Remembering Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas
by Paula
I was so sorry to hear that Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas, a respected and revered pioneer in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, died this week. Dr. Lovaas was 83 years old when he died from natural causes at a Los Angeles-area hospital, surrounded by his family. His son, Eric, will continue his father’s research and treatment, and The Lovaas Institute will continue helping people with autism around the world.
I started my training with Dr. Lovaas at UCLA’s Autism
Project while I was doing my undergraduate work. It was an incredible learning experience and really set the foundation for my work in the field.
Dr. Lovaas expanded on the use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which supports people with autism to develop tools and skills needed for day-to-day life. His work began in the 1960s and has helped thousands of people with autism across the globe. I am appreciative of the work of Dr. Lovaas and celebrate his contributions to the autism community.