Military parents with special needs children aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico got a rare opportunity to learn from autism expert, Dr. Hanna Rue, executive director of the National Autism Center, during a two-day seminar Jan. 27–28, at the McHugh Woods Community Center.

The seminar, which tackled handling challenging behavior with children who have autism spectrum disorders, was free, thanks to efforts by Quantico’s Exceptional Family Member Program. Monique O’Neil, program manager, said while seeking additional education avenues for parents, she stumbled upon a grant opportunity through "Autism Speaks," the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization.

The program awarded the National Autism Center, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit, a $25,000 grant to educate military families on autism and Quantico was one of five military installation recipients. Considering the Marine Corps’ reduced budget, O’Neil said the news couldn’t have come at a better time.

"When the grant became available, I contacted the organization and asked if Quantico met the criteria and luckily we were in early enough to take advantage of the opportunity," O’Neil said. "In these economic times with funding being tightened in the Marine Corps and across DOD, we have to be proactive and make sure we’re tracking funds everywhere."

During the course, Rue taught parents how to conceptualize autistic behavior and evidence-based intervention techniques that can be applied at home. She also debunked common myths that can be costly, but yield no proven result, such as blindly buying gluten-free products or using sensory objects to cure or treat autism.

"Put your energy and money into what you know is going to work — don’t go run to the grocery store and go gluten-free just because your child is autistic, instead work with a medical professional to see what your child needs," Rue said.

Additionally, she said sensory stimulation, like touching textured surfaces or smelling a calming aroma is great, but shouldn’t be expected to change behavior, as it hasn’t been proven to treat or cure autism.

Parents were encouraged to find their child’s motivation, which can be items or people they enjoy. By using a child’s motivation to play with certain toy or engage in a particular activity, Rue said parents can begin to influence their child’s behavior.

Even though the needs of autistic children vary, Traci Norris, a Marine spouse who was one of 15 attendants, said the lessons were beneficial to everyone.

"Everyone in here has a different experience, because autism is different for everybody," Norris said. "With the information she’s given us, each of us can tweak it in a way that works for our own child."

For Staff Sgt. Jose Perez, administrative analyst at Manpower and Reserve Affairs, it was just good to know others shared similar trials.

"You get to talk to other families about what goes on in their lives and realize you’re not the only one out there," Perez said. "At times, when you have an autistic child, it seems like you’re alone, but I learned a lot of great ideas here from the instructor and families, just simple stuff to change that you don’t even think about."

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Fort Eustis were also recipients of the grant-funded seminar.