What is Autism, and How Does ABA Therapy Work?
This video explains to us about ASD, symptoms of ASD, and ABA therapy and how ABA therapy can help children with autism.
Autism is a developmental disorder; it is a spectrum of disorders. Children suffering from autism may have different levels of functioning; a low-functioning person on the spectrum would have intense behaviors that can impede their ability to live life independently.
Asperger’s are people with a high functioning level in the spectrum, although they possess certain levels of difficulty, like having more of the stereotypical behavior of repetitive interests.
Symptoms
The symptoms of autism are:
- lack of eye contact
- lack of being able to engage in pretend play,
- repetitive behavior, and
- difficulty socializing.
It is also seen in kids with autism that they are highly sensitive to tactile, olfactory, and auditory stimuli and temperature, because of which the kid often recoils from such situations and becomes intolerant to certain places or environments.
High sensitivity is the reason why kids with autism are very particular with their eating habits and find it difficult to tolerate various textures in their mouths.
Applied Behavior Therapy
ABA is based on the theories and research of B.F. Skinner. According to Skinner, behavior can be changed through positive reinforcement. Behaviors that are reinforced tend to repeat and rewire and become our default behavior. Behavior that is not reinforced will dissipate over time. ABA therapy is based on Skinner’s theory and simply expands his teachings in extreme ways to help children with ASD reach new milestones.
