Program Early Intervention (Lovaas) (113.7 kB)

The Early Intervention Program (Lovaas) specializes in helping preschool children diagnosed with autism n co. The treatment is based on extensive clinical experience and over 30 years of scientific research.

In contrast, the two control groups showed that only one child (2%) achieved a normal operation, a result that is consistent with those reported by other authors (Rutter, 1985). When the children reached the age of thirteen years, further research has been conducted (McEachin et al., 1993), which showed that those who had reached a normal operating level maintained acquired. Eight of the nine best results could not be distinguished from typically developing peers in various psychological tests, psychological interviews, administered with a double-blind paradigm.

It should be emphasized that the intervention groups received from the research is done by highly specialized, continuous supervision by Dr. Lovaas and space-time strictly controlled conditions.

The program aims to improve behavior and intellectual ability, academic, social and emotional children, so that they can benefit from the educational and social opportunities in the community and require less professional care during their growth. | The treatment program applies to all areas of functioning and in particular it emphasizes the linguistic area and skills considered prerequisites for learning the language. Among the latter, the focus, the ability to imitate, supplying a coherent response, and cooperate with adults on the basis of specific requests. Once these skills have been acquired, the program focuses on specific language skills. It works by dividing the area of language verbal tasks in small and accessible, suitable for the child's ability and using reinforcers (kissing, hugging, petting, food, music, objects, etc..). This easy and positive learning environment for the child, allowing them to learn faster. In the initial phase should be conducted in the teaching situation, "one" with the teacher for 4-6 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, with an average of 30-40 hours per week.

Are taught new skills to the child through the use of techniques "Changing the behavior or behavioral techniques" (Behavior Modification). These techniques have been developed through scientific assessments, and have revealed significant benefits.

Some believe that behavioral treatment is aimed only to the extinction of problem behaviors. In our case statement is wrong: most of the intervention focuses, in fact, the acquisition of new skills.

The basic procedure of the method is based on the behaviors and reinforce correct responses of the child. If the material to be learned, already divided into small steps, is too difficult, using the technique of "prompting" (help). The "prompts" are gradually eliminated until the child learns the skills independently.

The intensity of the program is done by dividing the day at various times. Usually a session lasts 2-3 hours, which include gaming activities. You work on a specific program for 2-5 minutes and take a break of 1-2 minutes. Remember that time the organization must be adapted to the needs of individual children and considered as a period devoted to learning the time parents spend with them on several occasions of the day.

According to research, children need a period of one to one work before they can benefit from group and class situations. You can start at home or school to work in different rooms.

Once an interaction is reduced to one problem behaviors, language skills, play and social skills are established, children are introduced gradually in the group. The latter is chosen according to the level of the child's functioning. The program prepares the child through the most appropriate models of social behavior and language skills. The teachers / therapists accompany the child and facilitate its integration into the classroom routine and encourage interaction with other children.

Teaching procedures

1. Components of the "discrete trials" (discrete trial teaching)

The 'intervention is based on three components: education-response-consequence.

Education (SD):

is the command that the trainer uses to get the child's response.

• Make the question clear, simple and strong

• Use only the most important words, without superfluous words.

• The team must agree on how to ask a question.

• Do not repeat the request without a result (or lack of response)

• The initial application must be made ​​with a stronger tone of his typical way of speaking, and then bring it back to natural language

Reply (R)

The child may respond to a command in three ways: correct, incorrect, do not answer.

• The "non-response" is considered a wrong answer

• Use logic to determine which criteria to consider the correct answer

• Having the confidence that inappropriate behavior until absent, such as self-stimulation behavior

• Limiting the time between the question and answer about 3-5 seconds.

• Do not reinforce self-corrections, say "good" and re-education.

• If you are not fast enough and the child puts in place something after the correct answer (ex slamming his hands on the table) to say "good" and re-education, taking care to be faster.

Consequence:

And 'the reaction of the child's response to the trainer.

• Immediately press the correct answer

• For answers wrong to say "no" (information) or ignore the answer by repeating the question, and to stimulate the correct answer

• Enhancers should be contingent to the correct answer, and not available at other times

Generalization and maintenance

All programs burned in a situation to be a "kept" and generalized. This means that the child should be able to work with:

• Several teachers / people

• Different environments and situations.

• Different material

• Different Ways to give education

And 'an important part of the work, remember to always test if the child is able to track the performance outside the structured situation.

The enhancers

The use of enhancers: in the early stages it is necessary to use a large amount of enhancers. The enhancer is the basis for learning. You can use anything like the child. And 'advisable to put all the prizes in a box and let it choose what most interests them.

Note that a single enhancer does not last long. The secret is to have many different awards, and change them often administered only during therapy. Keep in mind that:

• The award is given immediately after the correct answer.

• Always keep the reinforcements at your fingertips.

• Do not let your child put in place inappropriate behavior before they will be given the prize.

• Use the best prize for the most difficult programs.

• Give compliments and awards real time. This will, in future, to eliminate the reward and leave only the concrete social enhancer.

• If you have the security that works well and the child knows the answer to education may be administered every 2-3 reinforcing correct answers.

The situation

• Must be cheerful: the child must consider the work as a joyful and fun (even considered excessive fatigue, or difficulty of a specific task)

• It must be clear: the material understandable, clear table, the child sat with his feet on the ground made, the therapist's voice clear and secure

• Avoid using the name of the child during the sessions (to avoid always make the connection between its name and Education).

Procedure of "prompting" (help)

The child must be helped to learn new things. There are several ways to help:

• Physical prompt (taking his hands or arms)

• Imitation (show the correct answer)

• Prompt position (focus position the object closer.)

• Wink

Important to eliminate the prompt as soon as possible and be careful that you do not create the "dependency" prompt.

Every so often, in fact we inadvertently aid (look at the object, move the lips, etc.)

One technique that can be useful is the "mass trial" help the child to give the correct answer 3-5 times in a row, then see if you can give the answer independently. Always help after the first error that avoiding committing other. Further to the answer "helped" re-education, leaving the material in the same position. Remember: the session must end with a success.

Organization of time

• The scientific results show that children have derived more benefit from intervention led 30-40 hours a week. Working at the table 3-5 minutes, write a short break. During the latter, the child plays with the adult or independently. The time spent on breaks should always be less than that spent on the job. Insert a longer pause (15 minutes) every hour and a half hours.

• It is advisable to work on programs more difficult when the child is most rested and work on programs "easier" in the afternoon. To maintain attention and concentration high for sessions 3 / 5 minutes to change the program when answered correctly (or behaves well) for several attempts. Plan to make programs quite different in the same session.

How to keep data

• Staff meetings: you should plan regular meetings. The meeting helps the staff to organize the work, solve problems and analyze specific teaching skills. During the meetings would be useful to have all in turn worked with the child and to give each other feedback.

• EXERCISE: Prepare a notebook with a list of all programs and the various boards that were left in the workshop. Use the EXERCISE to keep data on the performance of individual programs and to exchange information about the daily work.

Maintenance

The time for the maintenance varies depending on the child and the individual program. Below is a maintenance program in principle.

Be maintained for 6 / 8 weeks. Prepare a table with several columns that correspond to several weeks, working on various programs every day, do not need to try them all on the same day

When the child demonstrates the ability to remember not to repeat the task too.

In general, after 6 / 8 weeks repeat the program every so often.

Many programs do not require an ad-hoc maintenance as skills are included in subsequent programs, and consequently repeated automatically.

Bibliography

1. Maurice, C. (1993): "Let Me Hear Your Voice," A Family's Triumph over Autism, Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

2. Maurice, C. (1996): "Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism - A Manual for Parents and Professionals", Texas, and pro-, 1996, ISBN 0-89079-683-1

3. Leaf, R. & McEachin, J. (1999): "A work in progress - Behavior Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive Behavioral Treatment of Autism", New York: DRL Books, LLC, 1999

4. D. Freeman & Duke, L.: "Teach Me Language - A language manual for children with autism, Asberger's syndrome and related developmental disorder", Canada, SKF Books, 1997 (second edition), ISBN 0-965-7565-0-5

5. Eikeseth, S., Jahr, E. Eldevik & S. (1999): Preliminary report: Intensive school-based behavioral treatment for four to seven year old children with autism: A one-year follow-up. Presented at the PEACH 'Putting Research into Practice' conference, London June 18 1999.

6. Lovaas, OI (1987): "Behavioral Treatment and Normal Educational and Intellectual Functioning in Autistic Children," Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1987, Vol 55, No. 1, s. 3-9

7. Lovaas, OI (2003): Teaching Individuals with Developmental Delays: Basic Intervention Techniques. Pro-and Texas. www.proedinc.com

8. Fenske, EC, Zalenski, S., Krantz, PJ & McClannahan, LE (1985): Age at intervention and treatment outcome for autistic children in a comprehensive intervention program. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 5, 49-58.

9. Hart, B. & Risley, TR (1975): Incidental teaching of language in the preschool. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 201-206.

10. Koegel, RL, Rincover, A., & Egel, AC (1982): Educating and understanding autistic children, College-Hill Press, San Diego.

11. McEachin, JJ, Smith, T. & Lovaas, OI (1993): Long-term outcome for children with autism who receive

12. Early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 379-380.