11/04/2021
April is Autism Awareness Month and as parents and caretakers of children/young adults with autism, we know that it takes a lot of support to see progress in their development. Here are a few intervention strategies to consider (if you're not already engaged in them).
Occupational Therapy
This type of therapy helps with activities of daily living and the use of everyday objects, such as learning to button a shirt or hold a fork properly. But it can involve anything related to school, work or play. The focus depends on the child’s needs and goals.
Speech Therapy
This helps children with speaking, as well as communicating and interacting with others. It can involve non-verbal skills, like making eye contact, taking turns in a conversation, and using and understanding gestures. It might also teach kids to express themselves using picture symbols, sign language, or computers.
To be most effective, speech therapists need to work closely with parents and teachers to practice these skills in daily life.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
This type of therapy uses rewards to reinforce positive behaviors and teach new skills. Parents and other caregivers are trained so they can give the autistic child moment-by-moment feedback.
Treatment goals are based on the individual. They might include communication, social skills, personal care, and school work. Studies show children who receive early, intensive ABA can make big, lasting gains.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
This form of therapy teaches children to trade pictures for items or activities. The system is designed for those who don’t speak, can’t understand, or are difficult to understand. PECS may not work for kids who don’t try to communicate or aren’t interested in particular objects, activities or food. A review of research on PECS found that those who used it had some improvements in communication but little or no gains in speech.
