How can children with autism be helped to integrate?

Every year, on April 2, International Autism Awareness Day is marked, in an attempt to inform the public about this diagnosis that affects not only the patient, but his entire family. The efforts and worries of their parents are not just about the specific therapy so needed by patients, but many parents are trying to help their children become independent so that they can be integrated into society. However, this effort must be made both by the parties directly involved in the therapeutic process and by the entire community, says Florina Vîlcea, ABA coordinator.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can lead to significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. Often, there is no difference in how people with TSA and others look, but people with TSA may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in different ways than most people. Learning, thinking, and problem-solving skills in people with ASD can range from gifted to severely impaired. Some people with ASD need a lot of assistance in their daily lives, and others need less help.

What is therapy for a child with autism?

The scientifically validated therapy that gives the best results in the case of TSA, but also in the case of other developmental disorders is applied behavioral analysis or ABA therapy (no applied behavior analysis), explains Florina Vîlcea, ABA coordinator at Bellanima and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) accredited as an international behavioral analyst by the US BACB board

ABA is a well-developed scientific discipline that focuses on analyzing, designing, implementing, and evaluating social and environmental changes to produce significant changes in human behavior. This includes the use of direct observation, measurement and functional analysis of the relationship between environment and behavior. ABA uses changes in environmental events, including past stimuli and consequences, to produce practical and meaningful changes in behavior. These relevant environmental events are usually identified by a variety of specialized assessment methods.

How autism manifests itself in adults

Depending on the diagnosis and the number of hours of therapy, some people recover completely, leave the autism spectrum, no longer need therapy and can lead a normal life, but other people with autism will need therapy for life. In addition, people with ASD may experience changes in ASD symptoms, behaviors, and concomitant health conditions during adolescence and young adulthood. These changes can affect their ability to function and participate in the community.

Symptoms specific to adults with ASD may include:

● following a daily routine and the difficulty of coping with change;

● repetitive behaviors, social anxiety, limited interest in just a few favorite activities or solitary activities;

● difficulties in establishing a conversation;

● difficulties in establishing or maintaining close friends;

● discomfort during eye contact;

● challenges in regulating emotions, etc.

In fact, according to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDS) in the United States, fewer young people with ASD have the same opportunities as people their age without ASD. Thus, there was a low participation in education beyond high school and a high unemployment rate or the difficulty of integrating into the labor market. At the same time, statistics show that the majority continue to live with family members or relatives and that there is a limited opportunity for community or social activities - almost 40% spend little or no time with friends ", added Florina Vîlcea, ABA coordinator at Bellanima.

How can a child with autism be prepared to function independently in adulthood?

"People with autism may have difficulty learning and developing the vital skills needed to be more independent. Therefore, it is important for parents and specialists to provide a basis that will help them achieve the highest possible level of independence ", explains Florina Vîlcea, ABA coordinator within Bellanima, who adds:" Thus, depending on the diagnosis and skills or passions of the person diagnosed with autism, there are many professions that can be accessed: taxi or bus driver, commercial worker, call center operator, copy editor, cook, banker, mechanic, engineer, accountant, economic analyst, mathematician, factory worker (assembly / disassembly), architect, car technician, cashier, programmer, video game designer ”.

Important skills that can lead to the independence of people with ASD can be:

● self-care skills (clothing, toilet, bathroom, daily / evening routine, etc.);

● household skills (cleaning, cooking, washing dishes or laundry, recreation activities, etc.);

● skills related to the community (mobility, shopping, money, time, social awareness, manners, etc.);

● vocational skills (job search, relationships with co-workers, safety at work, etc.);

● Many other important skills that help with personal independence.

Read Also : Mother after 35 years. What are the possible complications?