The Dakota Center’s Philosophy

       Children with Autism, Aspergers, ADD/HD, Sensory Integration Disorder, NLD and other developmental delays are troubled by a multitude of similar and shared problems. They have trouble with attention, focus, social communication, social understanding, sensory processing, emotional regulation and many other issues. These “deficits” affect their ability to control their behavior, to develop relationships, to have “emotional sharing” with parents and peers, and to fully feel the rewards of being engaged and part of a relationship.

       Typical children learn from the interactions they have with parents and peers as they grow up. They automatically learn to read facial expression, to listen for tone of voice, how to engage another in shared play and to see the needs and desires of others as within themselves. Children with developmental delays do not naturally see and understand these human cues. They are overwhelmed by the mystery of human interactions and sensory overloads. Dr. Temple Grandin PhD, Professor at Colorado University, and one of the most famous and successful autistic adults, writes in her book "Thinking in Pictures" that she was overload by external stimuli, and that she did not even know until age 40 that faces express hidden communication. These things contributed to her early behavior problems. She over came them through learning why others acted the way they did, learning new ways to interact and the relief of sensory issues.

      At the Dakota Center we use several techniques to help these children to function at their full potential. We teach, redirect, and resolve the deficits that limit the child’s ability to function calmly, joyfully and with expected behaviors.

       We teach children with Developmental Delays to understand and relate to their world. We believe that the unwanted behaviors that these children express are not “Behavior” problems but they are the result of deficits in Social Understanding and Thinking, Sensory Integration problems and other problems that result in the unwanted behavior. Because of this we do not treat behavior with rewards or consequences but with resolving the underlining problems that cause the behavior. We teach them better ways of thinking and we resolve the internal and external problems that prevent them from functioning in a calm, happy and joyful way. We teach them interactive play, social understanding and redirect them toward Flexible and Appropriate behavior.  We teach them about unspoken meanings in social relationships, resulting in reduced frustration and anger with their peers and parents. Teaching why others act, talk and function differently reduces the confusion and frustrations and resolves the loneliness of not being able to make friends.