Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interactions, communication and odd, restricted patterns of behavior. A decision about the best possible autism program for one particular child should always be made after a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluation of the autistic person. This evaluation should be made in collaboration among such experts as psychologists, speech therapists, pediatricians and occupational therapists. Parents should always be involved in this process, as well. The best results can typically be achieved by combining autism programs that focus on such areas as behavioral modification and occupational therapy.
Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied behavior analysis aims to analyze and understanding behavior, according to the AutismSpeaks.org. It is especially interested in how the environment affects behavior. Behavior modification methods, such as rewards, are used to increase the kind of behavior that the caretaker wish to increase, and punishments or removal of rewards are used to discourage the kind of behavior that is harmful for the child. ABA methods can be used to teach an autistic child numerous things, such as how to be more social, less aggressive or how to accept changes in the environment.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy for autistic people focuses on increasing patient's participation in his daily life, aAccording to the American Occupational Therapy Association. It also aims to improve his quality of life by increasing his performance in education, work, leisure, play and social life. Occupational therapy applies play, work and self-care lessons to enhance a child's development, and to teach him how to become more independent. In occupational therapy, the therapist together with the child to find those areas in which the child needs improvement, such as gross or fine motor skills, socialization, posture or attention span.
Sensory Integration Therapy
Many autistic children have difficulties processing or combining sensory information. They might be extremely sensitive to sounds, lights or touch, and some autistic children engage themselves in self-hurting behaviors, such as banging their heads against the wall. Eating certain food, wearing certain fabrics or being in sunlight can cause emotional outbursts in some autistic children. The sensory integration therapy is usually conducted in a special room that challenges and stimulates all of the senses. The therapist encourages the child to move and explore the environment while making sure that the child is not getting too stressed. Sensory integration therapy can focus on all the sensory systems or only one of them depending on where the child has the problems.
