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Helitaanka Xanaanda I welcome you to an educational podcast intended
to raise awareness about Autism in the Somali community. For this part I will be discussing
the current types of treatment and interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder,
or ASD, and I will also let you know about the resources/services available in Minnesota.
The goal of this podcast is to stress the importance of early intervention and main
treatments available to children and individuals with ASD.
While there is no cure for ASD, there are things parents can do to improve the lives
of their children. Early intervention
For parents with small children it is important to start intervention as soon as a problem
is identified. This is important because children's earliest
experiences play a critical role in brain development. Neural circuits, which create
the foundation for learning, behavior and health, are most flexible during the first
three years of life. Over time, they become increasingly difficult
to change because the brains ability to learn decreases with age. Early intervention services
can maximize their learning potential by addressing communication, play, problem behaviors, and
overall skill development from a very early age
Early intervention has been shown to improve the life of a person with ASD.
Treatments Each individual with Autism is different and
there are different types of treatments available that can be personalized to fit their specific
need. Current treatments include: Behavior and Communication
Approaches, Dietary approaches, and Medications. Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the use of techniques and principles to bring about
meaningful and positive changes in behavior. When a behavior is followed by some sort of
reward, the behavior is more likely to be repeated. It uses techniques for increasing
useful behaviors and reducing those that may cause harm or interfere with learning.
Dietary Approaches Although there is no scientific evidence,
some parents believe that dietary changes make a difference in how their child acts
or feels. This requires changing or removing certain types of foods from a child's diet
and using vitamins or mineral supplements. Dietary treatments are based on the idea that
food allergies or lack of vitamins and minerals cause symptoms of ASDs. There are reliable
therapists that can help put together a dietary plan for your child.
Medications Although there is no cure for ASD, many people
with ASD have additional medical conditions and there are medications they can take to
help them function better. There are medications that can help manage high energy levels, inability
to focus, depression, and seizures. The use of antipsychotic drugs was approved to treat
at certain age children with ASDs who have severe tantrums, aggression, and cause self-injury.
Conclusion This has been a brief overview of some current
treatments and interventions available to people with autism spectrum disorder. You
can find a list of resources on ASD on the podcast website.