Brain Training & Autism
Individuals with autism experience the world in unique ways. The spectrum of experiences for individuals with ASD encompasses a wide variety of skills, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. While these unique perspectives are beneficial in some areas of life, individuals with autism often struggle in mainstream classrooms, relationships, and workplaces. One of the ways to address this struggle is to take a look at cognitive abilities.
Please note: LearningRx does not diagnose or treat autism spectrum disorder. Our program has been extremely beneficial for individuals on the autism spectrum. However, brain training is not a “cure” for autism.
Individuals with Autism Have Different Neurological “Wiring”
According to a 2014 study published in the journal Neuron, researchers believe that the cognitive effects of autism are caused by certain areas of your brain having too many connections (synapses). As your brain grows if you are neurotypical, there is a natural “pruning” of connections. When this pruning doesn’t happen, individuals begin to exhibit some of the symptoms of being on the spectrum. These things include:
- Delays in language or motor skill development
- Delayed cognitive skills (leading to lower academic performance than their peers)
- Hyperactive or impulsive behavior (or, conversely, inattention)
- Unusual eating or sleeping habits
- Higher emotional reactivity
We know from our research that brain training directly impacts the connections in your brain and the ways different areas communicate with each other. By starting at the brain, we are able to work with individuals with a wide variety of skill levels and needs to help them reach their greatest potential!
What Approach Does Brain Training Take for Individuals with Autism?
Our one-of-a-kind training plans are a critical part of our approach to Brain Training. After all, no two people with autism think the exact same way or have difficulties in the exact same areas. By customizing our training plans, we embrace the neurodiversity that characterizes autism. More importantly, this approach allows us to tailor brain training to each learner’s individual needs.
Here are some areas where brain training has helped people on the spectrum:
#1: Social interaction and language development.
The personal nature of our brain training programs allows us to develop deep relationships with our clients. We also get to practice and train things like eye contact, peer conversations, social cues, and language expression. In addition, many individuals with autism who have completed brain training report improvements in things like individual expression, eye movement and fixation, and language processing.
#2: Academic support
Whether your child is in a conventional classroom or specialized one, cognitive skills are a critical piece for learning and functioning efficiently.
Our experience shows how brain training programs have helped kids, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum. Between 2010-2018, kids and teens with autism improved learning and thinking skills by 3.2 years on average after brain training! During the same period, adult clients with autism made similar across-the-board gains in cognitive skills.
#3: Reading and comprehension
While reading comes easily for some individuals on the spectrum, it can be a huge challenge for others. Our ReadRx program is a foundational sound-to-code reading program that gets down to the basics to help all individuals reach their greatest potential and grow in reading confidence.
An Unconventional Approach May Be Just What You Need
If you’re tired of navigating the endless stream of supports for your loved one with ASD, we understand. Adding one more thing may feel like too much. But because what we do is SO different from what you’ve experienced thus far in your journey, it may feel like a breath of fresh air.
Most schools and resources are set up to accommodate differences rather than train effective thinking and learning skills—which is what sets us apart. We are excited to partner with you and your other support systems to create a plan that encompasses your unique goals as an individual. Click here to get started today!
