AUTISM/ABA

What is autism and why ABA?

Autism is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) as a disability characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development: reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills, or the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests and activities. Impairments usually manifest before the age of 3 when the diagnosis of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, may be made through a behavioral assessment. Autism knows no ethnic, racial, or socio-economic boundaries. Etiology of this disorder is unknown and recent estimates by the CDC indicate that 1 in every 166 children born in the United States will be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Without immediate and intensive intervention started as early as possible, many will end up needing special services for the rest of their lives and cost taxpayers millions over an individual’s lifespan.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the only treatment that has decades of data to support its effectiveness in teaching children with autism. ABA is the term used to describe the real world applications of the scientific study of human behavior to produce constructive learning and skill acquisition. Thirty years of scientific research have documented its success for learners with developmental disabilities. ABA uses the concept of positive reinforcement to teach skills to children with autism. Skills are broken down into smaller components and taught one at a time until mastered. This provides a solid foundation for each skill set that increases its chances of becoming successfully integrated into the child’s repertoire. Data is taken to track the child’s skill level and rate of acquisition. In this manner, more objective outcomes can be attained.

Links

For more information on autism and Applied Behavior Analysis, please access the following links: