PROGRAMMES, APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH ASD IN BULGARIA
Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), treatment, language developmentAbstract
To date, there are over 150 approaches, programs, interventions and therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Wheeler et al. (2015) categorise these into the following, although some therapies include more than one approach: behavioural, developmental, educational, social-relational, pharmacological, psychological, complementary and alternative. But as Bleiweiss (2020) summarises, what they all have in common is an individual approach specifically to each child. But the need for information and training provided by professionals in the field is pressing. He points to educational and behavioural interventions as the most effective, but only when implemented early, and with the parents' ongoing involvement. This survey attempts to provide a "snapshot" of the approaches and programs in place in Bulgaria, and to what extent parents can make informed choices about the best therapy for their child.
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