Services

Each child’s program consists of observable and measurable goals, which are taught through systematic trial sequences. Program changes are determined by ongoing data collection and analysis. The initial focus of therapy is on developing basic skills of attendance, compliance, and imitation. Once the child is responding to the therapist’s requests and attending to the activities, additional program goals in the areas of functional communication, social skills, play and leisure skills, higher level of compliance, and daily living skills are introduced. The program is individualized for each child based on functional behavioral assessments and family needs. A combination of structured teaching and play based strategies such as Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Pivotal Response Training (PRT) are used to achieve higher levels of motivation and success.

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is a behavioral treatment intervention based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and is derived from the work of Koegel, Schreibman, Dunlap, Horner, and other researchers. It is a composite of the research on task interspersal, direct reinforcement, and role of choice. Key pivotal behaviors have been identified for children with autism: motivation and responsivity to multiple cues (Koegel & Koegel). PRT has demonstrated positive changes in these “pivotal behaviors” exhibiting widespread effects on many other behaviors associated with language and social interaction. Pivotal Response Training (PRT) provides a guideline for teaching skills and has been most successful for language, play, and social interaction skills in children with autism.

There has been an extensive amount of research describing the benefits of early intensive behavioral intervention strategies (e.g., Dawson, 2008). The goal of early intensive intervention is to target the underlying learning-to-learn skills that contribute to the achievement of developmental milestones during early stages of child’s development. Additionally, these skills will facilitate achieving developmental milestones occurring later on in the child’s program, hence decreasing developmental gaps and bringing the child closer to its chronological developmental stage. The FCDS early intervention program focuses on ABA play based strategies and teaching the child learning readiness skills such as attending, making choices, joint attention, following instructions, and imitation of actions or movements. Parents are an integral part of our early intervention program. They are taught specific skills on how to motivate their child to learn. ABA based strategies have been shown to be effective in teaching new skills (Goldstein, 2002, Odom et al., 2003, McConnell, 2002). In addition, many studies demonstrate that ABA is effective in reducing problem behaviors (Horner et al., 2002). A number of studies also indicate that when implemented intensively (more than 20 hours per week) and early in life (beginning prior to the age of 4 years), ABA may produce large gains in development and reductions in the need for special services (Smith, 1999). Recent research has resulted in the development of better early intervention and treatment programs. More importantly early intervention can make a major difference in helping children with autism reach their full potential.

Parent involvement and education is an integral part of the behavior intervention program to ensure consistency in delivery of ABA strategies and to help their child succeed. Parent participation provides an empowering experience and a higher level of motivation for the family to make the necessary changes. Family involvement allows for a more accurate assessment of their needs and establishment of attainable goals and objectives. The in home parent education program is designed to teach parents antecedent based, teaching, and consequence based strategies that are derived from the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. Parents will be involved in program goal setting and use of strategies through daily routines for skill acquisition and behavior reductions, as well as maintenance and generalization. The ultimate goal is to leave the family with basic ABA tools and strategies they need to teach their child new and functional behaviors while reducing the undesired ones.

Parents who participate in the “16″ hour parent education program will be receiving behavioral services for their children in the near future. It is therefore crucial for them to have a basic understanding of concepts that might be introduced during the course of an assessment and a behavior intervention program. During the “16″ hour program parents will have an opportunity to gain an understanding of the underlying philosophy of applied behavior analysis (ABA). The basic premise behind antecedent, behavior, and consequence (ABC) analysis, the importance of functional assessment, and introduced to the possible intervention strategies that might be applied during the course of a behavior intervention program offered to their children.