The early start denver model (ESDM)

The Early Start DenverModel (ESDM; Rogers and Dawson in The Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism: Promoting Language, Learning, and Engagement. Guilford Press, New York, 2010) is an evidence-based early intervention designed to promote developmental and social communication skills in young childrenwith autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 12 and 60 months. The ESDM is characterized as a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI; Schreibman et al. in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 45(8):2411-2428, 2015), indicating that it shares commonalities with a number of similar types of early interventions including delivery in natural contexts, shared control between the child and clinician, and use of behavioral principles/natural contingencies. The ESDM is particularly well suited for an interdisciplinary approach to care for young children on the autism spectrum given that it promotes the development of an interdisciplinary treatment team, benefits from collaboration across disciplines, and values the input of varied perspectives. Several other ways in which the ESDM approach provides a range of opportunities to collaborate and coordinate interdisciplinary care are described throughout the chapter.

Duke Scholars

Author Geraldine Dawson Psychiatry, Child & Family Mental Health & Community Psychia ...