- Early intervention autism therapy can begin as early as 18 months and can span until 3 years of age, and can form the cornerstone of a lifetime of learning and social development in a child with autism.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is among the most evidence-based autism treatment techniques to help children learn skills that they need.
- The sooner that autism is treated, the better the outcome in communication, behavior, and independence.
- Early intervention autism specialists receive intensive training to assess and design programs to support the child across major developmental domains.
Research has shown that children who are diagnosed and receive therapeutic intervention early experience more favorable long-term results throughout their lives. Early intervention autism therapy helps children achieve necessary learning steps and milestones, improve communication, learn social interaction, and manage behavior.
What Is ABA?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the most popular autism treatment technique for very young children. Today’s ABA utilizes positive feedback and encouragement to reinforce desirable behaviors and to discourage negative ones that will interfere with learning.
An early intervention autism specialist tailors ABA techniques to the child’s specific needs, and the therapy becomes increasingly more specific as time goes on. ABA isn’t one model but a flexible system with numerous decades of scientific evidence and advocacy customized to each child.
Today’s ABA therapy is characterized by its measurable, mission-specific methods, based on positive reinforcement. It uses adaptable techniques like discrete trial training, natural environment teaching, and learning based on reinforcement hold the key to allowing kids to achieve startling gains in language, social development, and personal care. These materials are certainly valuable at any age, yet they are most effective when delivered while the child is as young as possible, and their brain is still growing and developing.
Early intervention goes beyond addressing challenges. By starting early, you further your child’s potential by allowing them to gain vital skillsets before they fall behind their peers.
How To Get Started
Once you’ve received a formal medical diagnosis, the next step in early intervention autism therapy is an assessment. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will conduct a formal assessment and then develop goals based on the child’s areas of deficit. Our BCBAs take into account family concerns as well during this process. Parents and caregivers can also receive training, which allows them to practice and reinforce the techniques used in therapy.
Having an early intervention autism specialist work with your child can be a crucial building block for their future. These specialists are trained to recognize early signs of autism and identify the most effective way of responding to babies and toddlers. The early intervention autism therapy experts provide not only treatment but also assist families through diagnosis, school placement, and other services. Their counseling has the potential to give parents emotional grounding while keeping focus on the child’s development goals.
When parents intervene early and learn effective and proven autism treatment techniques, our clients gain confidence, independence, and resiliency that will serve them well in the years to come.