Applied Behavioral Analysis

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Benefits and Drawbacks of Early Interventions on Children with Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is being diagnosed more frequently, with most children being diagnosed by age 2 (Downs & Downs, 2010). It affects a child’s verbal, social and psychological development. Some commonly used interventions to help such children are Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), Speech Therapy and the use of a Gluten and Casein-free diet.
ABA is one of the most common approaches in helping children with Autism (Downs & Downs, 2010). Many parents like how it is specifically tailored to tackle a child’s behavioural issues (Tzanakaki et al., 2012). Some parents have also reported that it helps reduce the frustration by providing
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However, ABA’s use may have its own drawbacks. With its rigid programme, the child’s needs may not be immediately attended to, while the potential misuse of aversive techniques as negative reinforcement could form unexpected and unwanted behavioural issues (Tzanakaki et al., 2012). Also, as the programme is implemented on a one-to-one basis and for up to 40 hours a week, the child’s isolation could further impede the child’s social development (Tzanakaki et al., 2012).
The use of a Gluten and Casein-free diet is another commonly used approach. Some children are calmer, experience better sleep and improved concentration (Tzanakaki et al., 2012). When this is used in conjunction with other interventions, it provides a better outcome as the child is better able to participate in the various interventions. However, it can have its drawbacks too. The diet restrictions could result in a child being differentiated from others in social settings- like at lunch time in school or at parties (Tzanakaki et al.,
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Research has shown that intensive speech therapy has greatly improved the odds of children learning to speak (Martin, 2011). It has also been shown that “children who received more intensive treatment at younger ages experienced” more substantial advancements in their communication abilities (Martin, 2011).
On a whole, when deciding what interventions to give their child, parents should note that “targeted intensive treatments may be most successful in improving specific skills” (Martin, 2011) and that studies have shown that “(children) who received (multiple therapies), including behavioural, speech and occupational therapy, had the best outcomes.” (Martin,