AST now offers programs and services to treat children with developmental disorders

Autism Spectrum Therapies (AST), an agency providing comprehensive autism services throughout Southern California, is expanding its services to include speech and language programs and occupational therapy, in addition to behavior therapy. The focus of the new services will be early intervention for children from infancy to age three and developmental catch-up for young children who have fallen behind in any developmental area.

"As our client base expands, we are seeing more children with developmental delays who need broader early intervention services," said William Frea, Ph.D., BCBA-D, AST's co-CEO and chief clinical officer.  

By integrating occupational therapy and speech therapy with state-of-the-art behavioral programs, AST offers a comprehensive and collaborative multidisciplinary approach that ensures best practices and serves a wider population. AST is well known for its programs using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the most evidence-based approach to treating children with developmental disorders.

Some families of children with autism seek speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists on their own initiative. Adding these services to AST's team approach enhances communication and planning and enables the team to more fully and comprehensively address each child's unique needs.

"By focusing on infants and toddlers, AST will be accessing these children and providing them with the services they need at the time it will have the greatest impact," said Ronit Molko, Ph,D., BCBA-D, AST's co-CEO and chief development officer.  

As is the case with AST's play-based ABA approach, the new services will be delivered primarily in the home, the most natural setting possible for the child. AST has a long history of working closely with parents to tailor programs that fit well into the family's home and routines.

With this expansion, AST is recruiting speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists, and is currently accepting employment applications on the employment opportunities page on the AST website.