Starting ABA Therapy, or really any therapy, for the first time at a new place can often be scary and overwhelming for all parties involved. For parents, you’re leaving your child in a new place with new people. For children, they are coming into a brand-new place with unfamiliar people. We want to make sure that you and your child are fully prepared for your first day at PediaPlex!
So you’ve filled out an intake form and started the process for getting enrolled in our ABA Therapy program – this is great! Before we schedule your ABA evaluation, our Director of ABA services will schedule a phone call with you to discuss ABA and our program. It’s important to us that you are able to share all of your concerns and ask any specific questions that you might have. Once this call takes place and we have determined that we would be a great fit for your child, we can start the evaluation scheduling process.
On the day of your child’s ABA evaluation, you will need to come prepared with all of the paperwork that we will send you prior. The evaluation typically lasts about an hour and a half to two hours. The BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) doing the evaluation will have you and your child come back to the evaluation location at the same time and ask you a handful questions while also letting your child get familiar with them. From there we will ask you (the parent or guardian) to leave the room while we go through our evaluation process. We will meet with you again at the end to follow up and answer any additional questions you have.
From there, we will develop a plan of care for your child. If your child is also starting Speech and Occupational Therapy services with us, we will factor that into our plan of care so that we know what goals they will be working on in those services as well. At PediaPlex, we focus on a collaborative care approach where we meet regularly with your child’s therapists to discuss their plan of care and continue to update it accordingly. After a plan of care has been written, submitted to insurance, and approved by insurance, we can begin to schedule services for ABA Therapy.
On your child’s first day of ABA Therapy, you will drop them off at their assigned time. We have parking spots in the front of our building where you can wait in your car until your ABA therapist comes out. Once your child has been picked up by their therapist, you will go into our main lobby and sign them in and make a payment if necessary. At the end of your child’s session, you will pick them up at our ABA door. Your child’s therapist will bring them out to your car, and they will go over their day with you.
It’s important to pack your child’s bookbag with all of the things that they might need during their day. We recommend packing the following things:
-Change of clothes, diapers, pull-ups, etc.
-Chewies/fidgets
-Snacks
-Lunch
-Communication device, if needed
-Water bottle or other drinks
-A backpack with their initials on it
Your child will follow a customized schedule plan* that we have in our ABA program. This schedule consists of 1-1 instruction time, social skills activities, circle time, lunch/snacks, arts and crafts/learning centers, and any additional therapies they have.
While at PediaPlex, your child is able to also receive Speech, Feeding, and Occupational therapy. We will work these therapies into your child’s schedule so that they are receiving all of these services throughout their day as well. Your child’s therapist will walk them down the hall to their Speech or Occupational therapy session and stay with them during the session. After that, they will go back to our ABA area and proceed with their daily schedule. This flexible schedule not only is great for parents, but it is also a great way to work on transitions with your child and ensure they are receiving all of their therapies in a collaborative way.
We know that starting ABA Therapy for the first time is overwhelming, but we want to let you know that we are here for you every step of the way! All of our therapists and staff are happy to answer any questions you have and guide you in any way.
For more information on our ABA Therapy program at PediaPlex, visit our website or call us today!
-The PediaPlex Family
*Due to COVID-19 and social distancing, our current schedule does not involve group activities of more than two children.
