AutismPro system in supporting treatment of children with autism in Poland

The efficacy of early intervention programs for children with autism has been emphasized in many studies. However, access for people with autism to professional services in Poland is very limited and the burden of supporting a child's development often falls on parents, especially in families with low socioeconomic status and families living far away from big cities. Using Internet resources in planning and delivering individualized intervention may be useful. This study examined the effects of a home program of intervention based on the AutismPro system with elements of consultative therapy.

Ten families of children with a diagnosis of autism participated in the project; nine of them completed the 6-month program of intervention. Parents were taught to use the AutismPro system and implement the intervention techniques in a home setting. Modification of the intervention program to suit individual children's needs and evaluations of children's progress were performed during consultation meetings with therapists. The pre- and post-treatment measurement of child development was performed using the Psychoeducational Profile - Revised (PEP-R).

Children involved in the study progressed in total PEP-R scores and on the PEP-R subtest of fine motor, gross motor, non-verbal and verbal cognitive skills and eye-hand integration. Parents expressed positive opinions on the program.

The results suggest that an intervention which combines the use of the Internet support tool and professional consultations may provide benefits to the children with autism. There are, however, methodological limitations of the study to be taken into account when interpreting the results.