Headlines about the number of rising autism cases around the world are everywhere. Do we really know what caused this spike in occurrences? There are many theories; some people feel strongly that the cause is genetic, others fear our ever-changing environment is to blame. I believe it is a culmination of several factors and that no single cause has truly yet to be determined.

Over the years, there have been a lot autism studies to result in treatments that have a positive impact on autism. One treatment in particular is ABA or Applied Behavioral Analysis. In a few words, it is basically a method of teaching skills in small steps. Applying this technique to everyday life skills has proven to be a major turning point in autism treatment. In fact, many parents of austic children have used applied behavoiral analysis and have seen slow, steady progress in their child’s skill set.

I vivedly remember learning the basics of ABA and how I used this method to potty train my son (no small feat!). We had tremendous success, even if it took longer than his older sibling. Nevertheless, once my son mastered the skill, he retained it and was proud of his accomplishment.

Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas developed this technique and has researched and recorded tremendous progress in his student samples in southern California. For more information about this method of treatment, you can refer to The Me Book by Dr. Lovaas.