ABA,
or Applied Behavior Analysis, is one of the most universally
popular treatments for children with autism. In fact,
most experts agree that the Applied Behavior Analysis
method is the most complete and powerful treatment
available for children within the autism spectrum
disorder. The following article will provide a brief
overview of ABA autism treatment methods, as well
as some resources that you can utilize.
Overview
Applied
Behavior Analysis has been around for quite awhile.
In fact, it was all the way back in the early 80's
that ABA began to be widely considered as one of the
best treatment methods available. True to its comprehensive
label, ABA provides training for a multitude of situations
and scenarios.
Applied
Behavior Analysis attempts to always use pro-active
methods of teaching. Essentially, this means that
ABA attempts to find a positive action to teach in
a certain situation, instead of simply teaching a
child what not to do. The program focuses on the appropriate
behavior to display in a certain situation. This is
one of the reasons why ABA is considered such a great
teaching tool.
ABA
also covers a wide range of ages. And while the early
intervention portion of the program receives significant
accolades due to the great amount of time researching
and studying its effects, ABA provides ample material
for autistic children of all ages, making it a tool
that can be continuously used over a period of time.
Applied
Behavior Analysis, like you may expect, is not a simple
or easy process by any means. ABA takes work, and
a little patience and dedication from those in the
life of an autistic child. But, the effects of this
hard work are visible and significant, making it well
worth the effort.
Resources
There
are a lot of really good resources available to you
if you'd like to learn more about ABA. The most overarching
and detailed resource is probably The Association
for Behavior Analysis (http://abainternational.org),
which has a wealth of information about ABA, it's
methods, and studies of its effectiveness. http://Behavior.org,
and http://shapingbehavior.com
are also really good resources for finding out more
information.
Also,
doing a quick Internet search will also probably turn
up a great deal of information on ABA. And if you're
thinking about using the ABA method of treating autism,
it is important to pick a behavior analyst that is
a good match for your situation. Due to the complex
nature of ABA training, it is not recommended that
parents attempt to home school their children using
the method, though they will obviously play a very
important role in the development of their child regarding
the ABA method. There is a registry of certified behavior
analysts; so doing a quick search for approved experts
in your area may be a good place to start.
Again,
Applied Behavior Analysis is not easy. But effective
results are very possible with a little time and patience.
Look into the previously mentioned resources for more
information on ABA autism treatment.
