How to know what therapy is right for your child with ASD?

After receiving an autism diagnosis, choosing the appropriate therapy for your child is one of the first and most crucial decisions you must make. With many options to choose from, finding the right intervention or therapy for your child can feel overwhelming.

Below, we provide an overview of the most common therapies and who might benefit from them.

Understanding autism treatment options

Supportive therapy is important and necessary for a child with autism to develop skills for a successful future. Experts agree that the sooner a child begins therapy, the better their chances of long-term success.

But how do you know which type of autism therapy will be most effective?

Here are some questions to consider when deciding which therapies are best for your child:

● What are the therapy’s advantages, disadvantages, and benefits?
● Is the therapy in line with the objectives you have set for your child?
● Will the therapist permit the parent to attend appointments and participate, if necessary?
● Is this therapy something that will help the child in the long run, such as when they become adults?
● Is insurance going to cover this treatment? If not, are grants or other government resources available to help pay for it?
● How much does each session of this therapy cost?
● How often will your child have appointments?
● Are there additional costs associated with this therapy, such as the cost of gas, parking, or supplies for continuing therapy at home?

Types of autism treatment available

At the moment, there is no single standard treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are numerous ways to help minimize symptoms and maximize abilities. When people with ASD receive appropriate therapies and interventions, they have the best chance of using all of their abilities and skills.

With so many choices, it is extremely important to do your research, talk to autism treatment experts, and ask questions. But keep in mind that you don’t have to choose just one type of therapy. The goal of autism treatment should be to treat your child’s unique array of symptoms and needs. This often requires a combined treatment approach that incorporates several different types of therapy.

You should also think about what skills and behaviors are most essential and treat those first. It may not be possible to tackle everything at once.

● Behavior therapy

A common treatment for ASD which aims to encourage desired behaviors and reduce undesirable ones. The majority of behavioral therapies employ Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methods. The goal of ABA is to help a child with ASD comprehend the relationship between actions and consequences. Long-term intensive therapy has been shown to improve a child’s social skills, intellectual abilities, and life skills.

Here are three types of ABA-based therapies:

1. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an ABA-based approach that works best with children between the ages of 12 and 48. Its primary goals are positive social interactions and improved communication and cognitive abilities. Research, including brain scans, suggests that ESDM improves adaptive behavior as well as language and communication skills.

2. Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is a play-based method based on ABA techniques. Its primary focus are motivation, self-management, responding to multiple cues, and initiating social interactions. According to studies, children’s communication abilities may benefit from it.

3. Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is a more structured ABA-based method than PRT that breaks down a skill into smaller pieces. The child receives positive reinforcement as they progress through each step. DTT is effective in teaching skills to children with ASD, and has been used since the 1970s.

● Speech-language therapy
Speech-language therapy can help your child improve their verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

A speech-language pathologist might lead your child through activities that require them to describe their emotions and identify objects and people in order to improve their verbal skills.

A speech-language pathologist can teach your child sign language, hand signals, or picture-based communication for nonverbal communication skills; as well as other nonverbal cues, such as making eye contact.

● Physical therapy and occupational therapy
Your child’s motor skills can be improved through physical therapy. A child’s social life and sense of well-being can be improved by putting an emphasis on posture, coordination, balance, and muscle control.

Occupational therapy helps children with autism learn self-care skills like feeding, grooming, and dressing themselves for school or at home.

● Cognitive behavior therapy
Children with ASD may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for the understanding of how thoughts influence behavior and how to deal with difficult social situations and other challenges in life.

● Nutritional therapy
Nutritional therapy can help your child maintain a healthy diet if they are picky eaters. In addition to issues with bone density, some children with autism struggle with digestive issues. Some may exhibit an aversion to particular flavors or textures, such as oatmeal’s lumpy texture or the soft squishiness of tomatoes. Therefore, meeting their nutritional requirements is essential, but it can also be challenging.

It’s not easy to find the right therapy for your child with autism. Get in touch with us if you need help with goal-planning and treatment options as well as guiding you in the right direction for additional support and resources. Nurture Pods primary aim is for your child to be successful, no matter what they choose to do in their daily lives.

Nurture Pods provides free online courses as well, learn anywhere, anytime at your own pace. It’s totally free, so sign up today!

 

Written by: Alex Liau
Published on 25 January 2023