INTERVENTION FUNDAMENTALS

The 2011 PA Autism Needs Assessment found that one in four adults with autism and nearly 95% of pre-elementary children with autism are not able to independently communicate their wants.

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For many children, deficits and slow development in their oral motor and vocal skills lead to deficits in communication skills. This doesn't have to be the case. Over 25 years of research demonstrates the ability of children to acquire fundamental communication skills using selection-based communication systems. Our intensive training focuses on  communication, not speech. We teach children how to discriminate and select pictures representing their wants and needs. We also teach them how to approach and establish joint attention with a caregiver. Just as importantly, we teach caregivers the prompting and reinforcement procedures they'll need to implement in order to maintain and build upon their child's communication skills.

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