Page 160 - July-August 2020

NO CURE EXISTS
FOR ASD BUT EARLY
INTERVENTION DURING
THE PRESCHOOL YEARS
CAN HELP THE CHILD
LEARN CRITICAL SOCIAL,
COMMUNICATION,
FUNCTIONAL AND
BEHAVIOURAL SKILLS

speech therapy is an important
treatment option. Speech therapy
with a licensed speech-language
pathologist helps to improve a
person’s communication skills,
allowing him to better express his
needs or wants. Some individuals
with ASD are non-verbal and unable
In 2013, the American Psychiatric ABA teaches new skills and applies to develop verbal communication
Association released the fifth edition those skills to new situations. It is skills – for such people the use of
of its Diagnostic and Statistical often used in schools and clinics. This gestures, sign language, and picture
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). approach is used to increase a wide communication programs are
To help clinicians to better describe range of skills including: often useful tools to improve their
individual cases of autism, the communicating abilities.
creators of the official diagnostic  Early Intensive Behavioural
manual (DSM-5) developed ‘three Intervention (EIBI): It is a type of OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
levels of support’. ABA for very young children with
an ASD, usually younger than five, Occupational therapy (OT) for
TREATMENT OF AUTISM often younger than three. young children with ASD often
focuses on improving sensory
No cure exists for ASD but early  Pivotal Response Training (PRT): integration and sensorimotor issues.
intervention during the preschool It is a variation of ABA that works In older children, OT concentrates
years can help the child learn critical to increase a child’s motivation to on improving social behaviour and
social, communication, functional learn, monitor his own behaviour, increasing independence.
and behavioural skills. The most and initiate communication with
effective treatments available today others by focusing on behaviours Occupational therapy is also used
are Applied Behavioural Analysis that are seen as key to learning to help teach life skills that involve
(ABA), Occupational Therapy, Speech other skills, such as language, play fine-motor movements, such as
Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Such and social skills. dressing, using utensils, cutting with
treatments minimise the impact  Discrete trial teaching (DTT): scissors, and writing. It works to
of ASD and maximise functional It is a common form of ABA, in improve the individual’s quality of life
independence and the quality of life. which what is being taught is and ability to participate fully in daily
broken down into smaller steps, activities. Each occupational therapy
APPLIED BEHAVIOURAL and taught using prompts and program is based on individual
ANALYSIS (ABA) rewards for each step. Prompts evaluations and goals.

ABA works to systematically and rewards are phased out To conclude, it is important to
change behaviour based on principles over time. regularly screen and specifically
of learning derived from behavioural SPEECH THERAPY check children for any of the
psychology. It encourages positive symptoms of autism before it is
behaviour while discouraging Since people with ASDs lack too late and they should be treated
negative behaviour. In addition, in social communication skills, accordingly for a healthy life ahead.

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