Intervention is an orchestrated attempt to help a child progress through a systematic process of meeting specific goals and objectives related to challenges introduced by an autism diagnosis. It can also refer to the act of using a technique within a therapy session.

The core deficits that affect education of a child with ASDs are:

• attention difficulties
• communication impairments
• a lack of social skills understanding, auditory processing impairments, and generalization of skills
• difficulties imitating behavior
• behavioral issues
• trouble with task/event sequencing, transitions and time concepts.

It is important to focus on what a child with ASDs can do and look at individual strengths to modify environment and education. Individuals with ASDs often exhibit strong visual performance skills, an ability to learn and follow routines, focused attention related to special interests, excellent memorization skills, and honesty.

For in-depth information about interventions and/or methodologies and their local providers please visit our Resource Center page.

 (Sources: Some information on this page was provided by The National Autism Association, Kyle’s Treehouse, the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Health and Human Services.)