Children with autism have a very difficult time navigating the neurotypical world. They do not read body language or social cues like the rest of the world. Ergo, they often have behavioral issues stemming from their developmental challenges.
There are ways to prevent these behaviors, reduce their significance and frequency, and navigate a behavior When prevention and reduction do not work (and it will happen from time to time during the early stages of this process), navigation through the behavior will help. Here is what you should be doing to help your child with autism and behavioral issues.
ABA Therapy
In most major cities, including Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, etc., ABA therapy is most helpful for these children. ABA therapy is “applied behavior analysis” therapy. It is a series of activities designed to walk children through what makes them tick, and then what causes them to melt down. Therapists are able to slowly, gradually increase the number of tasks and length of therapy time until kids with autism are able to function in a world that is very overwhelming and hyper-stimulating to them.
Over time, this helps identify triggers, and reduce the triggers. It prevents behaviors by first knowing what causes the behaviors, and then removing those triggers from the environment. When done consistently, children on the spectrum are successful in becoming more self-aware and have more self-control.
Getting Help
ABA is no cure-all, but it is proven to help. If you live in the Chicago area, there are several ABA therapists near you. To see how this type of therapy can help your child, start by calling The Autism Therapy Group in Wheeling.
