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Promising Autism Spectrum Therapies

Looking into treatments and therapies for the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be overwhelming. Our understanding of the autism spectrum is relatively new and is continually developing. The following will explain the basic premises of the three most popular forms of autism therapy available.

Of course, no one knows your child better than you do. Always listen to your intuition regarding your child and seek out the advice of a medical professional. It is also worth noting that it is entirely acceptable to try out different forms of treatment until you find one that suits your child’s needs and improves their wellbeing.

Start As Early As Possible

Before we begin, it is essential to acknowledge that, while there are several therapies and treatments available to assist those with ASD in improving their abilities and reducing their symptoms, nearly all therapies have more substantial results when begun early on in life. With ideal treatment starting during preschool or even before this. This being said, https://autismparentingmagazine.com emphasizes that it is never too late to begin therapy and feel results. Because early treatment has such positive effects, it is recommended that therapy starts as soon as autism is suspected, rather than after a formal diagnosis has been made. (This is because it can take quite some time for the testing and follow-up meetings with specialists to confirm a diagnosis).

Beyond beginning therapy as early as possible; the type of treatment that works for one person is not going to be the type of treatment that works for another. Every child is unique, and your family as a whole needs to be comfortable with therapies that require your participation. There are several popular therapy styles that you can try out.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding (Also Called Hippotherapy)

In a treatment involving horseback riding, a child rides a horse with the support of a therapist. This is considered a type of physical therapy since the rider is reading and adjusting to the movements of the animals. Research conducted by a team of scientists from Washington University in St. Louis reported, “significant improvement in balance for the participants.”

Parents of children who participated in the study also claimed that their children improved in regards to social responsiveness and listening skills, among other improvements. Studies have shown that hippotherapy can help children between the ages of five and sixteen strengthen their ability to speak. It also helps with social skills, hyperactivity, and irritability.

Applied Behavior Analysis (Sometimes Called ABA)

This is a form of treatment that uses positive reinforcement to encourage behavioral improvements and the learning of new skills. As part of this treatment, parents and caregivers are also trained so that they can give the same level of moment-by-moment feedback that the therapist does. In ABA, treatment goals are tailored to the individual.

They can include but are not limited to improving communication, personal care, and hygiene, school work, and social skills. A medically-reviewed article states that ABA “has benefitted many children living with ASD by helping them learn developmental skills.” Children who are given ABA treatment early on and intensively often have very positive results with communication abilities and the reduction of self-injury behaviors.

Previous iterations of this therapy received widespread criticism for the number of time children spent sitting at desks or tables, for the use of negative reinforcement to deter unwanted behavior, and the original emphasis on encouraging children to be “neurotypical.” The errors of the original iteration of this treatment are well-known, and most of them are no longer a part of ABA.

Pivotal Response Treatment

Derived from applied behavior analysis, which is mentioned above, pivotal response treatment is a play-based therapy where the children initiate the treatment. Therapists in pivotal response treatment focus on the most “pivotal” areas of a child’s development (self-management, initiation of social interactions, responses to multiple outside cues, and motivation). A Stanford University School of Medicine study found that pivotal response treatment “involving parents works better than other existing therapies at motivating children with autism and significant speech delays to talk.” One of the reasons it is theorized this treatment is so promising is the emphasis on motivation and child-led treatment.

The above therapies are highly flexible and adaptive, depending on your child and their specific needs. The results of each of them can be drastically improved if parents stay actively involved in the treatments and continue to apply the learned techniques at home, outside of time with a therapist. Of course, as with all online medical advice, always seek the input of a medical professional regarding your specific case and needs.

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