As many parents of autistic children know, children with autism spectrum disorders learn differently than other children. While a significant number of children with ASD are capable of learning and functioning well enough to keep up in public schools, many children need therapy to help them prepare for school. Many lessons, such as social skills, vocabulary and communication skills, and simple reasoning need to be taught before placing the child in a structured classroom environment in order for education to be successful.
For many children Applied Behavior Analysis therapy offers the answer. ABA therapy is a scientifically proven method of treating autism that can result in children functioning at their maximum potential, with many children reaching normal levels of functioning. While not a cure for autism spectrum disorders, the therapy can result in recovery from autism for many children. ABA therapy teaches children basic and necessary skills through the use of repeated commands and patterns designed to teach core principles and ideas. These repetitive tasks help to literally rewire the mechanisms inside the brain, effectively teaching children how to learn. Applied Behavior Analysis helps to prepare children for school by preparing them to learn and understand complex ideas and concepts. While many children learn from what they see occurring around them, autistic children must be taught basic ideas and principles in order to understand how they work. As ABA therapy is applied, children learn how to understand new concepts and begin to learn from their environment. Whether taught in a clinical environment or by a devoted and committed parent, ABA is a very successful preparation for helping autistic children succeed in school.
Applied Behavior Analysis also teaches children social skills by rewarding positive behavior and responses and ignoring inappropriate responses. This discourages self-injurious behavior as well as anti-social behavior and helps prepare children for life in classrooms, on buses, and in public. The skills developed through Applied Behavior Analysis therapy are lifelong and life altering. Many parents credit ABA therapy with enabling their child to enter and succeed in school. This method prepares children for the social interaction and learning environment they will encounter when entering a standard school and often helps them to develop fully enough that they become indistinguishable from other children in regards to their abilities. This therapy is by far the most recommended treatment for autism spectrum disorders and with the percentage of successful outcomes, there is little doubt as to the effectiveness of the therapy.
