Definitions for "LOVAAS"
Keywords:  autism, aba, pioneer, behaviour, ivar
The LOVAAS method is an early intensive behaviour therapy approach for children with autism and other related disorders. It is both a clinic based and home-supported based programme, with (now) an emphasis on positively reinforcing learnt skills with food, a toy, and gradually moving through to more social and everyday reinforcers such as hugs and tickles. All skills are broken down into small tasks that are achievable and taught in a very structured manner, accompanied by lots of praise and reinforcement.
Lovaas was a pioneer in the field of behaviour modification for treating autism. Proponents of this treatment claim that it can make an autistic child eventually become "indistinguishable from his normal peers" and leads to "recovery" from autism in a large percentage of cases. His methods are currently very popular and although there may be some minor difference "Lovaas therapy" is often used interchangeably with applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Many High Functioning Autistics, as well as some parents and professionals in the field, do not approve of Lovaas's methods.
Surname of Ivar Lovaas, the well known pioneer of intensive early intervention therapies for children with autism. Widely credited with "inventing" the ABA approach to treatment.