Behavior-focused treatments for children with autism should not take precedence over other therapies those children may need, such as speech and language therapy or occupational therapy, says a from the U.S. Department of Education.
The letter states that some schools may be exclusively relying on applied behavioral analysis, or ABA, therapy, instead of looking at a child鈥檚 full spectrum of needs. ABA strategies teach a student socially desirable behaviors, but educational programs should be developed 鈥渂ased on the unique needs of a child with a disability,鈥� the July 6 letter said. Behavioral needs should be only one part of a school district鈥檚 evaluation.
The letter was written at the request of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which advocates on behalf of school-based speech and language pathologists and related professionals. Neil Snyder, ASHA鈥檚 director of federal advocacy, said ABA has grown so well-known as a treatment for autism that members of his organization have been told that schools will only offer ABA, or that insurance will pay only for ABA for children with autism.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wrote a similar advisory in 2014, saying that .
Along with ASHA, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network was among the groups applauding the .
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen these increasing double standards where students often present with motor disabilities or speech disabilities, but they鈥檙e placed only in ABA programs,鈥� said Julia Bascom, the organization鈥檚 deputy executive director. 鈥淥ur students have the right to have their actual needs addressed.鈥�