When most parents hear the diagnosis of autism, they despair and don’t know what to do. Childhood autism is not a hopelessness and not a verdict, such disorders have long been studied by scientists and offer many ways to successfully combat the disease and the all-round development of such children. One of the effective methods of analysis and correction of behavior of children with ASD is ABA therapy (applied behavior analysis).
What is ABA therapy in simple words
The abbreviation “ABA” stands for “applied behavior analysis”. The approach is very popular and is an excellent remedial method for people with disabilities, and especially for autistic children.
The therapy is aimed at introducing the necessary missing skills into the child’s life. Its basic principle is quite simple: if the baby likes the results and consequences of his actions, he will be happy to repeat them. Therefore, in the process of lessons, each achievement is encouraged (praise, evaluation, a toy, a candy), and failure is discouraged or ignored.
In order for a child with autism spectrum disorder to be able to cope with the tasks, they are broken down into small blocks, each block containing a skill to be mastered. Over time, the blocks are connected so that children can solve more complex tasks. In this way, children learn to listen, perceive information, convey their thoughts to the interlocutor, and behave in different situations.
The most basic block looks like this:
- task/question;
- child’s response;
- “prize” or “punishment”.
What child skills ABA therapy develops
The goals of a behavioral program may include the full range of life skills, or they may focus on specific areas. Let’s look at examples of areas:
- Social skills: initiating interactions with classmates, taking turns in play, building close relationships, perceiving social boundaries.
- Communication skills: maintaining eye contact, using simple sentences, knowing how to ask questions about a topic, following non-verbal cues in communication.
- Household skills: using cutlery, brushing teeth and washing hands independently, using the toilet, cooking, cleaning.
- Academic skills: following teacher instructions, completing homework independently, reading, writing, retelling.
- Reduction of problem behaviors, including tantrums, breakdowns, self-harm, and repetitive behaviors.
What results will ABA therapy produce?
With regular sessions and considerable efforts of teachers, parents and children themselves, ABA therapy gives the following results:
- the child interacts better with others, adapts more easily in a group;
- the child develops learning abilities;
- behavioral abnormalities inherent in autism are corrected;
- the child’s intelligence develops in accordance with age;
- the child learns the skills necessary for independent life in the future.
Advantages and disadvantages of ABA method
There is much debate among parents about this method, with some questioning its effectiveness. This is due to the fact that on the Internet you can find directly opposite opinions about ABA-therapy. Let’s consider its pros and cons in as much detail as possible.
The pros are:
- acquisition of independence (children quickly learn and transfer the behavioral model mastered in the lessons into their lives);
- quick results (although training takes a significant amount of time, but the effect will not make you wait long);
- training with healthy children (50% of children who have mastered the ABA program are ready to study in regular schools);
- wide coverage of the method (thinking processes improve, the child learns behavioral skills, learns to know the world).
The disadvantages are the difficulties, not everyone is suitable for ABA and not all ABA methods are effective. For example:
- if the baby is afraid of strangers – at this stage nothing will work;
- the effect is possible only if the technique is applied correctly;
- it is not possible to take breaks (or reduce the duration of classes);
- parents also need to be involved in the process to practice at home;
- for some children with autism encouragement has little or no effect, it is necessary to determine what kind of reward will cause the necessary positive emotions in a particular case.
All of the above suggests that in order to get tangible results working with autistic people, you need a qualified specialist with excellent knowledge of ABA techniques.
How much practice is necessary?
Practice time is very important. To get noticeable and lasting results, it is necessary to practise with your child regularly and a lot. And these are not just words: American psychiatrist Lovaas, one of the pioneers of ABA therapy, conducted an analysis of the results and found that almost half of the children who were engaged in the method of at least 40 hours a week, eventually entered a regular school and reached the normal indicators of intelligence and behavior by the end of the school year.
Irregular and short lessons may have no effect at all. Remember, laziness and ABA therapy are not compatible, and your child’s future depends on your hard work and responsibility.
The role of parents and professionals in the process of ABA therapy
One of the key factors in the success of ABA therapy is the active participation of parents and other close people of the child in the learning process. Parents should not only be observers, but also direct participants in the sessions. Without their involvement, the results may be much less noticeable.
Parents should follow the same principles used in therapy sessions, such as following a certain structure and sequence in teaching, using positive reinforcement, and working on the child’s skills at home. This will help to reinforce new skills in a variety of life situations.
In addition, ongoing feedback between professionals and parents is an important element. The educator or behavioral therapist working with the child should keep the parents informed of progress, difficulties, and achievements so that they can effectively support the child at home.
ABA therapy at home
ABA therapy is not limited to sessions with a therapist. It is important to incorporate the skills learned into the child’s daily life. Many parents believe that therapy sessions should be limited to time in the therapist’s office. However, real success comes when behavioral therapy goes beyond the therapy room and is applied at home.
To do this, parents can independently repeat exercises with the child, encourage desired behaviors and skills, and use positive reinforcement for real-life accomplishments. For example, if a child learns to ask for help, parents can reinforce this skill in different situations: at the table, at the store, or during a walk. It is also important to use everyday situations as opportunities to reinforce skills, such as doing chores together or playing with toys.
