Early Intervention Promoting For Vocal Mands

The Ontario government is focused on providing effective early interventions for young children with autism (Perry, n.d.). Throughout the years, a substantial amount of research has been done regarding the neuroplasticity and the effectiveness of early intervention in young children (Perry, n.d.). The results of this research have given professionals a greater understanding for a new program directed to young children- which is designed and implemented for children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and some diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) are also eligible (Perry, n.d.). In 1999, $19 million was funded by the Ontario government to be invested in the services of Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI). This specific program is developed for children up to and including the age of 5 years old (Perry, n.d.).

Many treatment approaches have developed different ways of dealing with the challenges of autism. First, there is the theory of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which consists of giving a child a specific task, which teaches skills from basic ones to more complex ones, such as social interaction. Children taking this approach, work 30-40 hours a week with a trained professional. (West 66) It may be emotionally difficult for the child, and his/her parents to dedicate so much time, yet it is worth it. However, it has been proven that ABA methods have shown consistent results in teaching new skills and behaviors to children with autism. (West 68)

For people on the Autism spectrum, stereotyped behavior can be one of the most difficult barriers to move beyond. In the context of learning, this repetitive behavior can seriously impede the acquisition of new skills. For the child experiencing it, the reinforcement this stimulus provides is often greater than anything the therapist can offer. This form of behavior, referred to in the DSM – V as being “restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, or speech” (p. 50) includes motor and vocal stereotypies.

Autism is a disease that is being diagnosed today more than ever before. In fact, as of 2014 the statistics for diagnosis of autism are one in sixty-eight children, with diagnosis being much more common in boys (Autism Speaks, 2016a). While there are many theories about what causes autism, there is currently not any proven predictor of what will cause this disease to develop (Landrigan, 2010). Since prevention is not possible at this time, it is extremely beneficial and important to research understanding and treatment of those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There are many avenues of treatment for ASD, but one method that has received significant attention is applied behavior analysis (ABA). The goal of this research article is to explore the definition of applied behavior analysis, its development over time, and its application to real life. Some questions that will be explored are when and where did ABA originate, how has it developed over time, and what researchers contributed new findings to this intervention. Additionally, the methods that have been developed over time to implement ABA will be discussed, specifically with their application to autism and individuals diagnosed with ASD. Finally, there will be a discussion of how skills that individuals with ASD gain from applied behavioral analysis can be applied to a classroom setting.

Being that many children with autism (30%) are nonverbal, communication is a major goal of many therapies. In one case, a child who was almost completely nonverbal was able to sing during a therapy session. This is not uncommon, because, as music therapist Megan Taylor words it, “sometimes, it’s easier to sing than speak” A large part of the success of music therapy is the music itself. Listening to the lyrics of songs can increase vocabulary, while the repetitive “question-answer” and structured format of music engages the child while reinforcing the learning of speech patterns (Gilbert).

The Applied Behavioral Analysis model, or (ABA) as it is commonly referred to, has been in practice for many years, touching the lives of many people of all ages, backgrounds, and degrees of the Autism spectrum. As with anything, there is a considerable amount of misinformation projecting a negative view of ABA. These views have questioned the protocol, application, and necessity of the ABA. The following is some information and facts to hopefully make clear what ABA not only does, but what it stands for as a therapy that will continue to help those in need.

ABA is based on principles of behavioral therapy and is one of the most effective interventions for children that have autism. According to Healy, O'Connor, Leader, and Kenny (2008), early intensive behavioral intervention was effective with preschool children that had autism because they reported high achievements in normative functioning, which was measured under practical outcomes and standard psychological methods. The study also concludes that since Applied Behavior Analysis is a treatment, it can fabricate systematic, substantial and durable effects under particular conditions. This study provided an example where 40% to 60 % children before reaching five who had two years and ten months treatment improved well enough that they were ready to be enrolled in public schools. The research shows that Applied Behavior Analysis is effective with children that have autism, but there are many other effective interventions that can be integrated with ABA. For example Lim and Draper (2011) incorporated music with Applied Behavioral Analysis and found that both of music and ABA were effective and there was no significant differences in between them. Moreover, results specifically indicated that music was as important as speech training to form functional verbal operants in children that have autism. The results also stated that when music is paired with ABA, musical stimuli could enhance verbal production in children with autism. In

Zwaigenbaum, et. al. reviewed the literature pertaining to practice and research in early autism interventions to confirm or revoke the standing best practices in the field. The authors reviewed ten item, four pertaining directly to best care practices and six pertaining to research standards. Research for care practices confirmed that interventions for individuals under the age of 3 should be “a combination of developmental and behavioral approaches and begin as early as possible” (Zwaigenbaum, et. al.,

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as "a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors. Social communication deficits include impairments in aspects of joint attention and social reciprocity, as well as challenges in the use of verbal and nonverbal communicative behaviors for social interaction" (2016). The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) in a language intervention program recommended for children, usually 12 to 48 months of age, who present with ASD (Vivanti, 2016). According to Autism Speaks Inc., ESDM intervention requires training and certification and can be delivered by a psychologist, behaviorist, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, early intervention specialist or developmental pediatrician, and is intended as a naturalistic approach to therapy because it does not require a fixed setting for delivery. Generalization of the intervention requires intense parent involvement and "can be delivered by therapy teams and/or parents in group programs or individual sessions in either a clinic setting or the child 's home" (2016). According to Schreibman et al., ESDM combines naturalistic intervention behavioral intervention (NDBI) with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) principles, which have shown through evidence based practice to induce behavioral changes,

Autism is a developmental disability that can affect both verbal and nonverbal communication and social interactions. Evidence of autism is generally seen before the age of 3 but one can also be diagnosed after this age. Some characteristics associated with autism are resistance to environmental change or change in routines, unusual responses to sensory experiences, engaging in repetitive activities, and stereotypical movements. These characteristics will affect a student’s educational performance. Close to 50 percent of children with autism do not speak at all, while others have echolalic speech (Houston-Wilson). Echolalic speech refers to a mimicked response. For example, when given a command the child may repeat the command word for word without comprehending what is being said. This type of communication may not be immediate. A child may recall a song from a movie he or she

Researchers are searching for ways to recognize the disorder in infants, since early diagnosis and early intervention are important for the first years of the children and can help treatment of autism. The teachings of normal communication behaviors that could easily improve their life, and help them work on improving autistic behaviors that could be better than the children who are later diagnosed with autism.

The hallmarks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involve marked deficits in social interaction as well as engagement in repetitive behaviors and language difficulties (Leblanc, Richardson, & Warnie, 2005). Although autism can have a profound impact on the capabilities and functioning of the individual, emerging research indicates that applied behavioral analysis (ABA) can be an effective tool for addressing many of the deficits that children with ASD face (Boutot & Myles, 2016). In fact, emerging research indicates that when ABA is utilized for the treatment of young children with ASD many of the challenges faced by this group can be ameliorated (Boutot & Myles, 2016). With these issues in mind the current investigation considers the seven elements of ABA identified by Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) in their seminal article on applied behavioral analysis and their application to individuals with ASD. Through a critical review of the seven elements of ABA in relation to ASD it will be possible to illustrate how this approach can be effective for improving outcomes for individuals diagnosed with autism.

Mand training will be effective to increase articulation and requesting skills. Essentially, mand training is a procedure used to aid children with request making (Wallace, 2007). The first step of Mand Training is to establish a motivating operation or reinforcer (Wallace, 2007). Next, you do not provide access to items until request is made (Wallace, 2007). Then, in Cole’s case, the trainer would use modeling and imitation to help Cole say the request more clearly, (Wallace, 2007).

The goal of Choice-Making Strategies allows the child to indicate their preferred want as well as provide an opportunity to communicate. Choices can be presented throughout the day in a variety of settings such as meal time, playtime, and daily routines. This goal consists of offering two favorable objects to encourage the child to participate in play. The communication process will be determined and accepted when the child reaches out to touch the desired item at least five times a day for 2 weeks.

In the United States 1 in 68 individuals are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. That is 3.5 million Americans on the spectrum. (Facts and Statistics Autism Society, 2016) With so many individuals diagnosed with ASD that means that there needs to be different interventions and methods to teaching those with ASD. There is a wide range of different interventions and practices used in classrooms. But before a method or intervention is implemented in any educational setting it must go through extensive research and backed up with a lot of data. This is referred to as evidence based practices. Two interventions that are used throughout classrooms are Verbal Behavior and Naturalistic Teaching. Both of these are evidence based practices that