Using Applied Behavior Analysis to Eliminate Autism's More Challenging Behaviors

One of the most effective ways to help Autistic children cope with the fierce emotions that can come crashing down on their heads is ABA - Applied Behavior Analysis. If you are a care giver of someone on the Autism Spectrum, you've witnessed with heartbreak and pain the tantrums that leave so many people staring angrily in judgment over something they don't understand. You've also been on the receiving end of unfair treatment because your child doesn't understand the rules of decorum. While other kids might become disappointed if a restaurant doesn't have mac and cheese, for the Autistic child this could be the hair trigger that sets off a full blown, kicking and screaming tantrum. And, while things may be overwhelming, this treatment can help to significantly reduce these social issues and help your child understand and cope with their raw emotions. What ABA is is simple : The application of behavior principals and procedures to foster improved social skills in children on the Autism Spectrum.

The most important thing to remember when approaching all of the information out there concerning Autism Spectrum Disorders is that to date there are no medical treatments that cure Autism. But, using a combination of various methods - both pharmaceutical and behavioral - can relieve a great number of symptoms. ABA has in the past been shrugged off as merely an early intervention tool, but studies have shown that prolonged therapy can help your child address the symptoms that can make Autism genuinely difficult to live with.

Otherwise, the best way to think of it is as an in-depth assessment of your child's behavior deficits and a thorough plan to help him or her cope with these issues. Most often this takes place with a trained therapist in a closed, one on one environment. The therapist will take small steps to teach the child to properly demonstrate emotions and help understand what each emotion means. For those of us on the outside of Autism it's easy not misunderstand how difficult it can be for these very special children to cope with anger or sadness. In a lot of cases they will become inappropriately upset over misconceived slights against them. ABA is just one method in helping your child learn to cope with the stress of wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

ABA can also be an effective therapy to assist Autistic children learn to behave socially with other children who may not understand their disorder. Through clear instruction and prompting, the child can learn to pick up on social cues that the rest of us take for granted. Quite often the Autistic child will lose interest in group activities because he or she can't understand what is going on within the group dynamic. With the help of ABA, the child can learn to watch for specific clues to help assimilate within the group without a lot of drama. And, this technique will also help your child learn in the classroom environment. While social skills are so important, it is equally important that they learn to listen and follow directions. ABA can teach them these very important life skills.

Finally, ABA can also be of great help to parents and other family members. By teaching the child through positive reinforcement, the parents can also use these same positive techniques at home to assist with everyday frustrations. Learning to cope and have a fulfilling life with Autism is a challenge for the entire family and the more support there is for the child and care givers, the better the outcome will be.

For more information look up The Cambridge Center For Behavioral Studies website www.behavior.org/autism/