The Importance of Early Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder
In 2016, the CDC reported an increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), from 1 in 151 (2002) to 1 in 68. Yet, the CDC’s measurement is understated; most ASD diagnoses occur after age 5, when the child enters school, despite evidence indicating that ASD can be reliably diagnosed before the age of 2. The reason for the error in this statistic echoes a critical flaw in the greater system of services for children with ASD: children are diagnosed later and receive treatment later. There is no current data on the prevalence of ASD in children under 5, yet multiple studies found that the optimal age for the beginning of treatment was before 28 months. In order for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to have the best outcomes in behavioral, cognitive, and social wellness, early intervention must be a priority for caregivers and professionals.
Since 1987, research has repeatedly recommended Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy as the most effective method of increasing cognitive, language, and social skills in children with ASD. These same studies also found that the earlier therapy began, the more successfully children learned and achieved. In a study on the effectiveness of ABA in toddlers, children receiving ABA therapy significantly improved in measurements of cognitive, communication, motor, social-emotional and adaptive development. These same toddlers also showed a decrease in the severity of ASD compared to their pre-therapy scores. This is why New York State Guidelines asserts that ABA is the only treatment that has been proven effective at improving the outcomes of children with autism.
Age has a significant effect on the effectiveness of ABA treatment. While it is never too late to start treatment, children who began ABA therapy at earlier ages and received an average of 191 ABA therapy sessions in the first two years of treatment had better outcomes than children who started therapy later. Children who start earlier had less difficulty with learning, communication, and less ASD symptoms than children who began therapy at older ages. The impressiveness of these improvements demonstrated after less than 300 hours of therapy cannot be understated and predict that continuing interventions will only further the achievements of children who receive ABA as early as possible.
The primary goal of ABA therapy is to improve the quality of life for those diagnosed with ASD. There is a large amount of evidence that ABA therapy increases cognitive and social skills and that therapy becomes more effective the earlier that children begin receiving it. To delay intervention only reduces the benefits that a child with ASD will experience and strengthens barriers in communication and learning. It is necessary to mention that the focus of treatment is not to eradicate autism itself, but symptoms of ASD that are detrimental to the health and wellbeing of a child are treatable and are more easily decreased through early intervention. Therefore, to achieve the highest possible quality of life for a child with ASD, it is imperative for service providers and caregivers to begin intervention as early as possible
Sources:
Makrygianni, M. K., Gena, A., Katoudi, S., & Galanis, P. (2018). The effectiveness of applied behavior analytic interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analytic study. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 51, 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2018.03.006