It was never intended as a specific way of helping children with autism. When Fast ForWord was launched more than a decade ago its purpose was to address a broad range of reading and cognitive problems such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder and auditory processing deficits.
Many children on the autistic spectrum have those difficulties, too, so it was only a matter of time before some of their parents began to sign them up for the intervention.
And as it seems they have often been happy with the results, word of mouth has encouraged other parents to join in. Fast ForWord has the advantage that it can be delivered by parents at home or by staff in schools, so it can fit relatively easily into daily life. Another plus-point is that it operates via computer, an object of great attraction for many children with autism.
A software-based intervention, it uses exercises in which children identify computer-generated speech sounds. The speech-sound drills are thought to enhance phonological awareness, consciousness of the sounds that make up words, in children with language problems. It is claimed that the ability to use language can improve as a result, seen in boosted memory, attention, speed of processing and sequencing words, and reading.
But is it worth the expense? The therapy costs around £195 a month per family, plus a £75 set-up fee. There is conflicting research about the benefits of Fast ForWord for children with autism, so there’s no guarantee that it will work.