stamford, and inpatient rehabilitation work at Blythesdale Children’s Hospital. In 1994, I became certified in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), a widely used and well-respected therapy for children and adults with motor deficits stemming from a neurological impairment. The founders of NDT, Dr. Karel and Mrs. Berta Bobath, studied normal child development and had created this treatment program in the 1940's to help improve functional outcomes for children with cerebral palsy, and adults who had experienced a stroke or other brain injury. 

How did you come to learn about the RDI™ Program and become a Certified Consultant?
In 1995 our son Patrick was born.  I started noticing he wasn't interacting with other children very often when he was about 15 months old. But it was obvious he was very precocious with learning letters, shapes, numbers, colors etc. Because of this I started reading about the gifted. By the time he was about 24 months, I started to notice some autistic-like tendencies, but he was relating to us and had speech and of course AS was still very new at that time. When he was 6, I read Tony Attwood's book, “Asperger’s Syndrome,” and found myself dog-earing every other page! As I started reading more material on AS, one book which was repeatedly referenced was "Solving the Relationship Puzzle (STRP).” The title intrigued me. I found the book at a conference in Bristol and read most of it by the time I got home! I was very excited.

I realized Dr. Gutstein had done for the social and emotional aspects of neurological impairment what the Bobaths and NDT had done for the physical aspect: investigate the progression of natural development and systematize it into a treatment program. I knew it would help. Coincidentally, just at the time I read STRP, we already had a trip to Houston planned to visit relatives, and we managed to get an initial consultation with Dr. Sheely when we were there. We returned to Houston three months later and she officially diagnosed Patrick as having AS.  With my son on the spectrum, I wanted to learn more about autism and pursue continuing education in the RDI™ Program.

Becoming a Certified Consultant was a natural progression for me. I was used to interacting with children who had special needs, and was very comfortable doing movement activities and working with them in a physical way. I was familiar with using a developmental approach to teach motor skills, and shifted to a developmental approach addressing the cognitive, social and emotional areas.

Tell us a little about your practice:
As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I can relate to other parents who bring their child in for an assessment, having been there myself. While I had planned to concentrate my private practice on working with local families, I was initially contacted by many families in the surrounding states.  Recently, there has been much more local interest in RDI, and I currently have a full caseload, including both local and long distance families.  However, I can't let myself forget why I began RDI in the first place–I have to make sure doing the RDI™ Program with my own son remains a priority. I have structured my practice to alternate between doing a Relationship Development Assessment™ (RDA) one week, and reviewing videotapes the next.

While it's easier for clients to form dyads or to travel for reassessments if they have a local Consultant, distance has not been a major obstacle for the clients I see. We keep in touch by e-mail and phone, and they regularly send me videotapes for review. Actually, even if they're in town, I have clients send tapes, because if they just come to my office, it's an artificial setting. The video gives me a much better idea of what's happening in their lab or lifestyle on a day-to-day basis and I can give them practical help related to their own environment. For example, in one recent video a family sent a lifestyle clip of mom and son loading and unloading the dishwasher. In reviewing this segment, I was able to suggest changes in their physical set-up which made it easier for the son to be successful

You've been active in your community. What's happening there?
In my community work, I have been a member of the CIPT Parent Work Group for the State Department of Education since it was established in 2002, and I also completed training as Parent Advisor through the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center. Local school districts are beginning to express interest in the RDI™ Program, and are requesting presentations for their staff. As a result, I am planning to do a series of school presentations in my area soon.

What has the RDI™ Program meant for your own family and the families in your practice?
I feel that we're more like other families. Patrick is a boy scout and my husband is a den leader. My son has a position in the bell choir and is so proud of himself; he not only has the skills, but also the self-regulation needed to participate. He's also in a dyad and has had some great experiences. He and his friend have had sleepovers, gone on hikes, ridden bikes together, and they really enjoy doing “guy stuff” with my husband. My son feels more competent in many areas: besides learning how to ride a bike, this year he swam out to the dock at our town lake, and he has enjoyed bowling weekly after school, as well as being in our church choir - we are able to be a part of the community and take advantage of more opportunities. When Patrick was younger he rarely played with other children; he mostly wandered around and talked to the adults. Now he frequently asks if his friend can come over to play,and he talks about other kids, something he didn't do before. To see his social motivation is really exciting.

With my clients, I love it when families share their stories with me - things like how they are now able to have enjoyable family experiences that were difficult in the past.  For example, some families have commented that instead of spending most family outing time chasing their child, that they can now visit places like the mall or the zoo more easily, because the child is able to reference and stay with them - often without even needing to hold their hand. I also love it when I hear how a child's teacher comments on positive changes. I feel like I'm able to make a real difference in their lives and in the lives of their families.

Do you have any tips for parents getting involved with the RDI™ Program?
YES! My big tip is for parents to really take the time to prioritize and then to take practical steps to follow through. For example, the RDI™ Program doesn't teach potty training and that may need to be a priority at a given point in time-but when their priority is addressing core deficits of their child's autism, then I do suggest they put most of their resources in that area. In terms of practical steps for following through with an RDI™ Program, I suggest parents make a list of their daily schedule and decide how they are going to incorporate RDI into it. There has to be enough slowing down and creating the time in your life to do RDI.

I also really encourage parents to take advantage of the wonderful resources available, like the Connections Center web site Message Board and the Live Chats or past Chat Transcripts. The Live Chats are great opportunities to learn from Dr. Sheely and Dr. Gutstein and to get support from others, even if parents just "listen in." The On-line Support Groups are also a tremendous resource and I strongly encourage parents to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them.

Kim can be reached at:
Email: kimdowney@charter.net