Autism Acceptance Month: Celebrating Progress Through ABA Therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis (also known as ABA therapy) focuses on breaking down complex skills into smaller, manageable steps. However, some children with ASD may struggle with motivation as they progress. Recognizing and celebrating these milestones is essential for maintaining motivation and reinforcing positive behaviors. Celebrating progress, both big and small, plays a crucial role in the success of ABA therapy and fosters a supportive environment for the child. Below, we’ve outlined some easy ways to celebrate your child’s progress:

Recognizing Small Milestones

As we mentioned earlier, ABA therapy focuses on breaking down significant goals into small milestones. For example, the act of brushing teeth can be broken down into the following steps:

1. Picking up the toothbrush

2. Applying toothpaste

3. Brushing for a minute 

4. Rinsing with warm water 

5. Putting the toothbrush away

Celebrating small milestones can keep children motivated when tasks seem overwhelming. However, these celebrations can be small. For example, you can compliment your child when they ask for a preferred item or successfully brush their teeth, i.e., “Great job!” or “I really like the way you asked for your toy. Well done!” You can also offer smaller rewards (like stickers) or give extra privileges (playing on their tablet for five more minutes). A sense of accomplishment will keep them working towards larger goals!

Involving the Family

Success should never be celebrated alone! Invite the entire family to honor your child’s milestones. As your child acquires new skills, their development will have a positive impact on the family dynamic, making communication and interaction more rewarding.

Plan a family celebration when your child masters a new skill. A party where everyone uses the new skills your child learned during therapy is a fun way to reinforce progress. You can use their experiences to share success stories with other families and build a supportive community.

Positive Feedback and Reinforcement

Feedback is a crucial part of celebrating progress. Acknowledging your child’s growth and mastery of new skills imbues them with confidence. Providing your child with clear, concrete feedback can encourage them to repeat positive behaviors. At Essential Speech and ABA Therapy, we provide regular feedback to families, ensuring that every member of the immediate family is involved in their child’s progress.

Seeing feedback, both on paper and in person, is crucial to helping family members celebrate their child’s progress. This positive reinforcement strengthens the commitment to ongoing therapy. In the same vein, giving your child verbal feedback (i.e., “I’m so proud of you!”) can encourage them to practice recently learned behaviors and enjoy therapy.

Celebrating Independence

ABA Therapy’s ultimate goal is to help individuals become more independent and learn how to perform daily activities. When a child can brush their teeth, put on a coat, or clean up their toys, this moment deserves a celebration! Graduating to a new goal or building off an old one can provide a sense of accomplishment for your child. You can also create a visual progress chart or board. Include pictures, stickers, or drawings that represent each milestone achieved. Let the child actively participate in updating the chart as they master their goals.