What is Autism?
Autism is a severely disabling neurological disorder that typically appears during the first three year of life. The FDA recently reported that autism occurs in approximately 1 in 150 children. It is the most common developmental disorder, yet, it remains one of the most under funded afflictions with respect to both research and services. It is characterized by communication, social, and cognitive disorders. Because this is a lifelong disability, individuals with autism are often institutionalized if they do not receive the appropriate intervention. But autism is TREATABLE.
What is Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA?
Research demonstrates that intensive early intervention based on the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) results in significant improvement in individuals with autism, therefore providing them with the skills needed for an independent future. It also indicates that as many as 47% of children with autism who receive this early behavioral intervention transition to public school classrooms, often at their appropriate grade level.
ABA programs focus on decreasing undesirable behavior as well as teaching appropriate, functional skills through the use of positive reinforcement. A desired skill may be analyzed and divided into smaller parts. These parts would be taught to an individual slowly, using reinforcers until the skill is learned. Parts of skills may also be learned separately and then chained together. ABA programs strive to integrate strategies for teaching new skills and managing behaviors considered problematic because skills and behaviors interact and influence each other.
Instruction is individualized for each student, providing a highly structured format, and positive outcome are assessed through ongoing data collection. The effectiveness of instructional procedures based on applied behavior analysis has been documented through years of research for children with autism.
Resources
Websites:
- www.behavior.org/autism - ABA information
- www.Elija.org - NY based group that has information about ABA. This website has many other helpful links
- www.njcosac.org - COSAC is a community outreach group in NJ. They can send you material upon request.
- www.Autism-society.org - Autism Society of America
- www.autismlink.com - Autismlink Support and information for autism spectrum disorder.
- www.aspergersyndrome.org - Information about Asperger Syndrome
- www.asatonline.org - The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is committed to science as the most objective, time-tested and reliable approach to discerning between safe, effective autism treatments, and those that are harmful or ineffective.
- Autism Speaks, Inc., 1060 State Rd, 2nd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540-1423, (609)228-7310, www.autismspeaks.org
Local Support Groups:
- Sharing and Caring of Bucks Co., Autism/PDD Support - A support group for families with children with autism in Bucks County. Located at St. Vincent DePaul Church Hatboro Road Richboro PA 18954. For more information visit them at www.sharingcaringbuckscounty.org. Email: info@sharingcaringbuckscounty.org
- Philadelphia Autism Society - Please contact at asaphilly@yahoogroups.com
Books:
- Let Me Hear Your Voice by Cartherine Maurice
- Behavior Intervention for Young Children with Autism by Catherine Maurice, Gina Green et al.
- Making a Difference by Catherine Maurice, Gina Green, Richard Foxx et al.
Learning Materials: The above mentioned books and other educational material can be obtained from the following websites
