The Link to Academic and Social Achievement for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

By Ilene R. Rotman, M.S. CCC-SLP,

Director/Owner of Language Link Therapy, Inc.

When I opened up Language Link Therapy, Inc. in August 2008, I wanted to approach treatment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with the idea of teaching them how to adapt and communicate in society. After working with children with ASD for the past decade, I have learned that through application, sensory, and pragmatic therapies, the children began to understand and apply the knowledge and language that they learned in therapy and used it appropriately.

What is Application Therapy? Application therapy takes what the child has learned, whether through previous speech therapy and/or ABA therapy, and teaches them how to use the language in a variety of social and academic settings. Application therapy focuses more on building a child’s expressive language repertoire and increases the child’s Mean Length of Utterance (MLU). MLU is the average amount of words a child uses per sentence.

What if my child is non-verbal or has severe verbal apraxia? Application therapy applies to the non-verbal child with the use of augmentative forms of communication (i.e. Augmentative devices, picture symbol communication, sign language, etc…). The ultimate goal for non-verbal and verbal children alike is for them to communicate with their peers and adults and assimilate as best as they can into society.

What is Sensory Integration Therapy? Most children with ASD suffer from an inability to regulate their sensory systems. When they are over stimulated, they have trouble bringing themselves down to a calm level.

During this period behaviors such as flapping of the hands, high pitched yells and noises, jumping up and down, walking rapidly in a pacing motion have been noted. When a child has reached this level and is forced to work in any therapeutic or academic fashion other then relating to the sensory deficit at hand, self injurious behaviors (SIB’s), injurious behaviors to others, and/or full on tantrums may occur. Immediately addressing the child’s overstimulation by working with them in a low light, pressure seeking, and calming environment helps the child to regulate their sensory over load and enables them to focus and work on their goals.

Just like over stimulation can affect a child’s ability to focus and attend to task, under stimulation, lethargy, and the child’s inability to adjust to their place in space can also promote negative behaviors. Rocking back and forth, standing on the head, crying and/or tantrums are only some of the negative behaviors noted due to under stimulation. Allowing the child to roll over a ball, swing on a swing, and play in a spinning fashion, stimulates the child which promotes better focus and attention to task.

What is Pragmatic Therapy? Social/Pragmatic therapy focuses on the ability to interact and build relationships with family members, peers, and other individuals.

Language Link Therapy, Inc. offers social/pragmatic therapy in private therapy sessions or in customized pragmatic/social groups based on social age, chronological age, and common interests of the children. Some of the goals addressed in therapy include increasing eye contact, peer interaction, conversation initiation, conversation turn-taking, topic-maintenance, joint attention, reduction of obsessive talk, reduction of self-talk, and increase interest in others. Our goal is to help the family member with social skill deficits increase self-esteem and develop lasting friendships.

Language Link Therapy is a privately owned, family run therapy clinic that provides speech, language, occupational, and feeding therapy to children and young adults. Educational consultations and advocacy are also available to our families.

At Language Link Therapy we provide therapy utilizing a "whole family" approach that involves not just your child, rather the entire family. With each therapy program we provide a customized plan for your child, sibling education and involvement, family education, and a home program. It is our feeling that a “whole family” approach can enhance a child’s progress and the family as a whole can see a substantial improvement.