As a professional, you know that autism is treatable. But for parents first learning about their child's diagnosis, the prospects for treatment seem insurmountable, and the flood of autism awareness information is daunting. Providing good therapy solutions gives the child with early signs of autism a better chance of getting into a mainstream school and essentially being indistinguishable from their peers.

For optimum improvement, use educational/behavorial approaches with autistic children along with biomedical interventions. Of these approaches, Applied Behavior Analysis (ADA) tends to be the most effective. An ADA program is based on a structured schedule of teaching and repeating skills in an easily understood process. To ensure effectiveness, family members and friends should play an active part in implementing this therapy at home. When you're advising parents about ABA options, you may want to consider these things:

1. Some types of auditory interventions are thought to improve auditory processing.

2. Vision training or Irlen lenses may help children with autism disorder.

3. Computer software programs can teach speech, language and communication skills to children with signs of autism.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider auditory interventions in treating children with Autism

Autism research shows that auditory interventions decrease or eliminate sound sensitivity. This type of therapy may reduce behavioral problems in children with autism symptoms.

I recommend: Berard Auditory Integration Training (Berard AIT) has the most significant scientific backing. This program consists of listening to processed music for 10 hours over a period of days. Other computer-based auditory interventions like Earobics and Fast ForWord from Scientific Learning also help children with language and speech sound difficulties. Start with Earobics, which is less expensive. If that works, progress to Fast ForWard, which is more powerful (and more expensive).

Find vision training providers for parents of children with Autism

Many children with Autism have trouble visually distinguishing their environment, or perceiving themselves in relation to that environment. These difficulties may contribute to problems such as a short attention span, depth perception or eye/hand coordination.

I recommend: The Center for Visual Management offers a long-term vision program that involves ambient prism lenses and visual-motor training. Consider another program that uses Irlen lenses, which are tinted lenses that reduce hypersensitivity to certain kinds of lighting and color. These lenses also help to improve reading skills. Go to Irlen Institute to find out about treatments testing center locations.

Recommend computer software programs as useful tools for parents of autistic children

Some software programs are designed specifically for children with developmental disabilities. Parents and families may find these supplements beneficial in teaching speech, language and communication.

I recommend: Early Learning Site offers The SpeakingPix CD-ROM that comes with a number of photographic images. When you click on a color image, a sound plays. The TeachingPix2 CD-ROM has over 10,000 color flashcards that are printable. Autism Coach has a large choice of outstanding educational software and books. Try Laureate Learning Systems programs for children in all stages of language development. The DT Trainer from Accelerations Educational Software has 160 content programs designed to encourage independent use in skills areas such matching, identification, classifying, and word recognition.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Qualified consultants often hold workshops for parents so that they can learn ABA techniques themselves.
• •  Encourage parents to find a support group as a source of information and for answers to their Autism questions.