Behavior and Communication Approaches

Behavior and communication approaches for children with ASD are those that provide structure, direction, and organization to a child in addition to family participation. They can be listed as follows:

 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is widely accepted approach among health and care professionals. It is based on encouraging positive behavior and discouraging negative behavior to improve a variety of skills. And, the child’s progress is tracked and measured. There are different types of ABA:

 

  • Discrete Trial Training (DTT)

This uses a series of trials to teach each step and desired behavior of response. Lessons are broken down into their simplest parts and positive reinforcements are introduced.

  • Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)

This is ABA used on very young children under the age of 5 and often under 3

 

  • Pivotal Response Training (PRT)

This increases a child’s motivation to learn, monitor his own behavior and initiate communication with others.

  • Verbal Behavior Intervention (VBI)

 

This ABA that teaches verbal skills

Others target occupational therapy, speech therapy, sensory integration therapy to help children deal with sensory information, and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).

 

 

 

Please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to learn more about ABA