The Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP) uses Applied Behavior Analysis therapy. Erin Junemann, is a Senior Therapist with WEAP. She describes ABA Therapy as "breaking down teaching to it's simplest components." Junemann says they use a lot of repetition, and table work to increase his eye contact and interaction with them. "I wait for him to request it to get him to use his language more. If i just did it over and over again he wouldn't request it. We do this to get him to use his language to get him to talk more."

Junemann says their program offers 30 hours a week of one-on-one in-home training but they also encourage children to interact with their peers. "Research shows that about 50% are able to enter school at a grade level and act almost indistinguishable from their peers so that is the goal of our therapy."

Dr. Traci Swink is the Co Founder of the Bridge Center in Marshfield. It's a place for families to get training to help them interact with their autistic children-- using play. "It's ok to have fun, fun can create great things," says Dr. Swink. "Here we use a program called DIR Floor-time. D- Developmental, I-Individual, and the R is for Relationships"

Dr. Swink says the bright colored rugs, books and toys are all there to get parents interacting with their children. "The focus on this program is on the relationships and we take the most important relationship in a child's life which is usually their parents and build on that."

Dr. Swink says they are currently helping about 15 families and proving them with six hours of training per month.

Families of children in both programs say they've made huge improvements . WEAP's ABA Program cost between $40- 50,000 a year. The Bridge Center's Program costs about $3,000 a year.