Development and Autism
Learning and Development is Not a Straight Line
Children develop down characteristic pathways that can be compared to the growth of a tree. They start as infants learning how to eat, sleep, and hold up their heads. They progress through a series of biologically engrained behaviors until they reach a point in development where they need to be taught skills by observing and learning from others - This is where we see children with autism deviate from their peers.
Developmental Steps Can Be Big
When a child with autism reaches developmental milestones that require them to observe and watch others, the skill gap can be way too high for them to climb. The end result is that these children fall behind their peers.
How ABA Helps
When a Behavior Analyst uses ABA Therapy to treat a child, they rigorously fine-tune a treatment plan to the child. Instead of working on large developmental milestones, they work on much smaller targets. As children make progress with small targets, the steps become more manageable and the children progress down their developmental timeline.