The Gold Standard of Autism Treatment
In 2018, one in 59 children were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a developmental disorder that impairs one’s ability to communicate effectively. Treatments aim to bring out the best in these children despite their impairments, allowing them to live an independent life. Dietary restrictions been speculated by some therapists to help with autistic disorders, but do not have a solid backing by science, and medicine has not been developed for the disorder itself. The most widely accepted and effective treatment, that’s considered the “gold standard” for autism treatment, is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
ABA is a passive approach where therapists utilize operant conditioning with positive reinforcement to target a desired outcome. Eight years ago, I traveled to India and met my cousin who has ASD. It was hard to communicate at first and I asked my mom to explain his limited speech. She told me about his condition and that he was being treated through ABA, meeting with a professional to sharpen his communication skills, incentivized by candy.
With depression affecting 26% of autistic adults, therapeutic solutions such as ABA can minimize the effects of autism symptoms from an early age. It is important to be cognizant of possible treatment options and spread awareness, so lack of information is never the reason why an individual doesn’t get the treatment required. We can expand and improve current practices to provide more effective treatment by donating to notable websites such as AutismSpeaks or talking about ABA therapy in the local community.
