Despite the fact that the human body possesses a remarkable capability, there is a need to understand the fact that there are certain disorders that prejudice the body’s functioning capability. Autism occurs as one of the disorders that impair the ability of an individual’s body to function normally. While much has been hypothesized regarding autism, it is of the essence to note that it primarily connotes to a disorder that presents with a spectrum of symptoms such as repetitive and restrictive behavioural patterns, and tenacious deficits in social interaction skills across different contexts. The most pressing concern with regards to autism aligns with the fact that there it does not have a definite nor proven treatment (Fisher et al., 2011). Nonetheless, there exists various interventions that can aid the management of autism. A close analysis of the various treatment options shows that Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the most favourable treatment option for autism.
Discussion
There are various evidences that demonstrate that Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the best treatment option for autism. In fact, the other available treatment options for autism do not offer concrete results when compared to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Speaking of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), this refers to an autism treatment option whereby skills in an autistic individual such as cognitive, communication, and motor skills are divided into small tasks whereby a structured approach is utilized to teach these skills. In the use of this intervention, positive behaviours with regards to the mentioned skills are rewarded whereas the inappropriate behaviours are discouraged (Turkington et al., 2006). The first reason as to why Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the best treatment option aligns with the fact that it can be used to develop various skills in an autistic individual. This is contrary to other autism treatment options such physical therapy that only focuses in motor skills, and occupational therapy that only emphasizes on sensory skills.
The other evidence that justifies the fact that Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the best treatment option for autism is the fact that this treatment option is more convenient. The convenience of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) aligns with the fact that it can be carried out at home; hence, parents of children with autism do not have to visit specific contexts such as hospitals to be managed for autism. Precisely, Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) sessions do not require technical expertise, but can be carried out by anyone with little training on the ABA approach (Stillman, 2007). As such, ABA sessions for autistic persons can be carried out with ease at home by a trained caregiver or parent. In addition, ABA sessions can be easily merged or integrated into schools programmes. This is another substantive indicator that ABA is the best treatment option in that the ease in merging is with other programmes makes it more cost effective.
The notion that ABA therapy is the best treatment option for autistic persons is further evident when ABA is compared with Makaton, which is one of the treatment options for autism. Evidently, Makaton as one of the treatment options for autism entails the use of symbols and signs alongside spoken language with the sole intent of helping autistic individuals develop adequate communication skills. The weakness of this method is the fact that it solely focuses only on developing communication skills amongst persons with autism. On the other hand, ABA therapy offers a comprehensive platform that enhances the development of communication skills, social skills, and academic development amongst autistic persons. ABA therapy is often based on certain goals with the requisite steps on how autistic persons can attain such goals (Cipani, 2011). As a result, ABA therapy utilized a wider array of procedures, which help in training autistic persons on various skills. This analysis, justifies the notion that ABA therapy is the best treatment option for autism because it enhances development of various skills compared to other treatment options such as Makaton that focus on the development of a single skill.
The effectiveness of ABA therapy is also evident when compared with other autism treatment options such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which is one of the available psychological treatment options for autism. The use of ABA does not necessitate the availability of various resources in terms of equipment’s. This is contrary to CBT that entails the availability of a wider array of demonstration tools such as images and worksheets. In a nutshell, CBT as one of the treatment options for autism requires the availability of visual and written information (Silverman, 2012), which are not needed when ABA therapy is used. This means that it is less expensive to use ABA therapy than CBT. Deductively, ABA mainly entails observation of the behaviours depicted by autistic persons while performing certain tasks and reinforcing positive behaviours and discouraging negative behaviours. This means that limited costs are incurred with the use of ABA than CBT; hence, justifying the notion that ABA therapy is the best treatment option for autism.
On another note, it is of the essence to note that there are certain medications that can be utilized as a treatment intervention for autism. Compared with medications, ABA therapy stands out to be more effective; hence, recommendable. Commonly utilized medications for managing autism include antidepressant medications, which aid in treating anxiety and depression, which are some of the primary symptoms of autism. Antipsychotic drugs occur as the other medication used to manage autism. Antipsychotic medications aid in managing mental illnesses associated with autism such as schizophrenia. Finally, stimulants are the other forms of medications that can be used to manage autism. These medications treat attention deficits that are evident amongst autistic persons. While it is true that the medications mentioned herein are effective in managing autisms, they have a high risk of side effects. In fact, empirical researches carried out in the recent past indicate that medications used in treating autism pose unintended effects, which may be fatal (Siri & Lyons, 2014). Notably, the use of ABA therapy does not pose any risk when compared with medications, which pose certain risks that can be dangerous. For this purpose, ABA therapy is the best treatment option for autism than medications.
Conclusion
The above discussion justifies the notion that ABA therapy offers the most effective treatment option for autism. A comparison of ABA therapy with other autism treatment options such as CBT, occupations therapy, physical therapy, and use of medications shows that ABA has more advantages. In fact, ABA therapy is applicable for autistic persons of various age groups. It is on this basis that parents and caregivers with autistic patients should always opt for ABA therapy than other treatment options. In conclusion, evidence suggests that ABA therapy is the best treatment option for autism, which is highly recommended for use by parents with autistic children.
References
Cipani, E. (2011). Children and autism: Stories of triumph and hope. New York: Demos Medical Pub.
Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., & Roane, H. S. (2011). Handbook of applied behaviour analysis. New York: Guilford Press.
Silverman, C. (2012). Understanding autism: Parents, doctors, and the history of a disorder. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Siri, K., & Lyons, T. (2014). Cutting-edge therapies for autism.
Stillman, W. (2007). The autism answer book: More than 300 of the top questions parents ask. Naperville, Ill: Sourcebooks.
Turkington, C., Harris, J., & American BookWorks Corporation. (2006). The Encyclopaedia of learning disabilities. New York: Facts on File.
