Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): A Learning Approach for Autistic Spectrum/PDD Children

Parents and grandparents of children with an autism spectrum disorder are continually seeking new ways for their children to learn. For ‘typical’ children, many forms of learning environments are available, but autism spectrum children have’ fallen through the cracks’ in many cases. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a proven approach to effective learning for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

This past month, a bill was passed that requires insurances companies to pay for conditions related to autism. Even though ABA therapy is widely prescribed by physicians, the majority of insurance companies have notoriously refused to pay for this valuable learning experience. I hope that this article will explain a bit about Applied Behavior Analysis.


‘Typically Developing’ Children vs. Autism Spectrum Children


‘Typically developing’ children learn without our intervention. The ‘typical’ environment they are born into provides the right conditions to learn language, play and social skills. Children with an autism spectrum disorder/PDD learn much, much less from the environment. These children are often capable of learning, but it takes a very structured environment, one where conditions are optimized for acquiring the same skills that typical children learn 'naturally.' Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is about the rules for setting up an environment to enable these children to learn.


Understanding Applied Behavior Analysis