Becoming more independent can be challenging for both children and young adults. As children get older, independence might mean going on a playdate without their parents. For a teenager, it could mean engaging in a summer job search. Young adults need to learn to navigate other tasks, such as paying rent and purchasing car insurance. Either way, the road to independence can be bumpy.
For children and youth with autism, this journey can be even more fraught. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills and repetitive behaviors and speech, or nonverbal communication deficits. Autism affects an estimated 1 in 44 children in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many individuals with autism also have deficits in executive functioning skills, which enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks. In addition, people with autism often struggle with change, which might make transitioning to more independent activities especially difficult.
For young children with autism, seemingly simple skills such as brushing their teeth can be tough, while teens might struggle to remember to do household chores.
Every child and adult with autism has distinct strengths and challenges, which means that some require significant support from teachers and caregivers in their daily lives, while others can do more things on their own.
Is ABA therapy effective for autism?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a research-proven therapy technique for people with autism. Based on the science of learning and behavior, ABA can help people with autism live more independent lives by improving skills, such as communication and language, social interactions, self-care and hygiene, and play and leisure. Teaching self-help skills to children with autism increases their confidence and allows them to better integrate into their community.
How does ABA help people with autism live more independently?
A skilled ABA therapist understands that every patient is different and is capable of varying degrees of independence. Here are some examples of how ABA therapists could work with your child or teen to increase their autonomy:
- A child might practice asking their teacher for help. In this case, the ABA therapist would role-play the situation by pretending they are the teacher. After practicing during multiple therapy appointments, the child would attempt to approach their teacher in a real school environment.
- For a young child that is learning to brush his teeth on his own, an ABA therapist may create a picture for each step of the process. For example, one would show the child turning on the water, with the next showing them putting the toothpaste on the toothbrush, and then actually brushing their teeth, etc. The child would be able to bring the “picture schedule” home to help prompt them when performing the task on their own.
- For a tween, a goal could be making a sandwich for herself. A therapist would break down the task into small parts and then walk the tween through each step. Once they’ve mastered the first step, they can move on to the next, until they’ve learned to complete the entire task on their own.
- For a teenager who would like to transition from high school to a day program, the ABA therapy might include practicing daily activities, such as purchasing a bus ticket and strengthening communication and social skills through role-playing to allow them to navigate the new environment without assistance.
GBC Autism Services – Fostering Independence
At GBC Autism Services, we provide ABA therapy to children with autism in the areas of Chicagoland, Peoria, Normal, Rockford, Springfield, Dekalb, and North-West Indiana. Our services include in-home and clinic-based ABA therapy, early intervention services, school consultations, and social skills groups.
The team at GBC doesn’t only focus on the behaviors that might be seen as weaknesses in children with autism. We accept and appreciate each child’s unique abilities and incorporate them into our programming. In fact, we love to learn about each child’s interests and strengths and only look to help them navigate the world better.
Want to learn more? Read some of our recent success stories!
