A positive and systematic approach to teaching functional skills and reducing problem behaviors as well as creativity and flexibility, capitalizing on the resources available for each individual child, is strongly emphasized in each child’s individualized program. In the initial treatment phases, all members of our treatment team adhere consistently to the smallest details of the teaching plan. There are a wide variety of teaching strategies that are used within our program as well as other interventions. Each child’s program is developed to include skills such as imitation and play. However, the emphasis of the program shifts during the course of treatment, dependent on treatment progress and behaviors, though the treatment’s general structure remains the same.

Intervention consists of a combination of interventions designed to increase communication, play, social and self-help skills. Skills that are prerequisites to language are heavily emphasized. Such skills are attention, cooperation, and imitation. This is a good example of how the steps must build from one another. If a therapist is not able to achieve the attention and cooperation of the child, it will be extremely difficult to teach language. Therefore, a strong emphasis is placed on the development of appropriate attending behavior, speech and language, conceptual and academic skills, as well as promoting play and social skills.

For young children (under the age of 3) diagnosed within the autism spectrum, the program emphasizes development in the following areas:

1) attending to elements in the environment, especially to other people;

2) imitating others including both verbal and motor imitation;

3) comprehending the use of language receptively (e.g. building on functional communication skills);

4) playing with toys appropriately to promote functional use of toys and symbolic play;

5) social interaction with others, especially peers;

6) making choices; and

7) following daily schedules and routines.