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Beating the High Cost of Autism Treatment
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barbara mountjoy
Author of the book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, Barbara has published articles and short stories in collections like the Cup of Comfort series. Her first novel, The Elf Queen, is available from http://Amazon.com and Dragonfly Publishing; the sequel, The Elf Child, comes out in 2011. Also in 2011, Deliverance, a romance from TWRP. By day, a family law attorney, at night, parent to three special needs kids, and a constant novelist. Find out more at http://awalkabout.wordpress.com 
By barbara mountjoy
Published on 05/6/2008
 
One of the most popular early childhood treatments for autism is Applied Behavioral Analysis or ABA. It's also often the treatment that is most expensive for parents who have to pay out of pocket because insurance companies won't cover the cost. But a tech group in Seattle has now developed a computer program that can do much the same as a therapist that parents can use by subscription--for about $40 a month...
Small Company Comes up with Big Idea
One of the most popular early childhood treatments for autism is Applied Behavioral Analysis or ABA. It's also often the treatment that is most expensive for parents who have to pay out of pocket because insurance companies won't cover the cost. But a tech group in Seattle has now developed a computer program that can do much the same as a therapist that parents can use by subscription--for about $40 a month.

TeachTown: Basics is a computer-assisted treatment program designed to teach children with autism a number of valuable skills, including vocabulary, identification of emotions, face matching, following eye gaze and more.

TeachTown Inc. has been working on this program for five years, and the credentials of the research team are impressive. There are data-tracking capabilities that can be coordinated with IEP reporting requirements in any of the 50 states, and can be shared by a number of professionals working with the same child right online. The makers suggest that an equal amount of time be spent on the computer and off the computer, using detailed activities to follow up the computer learning.

The Teachtown Inc. study, which is published in the Journal of Speech and Language Pathology and Applied Behavioral Analysis, 2006, says that both children with autism and children with Down's Syndrome showed a 53% increase in receptive language, social understanding and cognitive skills.

The study also said that autistic children showed a 105% increase in use of language and social behaviors while working with the program. The software reacts to the child as the program is used, adding distractors as needed to test the child's progress, as well as adding reinforcers. Additional lessons can also be inserted in the program as the child achieves goals.

Individuals can try the program free for 30 days; subscriptions thereafter are $39.95 per month. Sibling discounts are available. Educational offices and clinicians can also order subscriptions at a corporate rate.