Our Treatment Approach for ASD
At The Hope Source, as clinicians who are bound to provide evidence-based practice to all of our clients, we strive to provide the most comprehensive evaluation to determine the needs of each client. From there, our team collaborates to build a treatment plan that considers the unique needs of each individual student.
We study all theories of behavior and cognitive development and utilize the treatment protocols (such as Applied Behavior Analysis) derived from those theories as a tool to meet the unique needs of each client and their family. One modality may provide critical monitoring of behavior reduction, while the other is more effective at reaching the deficit areas of autism for cognitive acquisition. For example, the parents may receive counseling and consultation sessions with our licensed clinicians focusing on anxiety and adjustment to an autism diagnosis, while their child may receiving intensive ABA by a paraprofessional/behavior guide for skill acquisition and behavior management.
Researchers within the last 10 years have reached consensus on the common deficits that are present across the Autism Spectrum. At The Hope Source, it is best practice to stay on top of this research in order to best serve our clients. Therefore, our Dynamic Twelve: Autism Developmental Deficit Assessment reflects what researchers have determined are areas of deficit, including:
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Behavior Management
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Self-Regulation
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Social Motivation
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Self-Awareness
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Episodic Memory
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Social Cognition
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Flexible Thinking
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Information Processing
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Emotional Engagement
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Co-Regulation
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Joint Attention
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Social Communication
Once assessed in the above areas, treatment goals are developed. Our approach does not end there. It is critical that our clients have the same opportunities for learning as their typical peers. We implement treatment goals into real-world, authentic and natural experiences – we just slow it down and break it down!
The brain must experience first hand how to problem solve and adjust to someone else – it cannot be told or trained what to do. No human being learns that way effectively.
With experience comes competence, with competence comes motivation, with motivation comes exploration.
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