Early interventions in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/neuro2025207Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Behavior Therapy, Early Intervention (Education), Child Development, Language DevelopmentAbstract
Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a growing challenge in the field of child health. Early interventions, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), have demonstrated effectiveness in the development of cognitive, linguistic and social skills.
Material and methods: This longitudinal case study analyzes the evolution of the behavioral, communicative and cognitive development of a child with ASD who underwent an intensive ABA-based intervention for two and a half years. Sessions were conducted three times a week, combining strategies such as discrete trial teaching, positive reinforcement, modeling, task chaining and family guidance. Assessments were conducted using the VB-MAPP protocol at three different points in time (2021, 2023 and 2024).
Results: Significant progress was observed in areas such as motor imitation, echoic language, social play and spontaneous vocalization. There was also evidence of a progressive reduction in barriers to learning, especially in terms of dependence on reinforcers and disruptive behaviors. However, difficulties persisted in complex structured language tasks, advanced verbal comprehension and pre-academic skills.
Conclusion: The results reinforce the importance of early interventions based on ABA, showing a positive evolution in the child's behavioral repertoire. The need for long-term therapeutic continuity is highlighted in order to achieve an integral development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mauricio Prata dos Santos, Patricia Salguero (Author)
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