Advocate4Autism #3 - Top 3 Supports for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have Significant Language Delays

Imagine for a moment not being able to speak/express your needs for a whole week. This is the daily reality of nearly 70% of all individuals with ASD. As a result, it is pivotal that individuals with ASD are afforded supports and services to develop functional communication skills througout their lifespan. If individuals with ASD are not exposed to communication supports early and throughout their life, it is not uncommon to see significant behavioral challenges and difficulty accessing the community as an adult. Here are the Top 3 communication supports for individuals with ASD who have significant language delays -

Support #1 - Create a mobile communication system

There are a wide range visual communication systems available for people with ASD such as Boardmaker (seen above), Text-to-Speech platforms, and Go Talk systems - just to name a few. It is pivotal to provide individuals with ASD access to communication systems in ALL environments not only to mitigate behavioral challenges, but also to dramatically improve their quality of life. Undoubtedly, proper training/instruction is an important part of this process for the individual with ASD and their family. Visual communication systems can range from basic needs (food, water, break, bathroom etc) to very complex visuals systems or Text-to-Speech. Throughout this process, it is important to always individualize, evolve with the individual, work as a team, and BE CREATIVE.

Support #2 - Create a visual schedule

Imagine navigating your day without having any idea what will happen next. Imagine how anxiety-inducing this would be? Having no clue what your day is going to look like. We all have schedules in our lives, whether they are in fancy leather planners or in our heads, we ALL have daily schedules we follow. Individuals with ASD often have difficulty navigating their day without a clearly structured daily/weekly/monthly schedule due to challenges with executive functioning. The schedule also serves as a springboard for all up-coming events, preferred activities, and interventions.

Support #3 - Access to Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)services

According to Autism Speaks, ABA involves researched-based techniques and principles to bring about meaningful and positive changes in behavior including functional communication skills and self-regulation skills. For over 50 years, Behavior Analysts have investigated the function of behavior (S.E.A.T.) and provided early intensive language intervention for nonverbal individuals with ASD. Undoubtedly, early ABA intervention can have a significant impact on the future behavior and language skills of individuals with ASD. Fortunately, recent legislation has provided many people with ASD insurance/Medicaid coverage for ABA services.

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