Functional communication training for autism

Behavioural functional analysis by Henley is performed on an autistic person with the intent of replacing undesirable forms of communicative behaviour with more socially acceptable forms.

Areas of use and purposes of functional behavioural estimation in autism:

• Minimising negative behavioural forms
• Instilling skills for adequate communication in society
• Training in acceptable communication to express a request, consent, or refusal and conduct a dialogue
• Expanding the patient’s stock of communicative phrases

Steps for learning functional communication and replacing negative behavioural forms:

1. Draw up a description of the types of problem behaviours. It is recommended to do it together with a specialist.
2. Determine the available replacement forms of problem behaviour for each individual type.
3. Implement an individually designed strategy for the correction of the communication symptoms of the disease.
4. Maintain the therapeutic effect achieved.

What is replacement behaviour in the training of functional communication?

For example, an autistic child, instead of simply asking for a toy they like, will start screaming. The replacement form of communication should be simple, easy to perform, and understandable to others who are outside of the patient’s close social circle. For example, the child can be taught to replace crying with a hand gesture, a verbal request, or an action (walk up independently and take the toy).

If the child has severe speech dysfunction, it is possible to make sentences with the assistance of speech-generating devices or picture cards instead of words. Such training can be carried out at a centre for work with autistic children, in a clinic, at home, in kindergarten, or at school. It is very important to integrate the training as much as possible because the child learns skills reinforced in natural conditions and in everyday life much better.

The effectiveness of the method of functional communication in autism

Psychotherapists and teachers consider this method of treatment effective and recommend its use. Interestingly, it is used not only in clinical settings but also at home. The training will be a significant contribution to the treatment protocol that every family member around an autistic child can follow. However, it can be significantly strengthened by a stem cell procedure that can restore the correct cellular structure of the autistic brain, in addition to behaviour correction.

Treatment of autism spectrum disorder in a child with cell therapy is an excellent opportunity for successful self-realization and communication!

Treatment of childhood autism with stem cell transplantation is one of the best procedures that significantly improves the behaviour and health of the child.

The method of childhood autism correction with stem cells is radically different from other procedures, including functional analysis. Stem cells have recreational abilities, which means they can repair genetic abnormalities. In the case of autism, they change the cellular structure of the brain, thereby solving the cause of the disease, while other methods do not have such an effect and are only able to correct symptoms.

Contact the Mardaleishvili Medical Centre — give your child the opportunity to improve their health and have a better life!