Hompage

Generally, the optimal intervention period for Autism is before the age of 8. Among them, the golden period for language learning in children with Autism is before the age of 3. The younger the child, the greater the brain’s plasticity, so early detection and intervention are the most important basic strategies for the rehabilitation education of children with Autism.

Rehabilitation education for children with Autism includes four components: foundational learning skills, learning abilities, self-care abilities, and motor skills.

Foundational learning skills refer to a child’s visual observation and hand-eye coordination abilities; language comprehension, expression, and communication abilities; game skills, social skills, cooperation in group activities, and the ability to follow daily routines.

Learning abilities refer to a child’s abilities in reading, writing, and mathematics, usually targeting children with a developmental age of four or above.

Self-care abilities are crucial and should be incorporated into the entire training program from the beginning. Self-care abilities include dressing, eating, grooming, and toileting.

In terms of motor skills, we need to ensure that children receive sufficient practice in both gross motor skills (running, jumping, throwing a ball, etc.) and fine motor skills (stringing beads, building blocks, buttoning buttons, etc.) during rehabilitation training.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a social science that focuses on the analysis and improvement of observable, measurable, and socially significant human behavior patterns.

The characteristics of ABA include applicability, behaviorism, analysis, technicality, systematization of concepts, effectiveness, and generality.

ABA covers a wide range of applications, and some of its principles are applied in the rehabilitation education of Autism with supporting experimental data. However, ABA is not specific to Autism.

The core of ABA is to understand and modify behavior. It is a scientific approach that systematically applies behavioral principles to effectively improve socially significant behavior and demonstrates their efficacy and relevance through experimental methods.

Some behavioral principles involved in ABA, such as reinforcement, punishment, extinction, and shaping, are proven through experimental behavior analysis and then applied to enhance human behavior and quality of life.

An individualized training plan is a rehabilitation education plan specifically tailored to the needs of children with Autism. Typically, a plan lasts for one year in foreign countries, while in most institutions in China, it is divided into three-month periods. The content of the training plan needs to be adjusted at different stages and must be tailored to each child’s abilities and needs in order to maximize their benefits.

Rehabilitation education involves a lot of content that cannot be implemented simultaneously. It needs to be implemented in stages based on the child’s capacity to learn and progress gradually. Additionally, the specific content of the plan should be adjusted based on the child’s mastery of skills.

The primary stage focuses on establishing basic learning behaviors, such as following instructions and basic cooperation skills. For children who have just been diagnosed or are around the age of 2, the first step is to teach them how to cooperate with us and establish a relationship with us. In this stage, we generally teach children to follow simple instructions, such as sitting down, standing up, coming here, giving a hug, waving goodbye, and other actions. At the same time, we can also teach children to play with simple wooden puzzles and learn to tidy up toys. The primary stage usually takes about two weeks to a month to establish a classroom atmosphere for the child, familiarize them with the class routine, and be able to cooperate with their parents to complete simple instructions in a calm state.

The focus of this stage is to establish basic learning abilities, including language and speech expression, imitation of actions, visual training, game and social skills, as well as following and correcting pronunciation. This stage is crucial, as early and correct professional intervention can lay a solid foundation for future learning and prognosis. However, these are highly professional and gradual processes that require continuous support from professionals and institutions.

The focus of this stage is to improve learning quality and skills. Building upon the intermediate stage, parents and teachers can gradually increase the difficulty level and encourage the child to develop independent learning skills. Based on the child’s interests, abilities, and environment, they can grasp knowledge of object functions, shapes, and categories in terms of language cognition. They can also start using communicative language with their parents and learn skills for group learning.

Note: Please note that the translation provided is for general understanding and may not capture the full context or nuances of the original text.

The preschool stage is an important phase for children to develop life skills and acquire preparatory skills for learning. The first step is to help children learn basic life skills, reduce dependence and interfering behaviors, and lay a solid foundation for independent living skills. Through scientific intervention, children in this stage accumulate certain vocabulary, language, and social skills. Parents can begin to teach children to recognize and write words and introduce basic mathematical knowledge. However, it is important to adhere to the principles of assessment, interest, and autonomy. Cognitive education is not the main focus of preschool rehabilitation education.

Children with Autism have significant individual differences, and many may exhibit multiple disabilities. Some children may have exceptional abilities in certain areas but struggle to apply them adaptively in social contexts. Therefore, the development of training goals should focus on individual adaptability, specificity, and continuity. Before starting rehabilitation education, the first step is to assess the child’s abilities. In China, the commonly used assessments include the Psycho-Educational Profile (PEP-3 or CPEP), and some institutions also use internationally recognized assessments such as the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R) or the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP). It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all rehabilitation education plan, and what works miraculously for one child may not be suitable for every child. Blindly adopting methods that have worked for other children is unscientific and may not maximize the child’s benefits. In addition to implementing individualized rehabilitation education plans, as the child grows older, it is also important to consider their career development and determine appropriate educational and vocational goals.

Children with Autism have weak awareness and abilities in terms of interaction. Teachers in rehabilitation education should prioritize interaction with the child. Specific strategies include: (1) Conducting professional assessments to understand the child’s characteristics and needs. (2) Truly accepting the child and building a good relationship. (3) Understanding what the child is most interested in and using reinforcement strategies. (4) Establishing a structured teaching environment and emphasizing interactive behaviors among children in group lessons. (5) Emphasizing eye contact and using games, music, and assistive communication tools.

Rehabilitation education institutions for children with Autism should gradually equip themselves with necessary equipment based on the needs of the children and their own situation to ensure the effectiveness of rehabilitation education. For example, it is recommended to have proven effective individualized assessment software and equipment (such as C-PEP or PEP3), partial or complete sets of sensory training equipment, a certain number of functional rehabilitation training equipment and facilities. Additionally, it is important to have equipment such as TV, DVD player, audio recorder, digital camera, video camera, computer, and projector. If relevant courses are offered, corresponding equipment should also be provided.

Rehabilitation education institutions for children with Autism should provide toys, teaching aids, and books that are suitable for the age and developmental characteristics of the children being served. For example, for children aged 2-3 years, crayons, paper, blocks, and soft toys should be provided, along with colorful books with simple sentences. For slightly older children, it is recommended to provide complete sets of tool toys, doctor toys, kitchen toys, and books with more complex illustrations and longer sentences.

Children with Autism are first and foremost children. They live in the same environment as everyone else and are susceptible to common illnesses such as colds, fever, diarrhea, and contagious diseases. The role of a healthcare doctor is to provide scientific guidance and monitoring of the child’s health, promptly identify any physical or mental issues, and detect symptoms of illness early on, if necessary, refer the child for medical treatment. It is a national requirement for kindergartens to have a healthcare doctor, and rehabilitation education institutions for children with Autism should also comply with this regulation.

Currently, there are hundreds of intervention techniques for Autism internationally. How should they be selected? In 2009, the National Standards Project, published by the National Autism Center in the United States, aimed to provide parents, educators, and other professionals with evidence-based interventions for individuals with Autism. The summary conclusion of the National Standards Project is that two-thirds of the effective intervention methods are based entirely on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), while the rest are derived from the integration of behavior psychology and related theories.

Some of these methods have been systematically introduced in China, such as Applied Behavior Analysis and pivotal response training. As each child’s assessment results may vary, institutions must consider their individual needs, including developmental needs, professional technical support needs, and environmental needs. They should provide appropriate services that suit the child’s requirements. It is not necessary for children to participate in all training programs provided by a rehabilitation education institution. Only selecting the ones that are suitable is the best approach.

Rehabilitation education personnel should have the following qualifications: (1) High moral cultivation and psychological qualities. (2) Teamwork awareness and good communication skills. (3) Adequate professional knowledge and skills. (4) Sufficient working experience required to meet professional standards. (5) Good physical health.

Inclusive education allows children with Autism to learn and grow together with typically developing students. They learn about social skills, knowledge acquisition, and creativity, which enable them to naturally integrate into society in the future, participate in social life independently and equally. Additionally, schools provide targeted special education and services to meet the specific needs of children with Autism, including necessary rehabilitation and compensatory training, striving to provide them with equal opportunities for development alongside other students.

Firstly, all students should develop a correct awareness and understanding of disabilities and disabled individuals. Students with Autism are members of the social family and should be treated with understanding, respect, care, and assistance.

In education, teaching, and activities, the role of other children in the class should be fully utilized to promote the acceptance of students with Autism. For example, selecting children with relatively strong learning abilities and management skills to assist students with Autism in integrating into classroom learning and activities. Another approach could be implementing peer tutoring activities within the class or even the entire school, where capable children act as little teachers to lead activities for students with Autism during group learning and rest times. This peer tutoring approach allows students with Autism to feel happy and not lonely in their interactions with other students.

Children with Autism who attend regular classes may exhibit disruptive behaviors in the classroom to varying degrees, such as getting up from their seats, lack of concentration, tantrums, not following rules, and psychological issues. Teachers can use the following methods for classroom behavior management:

(1) Teachers can try to arrange the seat for children with Autism in a location that is far from the door and has minimal obstructions when moving. It is preferable to have them sit closer to the teacher for timely reminders and appropriate handling.

(2) The environment around the seat should be arranged in a simple and clear manner. Avoid placing unnecessary objects on the walls or desks near students with Autism.

(3) Teachers should carefully observe and analyze the situations when children with Autism have tantrums, especially analyzing their needs. Avoid misunderstanding and misleading them, and create a harmonious and stable classroom atmosphere with a tolerant and understanding attitude. Teachers and students should accept children with Autism together, avoiding environmental pressure that could trigger tantrums.

(4) Establish a communication mode and guide students to speak when prompted by signals such as calling their name or eye contact. During pre-class guidance, teach children with Autism to raise their hands to speak, and provide positive reinforcement immediately when they raise their hands to speak.

(5) Strengthen psychological development to improve inappropriate behaviors such as stubbornness and self-stimulation in children with Autism. Develop their oral communication skills and ability to express personal desires appropriately and timely to reduce their psychological burdens.

During learning, it is important to stabilize the child’s emotions, carefully observe and analyze, and effectively identify the causes of emotional and behavioral problems. Adjust the approach accordingly, such as arranging the environment reasonably, adjusting the content timely, changing requirements, improving methods, and improving attitudes towards handling.

First, teachers should teach with a smile, maintaining a positive state even when facing emotional and behavioral problems of children.

Second, it is important to arrange the learning environment reasonably, such as using dedicated individual training rooms, utilizing diverse teaching materials, and using various sensory stimuli to assist children in understanding and mastering knowledge and skills.

Third, use simple, clear, and direct instructions, including verbal, written, body language, or environmental cues, to enhance the child’s ability to learn and engage in activities independently.

Fourth, pay attention to reducing self-stimulatory behaviors in children, such as finger tapping, playing with the tongue, pulling hair, or staring into space. Actively address these behaviors, strengthen communication, and teach children self-control training.