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With early diagnosis and treatment,
children with autism can greatly improve their ability to communicate and relate to others. It’s not true that all children with autism are isolated or “live in a world of their own.” Most therapy for autism focuses on the individual child’s needs. This may include occupational therapy, physical therapy and/or speech-language therapy. Sometimes a team of experts will design a program especially for the child. Therapists work with the children to help them develop language and social skills. This type of behavior should begin as early as possible for best results. Early intervention is favorable for influencing brain development. It’s also advisable for counseling for families of a person with autism so they will be able to assist them and also for better coping of the disorder for everyone. Medication may be prescribed for more severe cases of autism to reduce self-injury or other troublesome symptoms. Most drugs used to treat autism affect levels of serotonin in the brain.
Applied behavior analysis is a type of therapy for younger children with autism. Applied behavior analysis or ABA is a one-on-one teaching approach that reinforces the practice of various skills. This therapy is normally done in the child’s home under the supervision of a psychologist. The goal of ABA is to get the child as close as possible to normal developmental functioning. Unfortunately, it’s not a widely adopted therapy and is very expensive.
If autism is suspected, a complete check-up should be done that includes a developmental screening test for a range of behaviors, including speech, social skills and unusual movements. If autism indicators are found, a team of experts should then be consulted. Although there is no cure, research shows that many children with autism respond well early in life. This is because the brain is thought to be particularly adept at modifying its function at an early age.
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