Autism impacts all of us. Children and adults who have a diagnosis on the “autism spectrum” are attending school, working and playing with us. In less severe cases, we may not even recognize that this is so—and may not know the struggles that individuals with these disorders (and their families) are facing. Today we speak with Alice Chaplick and Dr. Matthew Siegel, a psychiatrist at Spring Harbor Hospital, about their experiences with autism, so that we may better understand this important issue.
Guests
Alice Chaplick
Alice Chaplick works at BOOTH Maine. She has a B.A. in psychology and elementary education and an M.S. in education. She has three children and five years ago, her youngest, Aidin, was diagnosed with autism when he was 18 months old. Since then Alice has been proactive in early intervention programs and treatments and has seen positive improvements in his health and well-being.
Dr. Matthew Siegel
Dr. Matthew Siegel is the director of the developmental disorders program of Maine Behavioral Healthcare. This program is the only of its kind in Maine that serves youth ages 5 to 21 who have mental illnesses and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.