What is Autism?
Awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been on the rise since the Center for Disease Control began tracking it in 2000. The CDC reports that, as of 2018, autism affects 1 in
What is Autism?
Awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been on the rise since the Center for Disease Control began tracking it in 2000. The CDC reports that, as of 2018, autism affects 1 in 59 children in the US, a jump of 15 percent over the previous two years. Experts believe that improvements in defining and diagnosing ASD account for much of the increase, with cases of autism having been significantly lower in previous years. Whatever the root cause of the increase, it’s clear that ASD affects significantly more people than previously thought, and therefore requires much greater attention than it has gotten in years past.
ASD encompasses a broad group of developmental disorders that can range from hardly noticeable to almost debilitating. Someone with ASD is said to fall “on the spectrum” and exactly where they fall “on the spectrum” depends on their symptoms. Symptoms can vary greatly and include social difficulties, verbal and non-verbal communications issues, and the presence of repetitive actions or behaviors. For some individuals, ASD can interrupt the development of essential life skills such as personal health, personal safety, career development, transportation, and others.
Unfortunately, there is no known definitive cause for autism. Several factors, both environmental and genetic, play a role in its development. However, effective treatment is available via Ascend Autism’s autism treatment programs located throughout Fairfield County, CT.
Autism Treatment Program
Through our autism treatment programs offered to families located throughout Fairfield County, CT, we offer a variety of different types of interventions based on the individual’s particular needs. At the core of all our treatments is a technique called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), recognized as the most effective way to address the difficulties that stem from autism. ABA focuses on the relationship between learning and behavior. This helps individuals improve their focus, memory, language and communication skills, and academics. It’s a pragmatic and flexible approach and relies heavily on the concept of positive reinforcement.
Via Ascend Autism’s programs for families located in Fairfield County, CT, our treatments fall into four main categories.
- Early Intervention: Autism treatments provide the most impact when they are applied as early as possible. Early signs of autism can appear in children as young as 18 months; treatment can start as soon as there is a diagnosis. Early intervention care is in-home and is customizable to your child’s unique nature. We work with a variety of tools to create a supportive, stimulating environment in a familiar location.
- Targeted Intervention: As the name suggests, targeted intervention treatment concentrates on specific behaviors, mainly social functions. This is of particular benefit to children with milder autism or individual issues with communication and socialization. In our intervention program, the number of hours of treatment are on social engagement activities.
- Social Skills Work: The subtleties of daily human interactions can be difficult to master for a child with Autism. Things we take for granted—making small talk, showing an interest in others, enjoying meaningful dialogue—involve complex social behaviors that aren’t readily apparent to someone with autism. Social skills work teaches the value of listening, reading and reacting to cues, and mastering other peer-to-peer interactions.
- Parental Services: Parenting is a challenge, even under ideal circumstances. Parents of children with autism face an additional set of challenges specific to their child’s developmental issues. Thankfully, Ascend Autism’s treatment programs help immensely. Our parental services help train parents to become more than capable caregivers. We make you a vital part of every phase of their treatment. You’ll learn to help your child through core issues and challenging behaviors and help improve their life.
About Ascend Autism
Ascend Autism’s services include treatment programs for families located in Fairfield County, CT. We offer a comprehensive approach to the difficulties caused by Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ascend Autism provides effective treatment for the wide variety of symptoms associated with ASD. If your family could benefit from an autism treatment program in Fairfield County, CT, please contact us at 877.323.8668.