If your child has just been diagnosed with Autism, then you may be wondering if there are any early learning services that can help. You may already know about ABA therapy and occupational therapy. However, your concerns may be more along the lines of education such as reading, writing and basic early learning skills. If this is the point you are at with your child's educational path, then here are three early learning services for children with autism.

1. Speech Therapy

One of the biggest issues for many parents of autistic children is with communication. This is usually due to a speech delay that your child may have. If this is the case, speech therapy may be ideal. This form of early learning service can help your child with basic speech, but also with issues of speaking to others. For example, your child may speak well at home around family. However, they may not speak well to others and may not be able to communicate when they are in a school or public environment. Speech therapy as an early learning service can help with this.

2. Daily Living Services

Some autistic children do have an issue with daily living activities. Daily activities like getting dressed, using buttons or snaps, and with eating may be difficult for your child or other autistic children. Some of these tasks can be covered in occupational therapy. Some of these issues can also be covered and worked with in an early education services program offered at schools that assist children with autism. Keep in mind; this type of early service will go hand-in-hand with daily education services such as reading, comprehension and following directions.

3. Personalised Learning Plans

Some children with autism will need a personalized learning plan to help them learn the same concepts that a child without autism will learn at the same age. This means taking the lesson and equipping it to the child and their strengths. For example, if your child works better with visual prompts, then the lesson may be taught in a story card form. Your child may have many lessons taught by now and then learning patterns and visual prompts. If your child works better with music, then songs may be used to develop their education. Each lesson would be modelled for your child and their strengths rather than children as a whole.

If any of these services sound ideal for your child, contact your local early learning services counsellor. If you are unsure of the options that would be ideal for your child, consider meeting with an early learning services counsellor to discuss the options. They can help you based on your child's current standing and what their most recent evaluations show.

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