The consultation service model applied by Lovaas Israel Site, as the one used in all the international Lovaas centers, is compatible with the model developed by Prof. Lovaas in the 1960’s for the treatment of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, a model that has programs for children diagnosed with communication disabilities. The site also provides services to typically developing children, or those with other developmental difficulties.
The consultation service model at Lovaas Israel Site is based on the principles of Behavior Analysis, and is adapted for each child according to his or her special needs. Several important principles stand in the base of the model today:
- Personal adaptation of the treatment program to the child and the family’s needs One-to-one instructors who work individually with the child.
- The parents are included in the determining of contents and interventions.
- The intervention takes place within the home, while teaching procedures are generalized to the child’s everyday environment. Parents carry the treatment over to other activities and interactions throughout the day.
- Inclusion among typically developing children as early as possible, depending on the child’s needs and capabilities.
- Intensiveness- Many hours of treatment per week. For children with communicational disabilities, we recommend what has been found most effective in research: 30-40 hours per week, including inclusion hours in the educational setting.
- Constructing the treatment intervention on the basis of research literature and knowledge accumulated at professional conventions and through clinical experience.