Gold Coast Queensland

What is Autism?

 

Autism is a brain disorder that begins in early childhood and persists throughout adulthood; affects three crucial areas of development: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play.  Children and adults with autism typically have deficiencies in verbal and non-verbal communication and social interactions.

 

What is An Autistic Spectrum Disorder?

 

An autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex development disability that affects the way a person communicates in relation to people around them.  The term autistic spectrum is often used because the condition varies from person to person; some people with the condition may also have accompanying learning disabilities, while others are much more able with average or above average intelligence. Asperger’s Disorder is a condition at the more able end of the spectrum. Also on the spectrum is Kranner’s Disorder, sometimes referred to as “classic autism”.

 

What is The Difference Between Autism and Asperger’s Disorder?

 

Autism and Asperger’s Disorder are all part of the same autism continuum and the difference between them relate more to degree more than anything else. However, people at the more able end of the autistic spectrum, such as those with Asperger’s Disorder, tend to have average or above average intelligence and generally have fewer problems with language, often speaking fluently, though their words can sometime sound formal or stilted.

 

What is Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA)

 

Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) utilises methods based on scientific principals of behaviour to bring about comprehensive and enduring improvement in a wide of skills for most people with Autism.
 

Typically developing children are learning from their environment all their waking hours simply be watching and imitating other people in their everyday lives. Children with autism have great difficulty learning in this way, and for many, imitation is not something that occurs naturally and is therefor a skill that must be taught.
 

ABA therapy helps children learn by breaking tasks down into small manageable steps and creating artificial opportunities for them to practice these steps until they can successfully perform them independently. Essentially the normal patterns of life are broken down into easy manage steps that are the practiced and rewarded over and over. ABA is a teaching method which relies heavily on positive reinforcement.
 

The primary objective of ABA is to teach children with Autism a wide range of skills including:
 

• Imitation skills.

• Speech and language skills.

• Attention skills.

• Social play skills.

• Gross and motor skills.

• Academic skills

• Self help skills