Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD refers to a developmental disability. Children on the spectrum may experience severe behavioural, communication, and social challenges.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 1 in every 54 children are diagnosed with ASD. ASD is 4 times more common among boys than girls and occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
There is no known course of treatment at present that is capable of curing ASD. However, a number of therapeutics are conceptualized and reviewed that are best suited for application in young children. Those remedial measures may mitigate the core symptoms, improve daily living skills, boost cognitive ability, and optimize the general functioning and overall capacity of a child.
Treating ASD is a multi-faceted approach that involves a varying degree of communication and behavioural therapies accompanied by pharmacotherapy at times. Early intervention can significantly help improve a child’s development. Several studies have shown that early intervention by trained experts help children from birth to 3 years learn essential skills. In addition to therapies, pre-school settings with trained educators on strategies for students with Autism are essential in the developmental growth and education of children 3 through 5 years of age.
Communication and Behavioural Approaches
Communication and behavioural approaches equip a child with skills related to organization, direction, and family participation. The Applied Behaviour Analysis or ABA continues to be one of the most effective therapies. It’s widely leveraged by healthcare professionals in several schools and treatment facilities. Some of the most popular types of ABA include:
a) Discrete Trial Training or DTT
b) Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention or EIBI
c) Early Start Denver Model or ESDM
d) Pivotal Response Training or PRT
e) Verbal Behaviour Intervention or VBI
In addition to ABA, other courses of treatment can be integrated to form a comprehensive therapy program for a child. These include:
a) Assistive technology like the Picture Exchange Communication System or PECS
b) Occupational therapy
c) Social skills development
d) Language and Speech Therapy
Medication
There is no known medication available to date that can treat the key symptoms of ASD. However, certain medications have demonstrated enough potential on improving the general functioning to some extent in a number of children diagnosed with ASD. This includes improving concentration, increasing energy levels, coping with behavioural reactivity, mitigating depression and anxiety, and managing seizures or self-inflections.
CASE aims to increase awareness about ASD among schools and families in the Caribbean communities and help children diagnosed with ASD experience an increasingly fulfilling life.
Schedule a consult today or request a call-back now to learn more about how we can assist in the support needed for your child.
