Applied therapies, mostly referred to as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a treatment option for children who suffer from autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A child who has autism has several challenges such as language and speech difficulties, speaking only a few words, struggling to have a flowing conversation and in some instances not being able to speak at all. In other words, children who suffer from this condition have trouble communicating. As such, if you have a child who suffers from autism, communication training with an ABA therapist might be very helpful.
ABA is a form of therapy that teaches positive behaviors and studies have shown that these applied therapies have several benefits in kids who suffer from autism. This therapeutic strategy comes with individual treatment plans which promote desired behaviors in children, while getting rid of unwanted behaviors at the same time. In fact, mental health and educational professionals agree that it is an effective treatment option. Below are some of the benefits of ABA therapy.
Improves Social Skills
The behavioral techniques used in ABA help to teach autistic children the social skills that will enable them to get along with others and make friends. Of course, the progress that is made will depend on the individual child. Those kids who don’t speak at all may not progress to the extent that children who speak would. However, the therapy will result in some type of social interaction regardless of the seriousness of the condition.
Enhances Their Ability to Live Independently
Another advantage of applied behavior analysis is that it can be used by other caregivers, apart from professional therapists. It can be applied by parents and teachers to teach autistic children skills like brushing their teeth, going to the toilet and getting dressed. Caregivers will have to keep track of data so that they note the child’s behavioral patterns, and then respond based on that data.
Improves Quality of Life
Having a child who has autism is not easy and without any assistance it can really make it difficult to enjoy everyday life. Applied therapies can improve the quality of life of both the autistic child and the caregivers. Through this therapy, children learn how to live independently and how to interact with others, which in turn takes away some of the burden from the parents and other caregivers. You will not see an improvement overnight. But if you keep at it you will eventually start seeing the fruits of your labor.
