Children diagnosed with autism typically have difficulties interacting appropriately with the world around them. They require more structure, repetition, and positive reinforcement to develop skills that children without autism pick up from others. Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA therapy can support children in building and applying these skills in their everyday lives.
ABA therapy can be an effective way of helping to curb undesirable behaviors by rewarding more desirable ones. The therapist will work with the family to identify areas of improvement and behaviors that need to be addressed. Then a plan will be put in place to establish measurable goals and methods of achieving these goals.
Each skill or behavior is broken down into manageable steps. The therapist works with the child on each step, providing prompting and positive reinforcement to get the desired response. As the child progresses, prompting decreases. Then these skills are chained together empowering the child to complete them in succession and successfully carry out daily activities, communication, social engagement, and other tasks. Practice takes place in a variety of settings so that children learn to apply these skills in different situations. Step-by-step teaching can be used for many activities and help children to be more independent and successful.
Parents can also work with the therapist to learn ways that they can support their child at home. Through structured conversations and activities, they can help their child to continue practicing what they have learned and apply it in even more ways.
Children with autism may learn in their own way, but have the capability to thrive just like any other child. PediaPlex offers ABA therapy and other services to support children in maximizing their potential. Individualized treatment plans are developed to align with each child’s unique needs and goals. Help your child to grow their independence and enhance their quality of life with ABA therapy at PediaPlex.
Contact PediaPlex today to learn more about how ABA therapy can support your child’s development.
