Dr. Amy Tanner
Pediatric Autism Consultant, Behaviour Analyst & Parent Coach
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited-Plutarch
The SPARC
Pre-Diagnostic Intervention for Infants and Toddlers showing signs of Autism or Developmental Delays
A 12-session parent coaching curriculum for infants 0-24 months
When early signs emerge, we don’t have to wait to begin supporting development.
The SPARC is designed for infants showing early characteristics of autism or developmental delay, with intervention beginning during a period of rapid brain development and neuroplasticity.
The SPARC focuses on:
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Social engagement & connection
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Expressive & receptive communication
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Imitation & early learning
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Gestures & joint attention
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Babbling & early language
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Play & exploration
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Building foundational developmental skills
Using a parent-coaching model, you’ll learn practical strategies to create meaningful learning opportunities within the moments already happening every day — playing, feeding, getting dressed, reading, singing and simply being together.
Coaching sessions · Virtual worldwide · In-person in Vancouver, BC
Engaging in targeted activities and therapies during this time can maximize the brain's natural plasticity, setting the stage for optimal development and reducing the need for more intensive interventions later on.
The Brain from 0-2 years of Age
A baby is born with
100 BILLION neurons
Each neuron will make about 25,000 neural connections
Therefore, a baby is making 7 million neural connections every SECOND from birth to 2 years of age
Enriched Learning Through Play:
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Instructional Lessons: Each session begins with a new topic introduction.
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Video Modelling: Demonstrations to visualize techniques and strategies.
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Practice and Feedback: Hands-on practice during sessions with professional feedback.
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Play-Based Approach: Focused on creating joyful and meaningful interactions.
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Daily Routines Integration: Easily fits into your child's everyday life.
Skills Development Focus:
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Foundational Skills: Builds on social, communicative, and cognitive abilities.
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Imitation and Interaction: Teaches the art of mirroring and shared gesture language.
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Environmental Enrichment: Guides in setting up an optimal learning environment.
Every Month Counts!
The Infant Brain Is Built for Rapid Change
In the initial months of infancy, a baby's brain is a hotbed of neural plasticity, creating millions of synaptic connections that lay the groundwork for all future cognitive, emotional, and motor development. This rapid phase of growth results in the neural circuitry evolving from a sparse to a dense and complex network. As the brain's architecture becomes more established, altering and adapting these neural pathways becomes a more challenging endeavor, requiring greater effort and specialized intervention. This underscores the importance of pre-diagnostic intervention, capitalizing on this precious and fleeting period of brain development. Engaging in targeted activities and therapies during this time can maximize the brain's natural plasticity, setting the stage for optimal development and reducing the need for more intensive interventions later on. Early intervention, especially before a formal diagnosis, is crucial in leveraging this critical window of brain development. By intervening pre-diagnostically, we can effectively guide and enhance this natural process of neural expansion, laying down a solid foundation for lifelong learning and adaptation.