Answer #12: What is the best intervention for my child with autism/PDD?
Although it has no cure, autism does respond to behavioral and educational treatment. Research suggests that early intervention is especially effective in achieving growth in cognitive and communication skills. There are a variety of intervention programs that have been designed specifically to work with children with autism. Parents may hear that one or another of these (such as “Floor Time,” “FastForWord,” “ABA,” “Auditory Integration Training,” or “Social Stories”) is THE intervention that a child must have to make progress. Unfortunately, there is little evidence to support the claim that any one intervention program will guarantee progress for all children with autism. Like children everywhere, children with autism differ from each other. Like all children, they differ in terms of their IQs, their interests, their strengths, and their educational needs. An intervention program must be individually designed, with the help of experienced professionals, so that it is tailored to the
