The Long-Term Benefits of Autism Therapy Services for Children

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 59 children are on the autism spectrum. This prevalence has helped raise awareness among parents and contributed to the growth of autism therapy services. Since children can be diagnosed as young as two years old, the need for this type of therapy is becoming necessary. There are many long-term benefits of autism therapy services and these benefits can make a lifelong impact. At the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, we offer many programs that are for children of all ages. Each program is crafted with care and created with the children in mind. These programs are designed to promote long-term benefits and help children on the autism spectrum succeed throughout their life.

The Importance of a Children’s Autism Center

When it comes to an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s imperative that you act early if you notice any developmental delays. The delays to be aware of can be in relation to social, emotional, language, communication, cognitive, and physical development. So, why should you be on the lookout for any delays early on? The CDC says, 

“If it’s autism, waiting for a child to ‘catch up on his own’ just won’t work. Acting early can help a child communicate, play, and learn from the world now and for the future. It can also prevent frustration—so common in children with communication difficulties—from turning into more difficult behaviors.”  

Our programs for kids with autism are made to avoid these frustrations and help the children thrive from an early age. We strive to make our children’s autism center a community atmosphere in order to make the children feel part of a family. In addition to the developmental services we provide, this gives the children lifelong friendships and helps them to feel included. With this in mind, we are proud to offer four types of programs at our center that promote the importance of a children’s autism center.

Inclusionary Preschool & Child Care

The Pingree Community Preschool (CP) & Child Care program is designed for children with and without special needs. We utilize the practice of inclusion which integrates typically developing children with children exhibiting developmental disabilities. This program is based on what is known about child development, the individual children in the class, and the culture each child is involved in. CP emphasizes: 

• Building self-esteem through independence and problem solving
• Social skills
• Self-awareness and awareness of others
• Nurturing relationships
• Critical thinking and learning through play
• Creativity
• Nurturing relationships
• Hands-on curriculum

The CP Program is meant for children and infants ages two months to five years old, so this is a great option for acting early.

Preschool Program

Once a child has a diagnosis, our Preschool Program is dedicated to early intervention and individualized programming. With a 2:1 student to staff ratio and classroom of 10 children, our program allows high rates of attention and reinforcement, as well as data collection to monitor progress. As an all-day program, a typical day is broken into both small and large activities including circle time, song and story, snack, art groups, fine motor groups, recess, and generalization of skills. Studies have found that early intervention has lasting effects, such as reduced symptoms and improved communication skills. Our autism therapy services are created with this goal in mind and we strive to help our students achieve success.

Elementary Program

As Utah’s leading autism elementary school, our Elementary Program is based on creating functional life skills. These include individualized programs that focus on skills in a functional manner such as identifying colors to sort laundry, using a calculator for math in the grocery store, and working with fractions for measuring ingredients when cooking. We also provide group activities to help peer to peer learning, relations, and social development. With ABA therapy incorporated into the curriculum, we are able to provide our students with a life-changing and enriching experience.

Adolescent Program

Last but not least, our Adolescent Autism Learning Program is for students in grades 7 through 12, as well as post-high school. The students in this program are encouraged to be autonomous and develop skills that are essential and age-appropriate. We focus on effective communication and social skills, as well as academic study. In this stage at our children’s autism center, we are focused on creating and maintaining a tailored curriculum to each student’s specific needs. This may include:

• Social skills
• Life skills
• Extracurriculars
• Family involvement

While a large focus is on communication and facilitating healthy relationship building, we also believe it is important to equip our students in the Adolescent Program with useful life skills. This creates well-rounded and beneficial autism therapy services.

The Benefits of Programs for Kids With Autism

In addition to the academic benefits, our programs are dedicated to providing and promoting lifelong benefits such as: 

• Giving students a sense of community
• Practicing and implementing communication skills 
• Assisting with social skills
• Practical and helpful daily life skills 
• Successfully facilitating and maintaining healthy relationship building

At the Carmen B. Pingree Autism Center of Learning, we are dedicated to providing our students, no matter what age, the most beneficial and well-rounded education possible. This isn’t restricted to only academics but also includes helpful life skills. By implementing a highly structured program and creating a safe environment, our expert teachers are able to provide long-term benefits for each child. If you or a loved one is interested in our autism therapy services, do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. The enrollment process begins with simply contacting us. From there, our highly trained staff will schedule an evaluation to determine if our programs are appropriate for the child. To learn more about our children’s autism center, contact us today and see what kinds of long-term benefits our autism therapy services for children have to offer your child.