If your child is autistic, then he will require several types of therapies to improve his life. Applied behavioral analysis is a valuable therapy that experts believe can adjust your child's daily interactions with others. Here are the five major benefits from ABA therapy so that you can decide if the training is appropriate for your child.
Benefit 1: Teaching Important Social SkillsAn autistic child may have problems in social settings while interacting with others, and this can make his life difficult. Some of the behaviors that ABA therapy can change include helping an autistic child to learn the concept of personal space so that he won't stand too close to someone else along with learning how to make the appropriate types of eye contact with others. Additional social skills include understanding more about verbal communication so that a child doesn't say something that is inappropriate.
Benefit 2: Learning How To Live IndependentlyABA therapy also helps teenagers and young adults to live independently. Clients are taught how to look for a job along with arriving at work on time and following directions. A client might learn how to complete an application for an apartment so that he can live alone. He must also understand how to perform daily household chores such as washing dishes, vacuuming floors and cooking meals.
Benefit 3: Improving Behavior At Home and At SchoolWith ABA therapy, a client is analyzed with observation to eliminate any inappropriate behaviors that can make daily living difficult at school or at home. An autistic child might learn how to use a quieter voice while talking along with not interrupting others who are talking. A therapist will help an autistic child to avoid repetitive behaviors such as rocking motions or banging his head on something.
Benefit 4: Having a Happier LifeWhen an autistic individual learns new behaviors with ABA therapy, he can have a happier life. Other individuals will have a different reaction when an autistic person behaves in what is perceived as a normal way. Rather than being shunned by his classmates or coworkers, the autistic individual is accepted as part of the group, and this helps the client to have a healthier outlook on life.
Benefit 5: ABA Therapy Has a High Success RateABA therapy has a high success rate with autistic clients because it is typically a one-on-one learning process. An individual may have total immersion in an ABA therapy program with a therapist, or he might only have ABA therapy for a few hours a week. ABA therapy is highly recommended for younger children to prevent undesirable behaviors, but it is also useful for older individuals who have an autism spectrum disorder.