One-on-One Therapy for Autistic Kids
Parents of autistic children are often over-stressed at which path to take in their child’s care. There are too many options, and all require plenty of time and money that can easily suck the life out of the family. Since successful therapy varies by child, knowing exactly what will help is only learned through trial and error and there are a lucky few who strike gold early on. One-on-one speech therapy is just another option to help autistic children find their voice and bring the family together peacefully.
Speech therapy is often considered the cornerstone of treatment for autistic children. Whether it’s learning how to express themselves with signs, gestures, or spoken words, it’s a crucial step in helping these children express how they are feeling and ask for basic needs. Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio is utilizing speech therapy on a one on one basis to help the non-verbal become verbal. Some children that come through the hospital are moving from being completely non-verbal to verbal within a matter of a couple of years. It’s important to note that not all autistic children will have such successes but it’s encouraging to know the possibility is there.
A key note here is that part of the one-on-one therapy is the use of computer programs to help engage the child. They can learn to match images with words, hear how the word is spoken, and make attempts to repeat the word. While it is a visual learning scenario, the child is being reinforced to use spoken language to communicate their needs in wants. In some cases, a child can also learn two different languages at once. This is especially important for children who come from bilingual homes. It is vital that they can communicate in both languages with all family members. Not only does it strengthen the family bond, it provides a much-needed self-esteem boost. And it certainly proves what we already know about autistic children – their high level of intelligence!
When it comes to paying for these services, most insurance companies will cover speech therapy and one-on-one speech therapy. Unfortunately, some insurances require a referral or obtain an approval for coverage. Hopefully, if you need these sorts of services for your child, you have an insurance company that will easily work for you.
Whether you are working with occupational therapy, ABA therapy, or social skills classes, one-on-one speech therapy certainly appears to be a fantastic addition to your current treatment plan. Do ask around for recommendations for a successful therapy team. Also make sure to talk at length with your current therapists about adding this or even switching out other therapies that are not working.