The table of contents at the left can be used to quickly find the answer to a specific question.
Yes, autism can be treated and yes, your child has a chance of living a normal life. The reason British Columbia’s families have access to early intervention funds for private therapy is because so much is possible with intensive treatment.
Return to topThere is no single approach that is best for every child with autism. Fads come and go but successful methods survive the test of time. In my opinion, it is best to have at least one older person on your team, who has had extensive experience treating children with autism.
Return to topResearch tells us that the brain cells responsible for imitation don’t light up in children with autism. Interestingly, the children who are most likely to become talkers are the ones who have some ability to imitate. You can use hand over hand prompting to work on motor mirroring, to wake up the part of the brain that is needed for imitation (e.g. “Clap your hands. Touch your nose. Do this.”). I love using the Sign to Talk materials created by Tamara Kasper and Nancy Kaufmann. Treatment starts with very easy motor movements paired with high motivation, so that the child learns to sign and vocalize in order to get something. The child gradually progresses from word shells to the adult form of words.
Return to topMany non-verbal children delight us by starting to talk when they are bombarded with the expectation to create messages using picture symbols or a voice output device. The ones who progress rapidly have learned to imitate. (A comparison of the success of different AAC approaches for children with autism is available in a 2008 article by Pat Mirenda.) A recent breakthrough is the availability of voice output apps for the Ipad and Iphone. Until now, portable voice output devices have been very expensive. Having these programs readily available for common devices has the potential to improve outcomes for many children with autism.