Interventions for children with autism can be divided into two categories:

• Interventions focused on specific impairments such as: social interaction or symbolic play skills.

• Interventions aim to increase the overall level of functional practice across all domains.

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All programs have 5 things in common:

1. Treatment that targets autistic behaviors includes attention, compliance, motor imitation, communication, use of appropriate toys, and social skills.

2. Newly learned skills should be applied in different situations, for example new skills learned from a therapist can be applied by parents at home or by teachers at school.

3. The teaching environment must be structured with a low student-to-teacher ratio, for example 1:1 or 1:2.

4. The family must be heavily involved in the child's activities, and the parents can also be the therapist or co-therapist.

5. Focus on developing the skills needed to transition a child from a therapy program to school or kindergarten.

 

STANDARD TREATMENT FOR Autism Spectrum Disorders:

1. Speech/language therapy: PECS; sign language, assistive technology, social skills training

2. Therapeutic activities: Fine motor treatment, sensory integration treatment

3. Behavioral therapy: TEACCH, ABA

4. DIR: Floortime

 

The widely used method is behavioral therapy, behavior therapy can be widely applied in all areas: challenging behavior, language, eating...

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Floortime is also used by many places, especially can help improve the relationship between children and caregivers, effective in the early stages.

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Speech/speech therapy and occupational therapy are also incorporated into therapy programs.

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*Lovaas Behavioral Add-On Program:

Children enter the program in the preschool years and last for 2 years or more including 40 hours of intensive behavioral therapy a week. Treatment must then be transferred into the typical classroom and community setting.

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*TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children) method:

This program was developed about 30 years ago at the University of North Carolina. The core element of the program is structured teaching. The program designs a rigorous environment that builds on a child's strengths and minimizes weaknesses.  

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NORMAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS AGAINST CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR:

• Infections: otitis media, sinusitis, gastroenteritis

• Dental problems: Teething, abscesses, tooth decay...

• Eczema and seasonal allergies

• Gastrointestinal symptoms: Constipation, diarrhea, increased intestinal motility, spasms, gastroesophageal reflux ...

• Epileptic

• Sleep disorders: accompanied by gastroesophageal reflux or sleep apnea syndrome

 

ALTERNATIVE AND ADDITIONAL TREATMENTS:

BIOLOGICAL:

• Diet: Gluten free, casein free

• Treatment directed at digestive system function: Secretin, digestive enzymes

• Supplements: Mg/B6, Folic acid, Vit B12, Vit C…

• Intestinal antifungal drugs, detoxification…

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NOT BIOLOGY:

• Multisensory therapy

• Massage therapy

• Hearing Integrative Therapy

 

REVIEW CARD TREATMENT PROGRAM (Center for Autism & Related Disorders)

CARD I:

Objectives: Reduce challenging behavior, teach new skills, facilitate the integration of children into the regular classroom, train parents and caregivers to interact with children effectively, maximally maximize the child's independence in all areas of daily functioning.

• Languages: Mands, Echoics, Matching, Receptive, Tacts, Intraverbal

• Practical Functions: Attention, memory, restraint, planning, flexibility, problem solving, metacognition

• Motor skills: Vision, fine motor, gross motor, oral motor

• Social skills: Social language, social interaction, self-esteem, social context, group skills, irrationality, nonverbal social behavior

• Cognitive: Desires, orientations, emotions, senses, perceptions, cause and effect, thoughts, beliefs, etc.

• Study skills: language arts, math

• Play skills: Independent play, pretend play, interactive play, structure play, video game

• Responsive skills: Personal skills, indoor skills, community skills, safety skills

 

CARD II:

Objective: To help individuals live independently, obtain and maintain careers, develop various enjoyable and appropriate activities, build meaningful friendships, participate in higher school, learn trades.

• Treating challenging behavior: Noncooperation, aggression, stereotyping, anxiety, running away

• Functional communication: Mands (knows to ask), in the right direction, social behavior

• Skills responsive: Working from home, mobility, community involvement, health/hygiene, pleasure, safety, finances

• Occupational skills: Preparation, general occupation, specific occupation

• Basic linguistic concepts: Actions, attributions, functions, prepositions, pronouns

• Learning: Read, write, spell, do math

• Further learning: Language arts, math, science, social studies

• Sociolinguistics: Assertive, conversational, emotional, colloquial, nonverbal, telephone and written communication

• Social skills: Social cues, social metacognition, relationships with others, normal social norms, leisure

 

CARD is headquartered in California, also has many branches in other states in the US and internationally such as in New Zealand and Australia.

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References:

1. Autism Speaks. Treatments for  Autism . https://www.autismspeaks.org/treatments-autism

2. Doctor Phan Thieu Xuan Giang - www.tamlyhocthantinh.com