If you know someone with autism or wondering about yourself, you should know that there is no ONE standard treatment for autism. But with appropriate interventions and therapies, it is possible that people with autism will benefit.
So, are these therapies and interventions the same for all?
No, as each individual is different, their therapies and interventions have to be different. Specialized programs are highly structured and based on symptoms, daily activities and acceptance level of the individual.
Read: Autism detection during pregnancy
Some Usual Therapy Options for Autism Spectrum Disorder:
- Social Skills Training
- Behavioral Management Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy
- Speech Therapies
- School Based Therapies
Let’s understand each of these therapies individually and how they can benefit.
Social Skills Training for Autism:
Individuals with autism often struggle during social interactions. They find it difficult to make friends, learn from friends, and build relationships.
Social skills training helps in developing –
- Conversation skills
- Emotional skills
- Play skills
- Problem solving skills
As they learn social skills, they understand how to react in different situations.
Behavioral Management Therapy
This involves a number of strategies that are about reinforcing desirable behaviors and removing unwanted ones.
Early interventions play a critical role in the treatment of autism. To develop a program for any person with autism, there is usually a team of specialists that includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, language & speech therapists & also psychologists. Through strategy-based intervention, the specialists develop treatments that help in developing behavior skills, social skills, and language skills.
Targeted language deficits:
Not all children with autism need the same kind of treatment. One child might be non-verbal while another speaks.
In such a situation, the non-verbal child will need speech therapies. Other therapies include motor skills development and educational therapies. All these focus on helping individuals learn how to communicate, mix with others and take care of themselves.
Social Skills Training:
Social skills is something which needs a lot of improvement in people with autism. ASD makes it extremely challenging for individuals to engage in different social interactions. This is why social skills training is highly essential.
Helps in Understanding the Needs:
The process typically starts with a complete assessment of the individual’s current social skills and needs. Based on this assessment, a tailored training plan is developed to address specific areas of improvement. This is always different from one person to another. Hence there is no single plan that works best for all.
Structured Training:
Social skills training programs follow a structured curriculum. This breaks down social skills into smaller, more manageable components.
This includes various activities like eye contact, taking turns in conversation, recognizing and expressing emotions, and understanding social rules and norms.
Role-Playing and Modeling:
Role-playing and modeling are common techniques used in social skills training. Therapists or trainers demonstrate appropriate social behaviors and engage in role-play exercises to help individuals practice.
Using Visual Supports:
Visual supports includes social stories, visual schedules, and social cue cards. These are often employed to help individuals with autism understand and remember social rules and expectations. These visual aids provide concrete guidance and structure.
Behavioral Reinforcement:
Using different positive reinforcement techniques is always helpful. These include activities such as praise, rewards, and tokens, are used to motivate and reinforce the use of appropriate social skills. This helps individuals with autism to associate social interactions with positive outcomes.
Interaction Amongst Peer:
This is another challenging area.
Group sessions with peers who have similar social challenges can be particularly beneficial.
These settings provide opportunities for individuals with autism to practice their skills in real-world situations while receiving feedback and support.
Generalization:
The ultimate goal of social skills training is to facilitate the generalization of learned skills to various social contexts. This means that individuals are encouraged to use their newly acquired social skills in different settings, not just during training sessions.
Continuous Support:
Social skills training is often an ongoing process, as individuals may need continued support and reinforcement to maintain and further develop their skills over time.
Collaboration Helps:
Collaboration between therapists, educators, and parents/caregivers is crucial. Parents can play a significant role in reinforcing and practicing social skills at home and in the community.
Taking Care of Individual Needs:
Social skills training should be flexible and adapted to the unique needs and abilities of each individual with autism. No two people are the same and so their therapies are also not the same.
Progress may vary from person to person, and the program should be adjusted accordingly.
Speech Therapy in Autism:
This therapy is often needed by children with autism. It helps them comprehend the nonverbal and verbal communication that others usually use. This allows them to recognize the body language and facial expressions of others. It helps them initiate contact without prompt.
Though there are different kinds of speech therapy techniques, in the case of autism three techniques are found to be helpful. These include play, instruction, modeling and also prompting.
Can Autism be Treated with Speech Therapy?
There is no standard treatment for autism. However, with regular speech therapy sessions, people with autism can improve their nonverbal, verbal and social communication. The primary aim of the therapies is to help people communicate effectively and in more functional ways.
Frequently Asked Questions on Autism Treatment:
What age is autism tested?
Therapies for autism do not begin until the age of 2.
What is the most popular therapy for autism?
ABA or applied behavioral analysis is the standard ASD care.
Can Autism improve with therapy?
Yes, studies have revealed that children who have therapies for 25 hours a week for at least 2 years start showing improvement.
