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Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has characteristics that have been observed to develop over time, such as the difficulty of affective, sensory, and emotional processing, which trigger some problems during childhood, limiting children's development. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is among the therapeutic approaches for ASD, in which treatment can be tailored according to the patient's objectives. Objective: Based on ABA, we aimed to analyze the therapeutic strategy for independence in different skill performance tasks of patients diagnosed with ASD. Method: This is a retrospective observational case series study including 16 children diagnosed with ASD who received ABA-based treatment at a therapeutic clinic in Santo Andre city, São Paulo State, Brazil. Individual task performance of different skill domains was registered in the ABA+ affective intelligence® software throughout the 12 months (from January 2021 to January 2022) of routine treatment. Results: The evolution of skills was observed between the T0 and T1 intervals, with improved skills over the observed period. Conclusion: The strategy based on the ABA methodology improved children's skill performance over the observed period.
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The concept of assistive technology covers several areas of action; one of them is communication with the elaboration of accessible solutions to overcome daily difficulties. It contributes to the resumption of functional abilities, expanding and facilitating inclusion and independent living. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the usability of a low cost prototype device to support educational activities of adolescents with cerebral palsy. METHODS: A descriptive observational study. The evaluation of a prototype device was made through a validated questionnaire, Quest Version 2.0, on the level of the user's satisfaction with an assistive technology, composed of 12 evaluation items. The questionnaire was filled out by the educator based on the observation of four wheelchair-bound participants diagnosed with cerebral palsy according to the international classification of diseases and health-related problems, ICD-10, who attend a coexistence and teaching institution in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. RESULTS: The device developed was considered an assistive technology, which provided an experience with a positive level of satisfaction for the participants. CONCLUSION: The tested prototype contributes to communication and interaction allowing adolescents with cerebral palsy to participate in educational activities. Implications for Rehabilitation The device assists the individual in the educational activities and can positively influence their development, observe the individual number 5, who has an important limitation in coordination and fine movements, placing the role of the task in the vertical position offers a new perspective to perform the task, this stimulates him to try to perform the work, so the challenge was adjusted to the demands of each individual which can contribute to its neuromotor development, the amplitude of the distal movements and the manual ability, since it must look for alternatives to complete the task requested.