Speech therapy and Occupational therapy likely play some of the largest roles in treating Autism. Both of these therapies seek to improve communication skills as well as behavioral skills. Speech therapy for children begins with receptive speech measures first which allows the autistic child to comprehend various language cues or words. Then expressive speech skills are taught which seeks to improve their ability to express their wants and needs. Verbal behavior techniques use various tactics to promote better communication including mand, tact, imitation, echoic, and reading exercises. Keys to success with speech therapy includes early identification and intervention, integral family support and follow up, and individualized therapy regimens depending on the child’s needs. Every child should have an Individualized Therapy Program.

Occupational therapy likewise plays a large role in early intervention success. The major techniques include Applied Behavior Analysis, Sensory Integration, Music therapy, Speech therapy, and Floortime. Each of these techniques focuses to improve behavior, social responses, communication and stereotyped patterns of movement. Applied Behavior Analysis creates a focused environment for the child to successfully perform normal behavior through restriction of distractions and therapist cueing. With practice behavior progressively improves. Because autistic children suffer sensory disintegration, which means they are unable to organize and process information from the senses well, Sensory Integration therapy introduces touch, position sense and equilibrium stimuli in an organized fashion helping the brain begin to organize and better process this information. Music therapy and Visual therapy do this for sound and vision senses as well. Floortime is a specific program for preschool children that takes them back to the beginning of brain development and gradually takes them step by step through normal developmental abilities through various tasks and programs. All of these have shown great success in functional improvement but early intervention is important.