I found over the years of doing ABA that the use of videos to help increase appropriate behaviors really works well with many kids. Using this modality to teach children with autism is called Video Modeling. Video Modeling utilizes TV to help facilitate appropriate behaviors.
A great resource to use to help children with autism are Social Stories. Developed by Carol Gray, a Social Story describes a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format.
Therapists who are dedicated to learning the principals of Applied Behavioral Therapy in order to make help treat autism symptoms in autistic children will soon learn that each child has their own strengths and weaknesses.
Once parents have a diagnosis, research must begin for intervention, since it has been proven that early intervention greatly benefits children (Lovaas, 1987). While the types of intervention vary in their approach to helping diminish the signs of autism, most of them are not scientifically proven to be effective.
There are many assessment tools for detecting autism in children, all of which have their strengths and weaknesses.
One such test is the widely used Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) which was developed in the 1980’s (Schopler et al., 1980). The CARS specifically looks at 15 behavioral based items in which children receive a score ranging from 1 as exhibiting normal behavior to 4 as indicative of autism on assessment of each of these 15 items (Schopler et al., 1980).
The varied behaviors of autism make the disorder extremely difficult to detect. While some children acquire language and can play appropriately, others can be mute and play in odd eccentric ways. As with many other parents, Catherine Maurice (1993) was puzzled by her daughter’s peculiar behaviors at 1 year of age. Maurice (1993), however, brushed off any of her daughter’s behaviors to, “the uniqueness of [Anne-Marie’s] personality,” since, “she was passing her regular pediatric checkups with flying colors” (p.5).
Autism afflicts approximately 5 children per 10,000. Ritvo et al. (1989) has indicated a genetic basis in autism, but it is not considered a causal factor in the etiology since none has yet to surface. Ritvo et al. (1989) cited 20 families out of 207 having more than one autistic child. They also noted that there is no correlation between autism and racial makeup, religious affiliation, parental employment and education (Ritvo et al., 1989).
It was my father who gave me my first gut-level comprehension of the word ‘autism.’ ‘From the Greek for ‘self,’’ he said. ‘The same root as ‘autonomous,’ ‘automatic’: That which is self-contained, self-directed, self-motivated.’ … When had Anne-Marie shared anything with me in the past year? When had she last responded to me, connected with me? If there was anyone there at all behind that mournfully empty face, she was not reaching out to us in any way that I could see (Maurice, 1993, p. 32-33).
The use of ABA therapy to teach child autism has changed the way we look at treatment for these individuals. In the past, some parents were told that these children did not learn and will not function in society. Limited options were given to parents of children with autism such that most children were institutionalized.
