Autism is a disorder that impairs the communication and interaction abilities of the patient. It affects the patient’s overall cognitive, social, emotional and even physical well-being of the patient. The patient finds it difficult to communicate and socially interact. Other symptoms include repetitive behavior and obsessive interests. You can reduce the symptoms of this disease and support development and learning when the disease is diagnosed early, typically around the age of three. However, autism may go unnoticed even in the teenage years. The scientific community is unable to find the exact causes of the disease.
The following are the symptoms of autism:
- Impulsivity
- Lack of physical coordination
- Delayed onset of speech and language skills
- Repetitive behaviors
- Meltdowns or tantrums
- Lack of eye contact
- Self-stimulatory habits
- Difficulty in making or keeping friends
- Hyper-sensitivity to stimulation
- Interpersonal problems
- Fixating on objects, people, or activities
- Aggressive behavior
Teens or young adults suffering from this disorder prefer social isolation. This can further affect the functioning ability of the patient. This may also lead to a restricted diet, lack of physical exercise and other lifestyle habits during the teen years. There are different approaches for autism treatment for children in Lakewood, including:
- Applied behavior analysis
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Social skills training
- Sensory integration therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Medication
- Experiential therapy
Applied behavior analysis
This autism treatment for children in Lakewood uses a reward system to encourage positive behavior. The following are different types of applied behavior analysis:
- Discrete trial training
- Early intensive behavioral intervention
- Pivotal response training
- Verbal behavior intervention
- Positive behavior support
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
In this autism treatment for children in Lakewood, the patient learns the connections between behavior, thoughts and feelings. This helps in identifying and managing feelings and thoughts triggering negative behaviors.
Social skills training
This treatment is very effective in developing social skills in children with autism. People suffering from autism are not good at interacting with others. In this training, a patient learns to carry on a conversation, read emotional cues and other basic social skills.
Sensory integration therapy
Smell, sight, sound or other sensory inputs unusually affect people with autism. Social integration therapy amplifies some of these senses. This improves learning abilities. The patient also learns to display positive behaviors.
Occupational Therapy
This therapy focuses on teaching fundamental skills that help in carrying out daily activities. For children, these skills include self-care skills, handwriting skills and fine motor skills. For adults, these skills include cleaning, cooking and handling money.
Speech therapy
In this autism treatment for children in Lakewood, patients learn verbal skills that can help in improving communications. This therapy focuses on improving the rate and rhythm of speech in children with autism. For adults, the treatment focuses on communicating thoughts and feelings.
Medication
So far, no medication is specifically designed for autism treatment for children. However, autism may lead to certain other conditions that can be treated with medication. This helps in controlling certain symptoms. The following are the main categories of medications to manage autism:
- Antipsychotics
- Antidepressants
- Stimulants
- Anticonvulsants
Experiential Therapy
This therapy helps in improving self-esteem and sensory integration simultaneously. Experiential therapy combines traditional treatments with therapeutic activities such as Tai Chi, yoga, hiking, cycling, rock climbing and so on. The benefits of this therapy include:
- Improved sensory integration
- Improved motor skills
- Better spatial awareness
- Weight loss
- Better balance and coordination
The other focal points of treatment are nutrition and diet.
