Applied Behavior Analysis ( ABA )
Q
How do you determine when services are no longer necessary ?
ADetermining when ABA services are no longer necessary is dependent on evaluating your child ’ s progress . Your Behavior Analyst should provide regular status reports to keep you appraised of your child ’ s progress towards treatment goals .
Q
Most analysts review data collection on interventions weekly . This data ensures the goals in place are achievable and the behavior intervention plan reduces the maladaptive behaviors while increasing pro-social behaviors .
Most insurances require a reauthorization every six months . At this time , your Behavior Analyst will review and update the treatment plan , add new goals as necessary , and discuss with your family whether the treatment has been beneficial and will remain in place .
It ’ s vital that therapy is meaningful to both your child and your family . Caregivers should work with the behavior analyst to set goals that will significantly impact the family ’ s quality of life .
Often , ABA therapy is ended early due to a lack of communication between the behavior analyst and the family . It ’ s important not to give up on therapy . As with any treatment , it is a long process , but research proves time and again that this intervention is successful .
what ’ s a parent ’ s role in ABA ?
A Parents play a critical role in ABA therapy . Therapists should work in conjunction with parents , caregivers , educators , and diagnosing providers to build a treatment plan , set goals , and produce measurable results for your child and family .
Q
You don ’ t need to be an expert . As you work with your child ’ s therapist while incorporating a plan into your child ’ s daily routines , you will learn together and become more confident in your knowledge of what skills / treatments benefit your child . Ideally , you and your child ’ s therapist should work as a team ; your input is valuable to data collection and providing the best plan for your child ’ s individual needs .
If you find that you are not involved with your child ’ s therapy and are only receiving status reports , it ’ s essential to sit down with your behavior analyst . Let them know you ’ d like additional education and training to ensure your child is successful with both you and the behavioral analytic team .
How do OTs and BAs work together ?
A The roles of occupational therapists , speech therapists , and behavior analysts can overlap , and they often work in conjunction with each other to help patients achieve specific goals . Occupational therapy , speech therapy , and ABA therapy share some key features and are often combined with Speech , OTs , and BAs working together toward a common goal . Children diagnosed with autism may have an array of needs that may benefit from multiple therapies .
How are sessions structured ?
A Session structure will vary based on your therapist ’ s specific development goals in conjunction with your input . Some sessions may include a mix of work and play , while others may be structured as play while incorporating goals into the playtime .
Initially , in the first few days of therapy , known as “ pairing ,” much of the sessions will