Our Complete Guide to Autism Therapy in Springfield, Missouri

Types of Autism Therapy in Springfield, MO

Autism therapy for your child covers a range of methods. Some focus on one particular aspect of how a child communicates. Others help with training in a social setting. A few types of autism therapy can give a comprehensive view of how the child progresses by turning goals into smaller, measured steps.

Read more about the main types of autism therapy in Springfield, MO, as you search for a solution for your child.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy is what we focus on here at My World ABA. The overall goal is to understand a child’s behavior and then change that behavior in small, measured steps. It starts with the premise that every child is unique. Yes, we can make inferences and conclusions about how someone can react to a new situation. However, ABA therapy is adaptable in that every person is different, perceives the world in their own way, and progresses at their own pace. ABA helps individuals with autism learn new skills, reduce challenging behaviors, and improve independence.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy for children with autism focuses on improving communication skills. This can include teaching verbal language, understanding spoken words, using gestures, and developing social skills. Speech therapists work on building vocabulary, forming sentences, and practicing conversations. They also help children understand and respond to facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. The goal is to enhance a child’s ability to connect with others and express their needs and wants effectively.

Occupational Therapy

Whereas speech therapy is focused solely on communication, occupational therapy (OT) is more active. OT helps children with autism develop skills for everyday life. OTs focus on improving fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, and daily living activities. Occupational therapists will teach tasks like dressing, eating, and playing. OTs also work on sensory challenges, like sensitivity to sounds or textures. Occupational therapists help children become more independent and confident in their abilities.

Social Skills Training

Social skills training helps children with autism learn how to interact with others. Skills like making eye contact, listening, taking turns, sharing, and understanding social cues are all a part of this training. Therapists use role-playing, group activities, and real-life situations to practice these skills. The goal is to improve a child’s ability to build and maintain friendships and relationships.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) helps children with autism manage challenges like anxiety and understand their emotions. It teaches them to recognize and change negative thought patterns that lead to unwanted behaviors. Through CBT, children learn to identify triggers, develop coping strategies, and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. This therapy helps them feel calmer and more confident in handling difficult situations that arise.

Every type of autism therapy in Springfield, MO, is not just about the child. A therapist works with your entire family to help your child live their best life on their own terms. 

Choosing the Right Autism Therapy in Springfield, MO

Selecting the right autism therapy for your child soon after a diagnosis is important. It sets the right course for development, allows your child to develop a bond with their therapist, and gives the therapist a chance to develop a strategy to move forward. Your child’s pediatrician will recommend several options based on your child’s unique needs. However, it’s ultimately up to you as a parent to decide what’s best.

Understanding Your Child’s Needs

The first thing an autism therapist will do is a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s development, behavior, and skills. A therapist will interview your child, make observations, and measure specific skills like language, cognitive abilities, and motor skills. Some of these observations may include how your child plays and interacts with toys as well as how they interact with their peers.

Identifying Core Challenges & Strengths

Autism therapists identify core challenges and strengths through careful observation and assessment. They look for patterns in behavior, communication skills, social interactions, and play. By comparing the child’s abilities to age-appropriate milestones, they can pinpoint areas where the child excels and where they face difficulties. This part of the initial assessment is vital to developing a personalized treatment plan for a child with autism.

Setting Realistic Goals

We have to remember as parents that autism therapy is the beginning of your child’s journey to achieving more indepedendence and improved skills. Achieving goals may take time. However, we will start by playing into your child’s strengths as we move through a treatment plan. We can set realistic expectations based on your child’s current abilities and focus on areas that will have the most significant impact on their life.

For example, your child loves reading books and making up stories along the way. Their favorite subject might be dinosaurs, rocket ships, horses, or trees. An autism therapist can use this strength to help your child develop socialization skills. We might start a conversation about your child’s favorite thing and ask your child to talk about their favorite story. The therapist will ask questions about the story to direct social skills and social interaction in a way that is inclusive and healthy for your child. Then, we will note any improvements in behavior or socialization skills.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Autism Therapy in Springfield, MO

There are a few main factors that go into choosing the right autism therapy for your child.

Age & Developmental Level

A child that is 3 years old might need to start with communication skills and speech therapy if they are not at the right developmental level for that age. Children who are in elementary school could need assistance with socialization skills because at those ages they are in classes with their peers. Middle schoolers might need assistance with occupational therapy as they learn to adapt to their growing bodies. 

Severity of Autism Symptoms

The severity of autism symptoms may determine the most relevant kind of therapy a child needs. A therapist will generally ascertain communication skills first. Next might be restricted or repetitive behaviors and how intense those behaviors are. Do any behaviors interfere with daily life? How do your child’s symptoms impact their ability to function? 

A comprehensive evaluation should uncover the severity of symptoms to develop a plan moving forward. In general, the most severe symptoms should be the focus of the initial treatment plan. But every child and every family is different!

In general, there are three levels of autism severity. These levels can describe a range of symptoms. Individuals with the same level of severity of autism can vary significantly, which is why a comprehensive evaluation is vital to developing a treatment plan.

Level 1: Requiring Support

• Difficulty initiating social interactions
• Challenges with back-and-forth conversation
• Inflexible behavior or routines
• May function independently but may need support in specific areas

Level 2: Requiring Substantial Support

• Marked limitations in verbal and nonverbal communication
• Difficulty initiating social interactions
• Limited interest in social interactions
• Restricted and repetitive behaviors that interfere with daily life

Level 3: Requiring Very Substantial Support

• Severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication
• Limited initiation of social interactions
• Extreme distress at changes in routine
• Severe restricted and repetitive behaviors that interfere significantly with functioning in all areas of life

Your Preferences & Priorities

Ultimately, your child’s treatment plan is up to you as the parent. You’re also the one who sees your youngster interact on a daily basis, and you understand what they need the most help with and what causes the most frustrations. 

We will take into account your family situation, including siblings and extended family, who may interact with your child on a regular basis. Each person has their own way of communicating with your youngster. As part of autism therapy, we can help your family members become better stewards of your child’s needs.

Therapist Qualifications & Experience

How man years has the therapist been involved with autism? How long has the therapist’s practice been in business? Who recommended the therapist? What are the reviews? These are all things to look for when looking over the qualifications and experience of an autism therapist.

Search for an autism therapist with certifications with these titles:

• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA): This is the highest credential in ABA therapy. Amanda, one of our owners, holds this credential and oversees the registered behavior technicians.
• Registered Behavior Technician (RBT): This is a supervised position requiring specific training and competency. They are often in training to become a BCBA.
• Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) or Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs): Look for ones that have expertise in autism.

Why ABA Therapy in Springfield, MO?

ABA therapy has proven effective in treating children with autism due to its evidence-based approach and focus on individual needs. It offers both a long-term plan with short-term steps that can help your child develop and grow.

Evidence & Science-Based Treatment

ABA therapy is based on empirical research that shows it to be effective. It focuses on what happens before a behavior (antecedent) and the consequences of that behavior (what happens after). The goal is to alter the environmental variables to change behavior. For example, a child with autism reacts badly to loud music. If taking away the loud music helps the person to calm down, then that is one way to make the environment safer for that person.

Basing conclusions on evidence helps us to inform the next steps in your child’s autism treatment. Gradually making adjustments helps to make lessons stick and maximize their effectiveness while also reducing the risk of harm.

Early Intervention

Starting ABA therapy earlier in life can have better and longer-lasting outcomes. Children are naturally curious. They love to explore and learn. They see the world with childlike wonder. Tapping into that malleability is one way early intervention can help a child with autism.

Much like learning a language, learning how to play a musical instrument, or becoming great at playing a particular sport,  starting earlier in life can have long-lasting effects that lead to mastery down the road. The same is true for ABA therapy.

Individualized Treatment

No two treatment plans are ever alike because no two children are ever alike. ABA therapy focuses on a child’s strengths and challenges. We can offer techniques in therapy, and we can teach you as a parent to tap into your child’s strengths to develop other aspects of their personality.

Focus on Functional Skills

ABA prioritizes teaching skills that are directly applicable to everyday life in order to enhance a child’s independence. For example, an ABA therapist might teach steps in a task sequentially, building on previously learned skills. 

One recent event we held was a bake sale. Some of our patients learned how to bake cookies and other baked goods. They were given My World ABA play currency and were able to buy their favorite baked goods as if they were shopping at a store. However, these skills might have started with simply teaching a child how to stir something in a glass of water. Then, we might add something to the water, like colored food dye, in a later therapy session. These skills would build up to making cookies in a real kitchen!

Positive Reinforcement

We believe positive reinforcement is always the right way to move forward in autism therapy. Kids respond to positivity, smiles, laughter, hugs, pats on the back, and rewards. Even little milestones are celebrated. Positive reinforcement creates an uplifting learning environment for everyone. Scientific studies show that positive reinforcement can lead to longer-lasting behavior change than negative reinforcement.

Comprehensive Approach

ABA addresses a wide range of skills, including communication, social skills, and daily living activities. Some autism therapies, like speech therapy and occupational therapy, only address a single aspect. These individualized therapies are very good at their specific tasks, such as communication and helping with daily tasks. ABA therapy incorporates these items into a more holistic view of helping the entire person to grow.

For example, improving communication skills can also enhance occupational tasks such as tying shoes, taking care of a family pet, and doing homework. Socialization skills can lead to better teamwork at home when helping out with chores or participating in family activities.

Measurable Outcomes

ABA therapy uses data to track progress and adjust treatment plans as needed. For example, an ABA therapist would record how many times a behavior occurs in a specific time frame, how long a behavior lasts, and measure the time between a prompt and a response. When these variables change, it allows our ABA therapists to further refine a child’s treatment plan.

Personalized Treatment Plans

At the core of ABA therapy is a personalized treatment plan that is adaptable and fluid based on your youngster’s unique personality and abilities. The plan identifies the child’s areas of proficiency and challenges to create a balanced program.

The plan details strategies to address challenging behaviors, such as tantrums, aggression, or self-injurious behavior. These will likely be addressed as priorities, depending on the seriousness of these behaviors.

We’ll use attainable goals to move through therapy sessions with the goal of improving behaviors over time. If we see that some types of activities seem to not resonate with your child, we will try other strategies and techniques.

Skill acquisition outlines the skills to be taught, including communication, social skills, daily living skills, and academic skills. As your child masters these particular aspects, we can move to other areas.

The plan specifies how progress will be measured and tracked to monitor effectiveness. We will document progress as much as we can and tell you what your child has accomplished.

We will help you, as parents, to support your child’s learning at home. Our staff will teach you some of the same techniques we use with our patients. Your child’s specialized treatment plan emphasizes collaboration among therapists, parents, and other professionals involved in the child’s care.

Family Involvement

We encourage the involvement of all family members when it comes to a child’s autism therapy. Parents and siblings are the ones who love, support, and cherish each other through what can be challenging times. In fact, family involvement is crucial to the success of any autism therapy, including ABA therapy.

We only see your child in therapy for one hour a week. You, as a parent, have a unique and deeper understanding of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and triggers. You can be a source of comfort, compassion, and courage for everything your child is going through.

Parents can reinforce therapy techniques at home based on what was learned in therapy sessions. Consistency can help bring about skill acquisition and mastery faster and more thoroughly. You’ll be able to see your child grow and blossom as they add new skills to their repertoire.

Being involved in your child’s therapy reduces your stress and the stress on your child’s caregivers. You’ll also gain a better understanding of your child’s therapy sessions and how best to proceed with the next steps in your child’s journey.

Behavioral Support in a Classroom Setting

Autism therapy for your child creates a more solid founcation for behavioral support in a classroom setting. Discuss your child’s therapy with teachers, school counselors, and administrators as a way to address any concerns you might have with your child’s time at school. Teachers, like parents, also see children for many hours during the day. You can help address any academic challenges, social difficulties, and behavioral issues that may come up during the school day.

Discussing your child with autism with their teachers can help them recognize any issues while understanding what your child needs in school. Any insights you can give a teacher can be enormously helpful to your child’s development. 

Autism Therapy in Springfield, Ozark & Joplin

We strive to create a fun, kind, compassionate, and inclusive environment where your child will feel welcome. We believe that every child deserves to live comfortably in their world. 

To learn more about our services or answer additional questions, visit our website or call (417) 818-5784 today. We have offices in Springfield, Ozark, and Joplin, Missouri.