The start of a new year is a popular time to set goals, but January isn’t the only month for fresh starts! February is a great time to check in on your family’s progress and set new intentions for the months ahead. If you’re a caregiver for a child with ASD, now is the perfect time to reflect on their growth and explore ways to support their development in 2025.
ABA therapy is a proven approach that can help children with autism build essential skills and reach important milestones. In this blog post, we’ll explain what ABA therapy is, how it works, and how it can help your child thrive throughout the year.
ABA Therapy: A Quick Review
Applied behavioral analysis (or ABA for short) is a scientifically backed and evidence-based approach that helps children with ASD learn new skills and develop techniques to curb harmful behaviors. ABA therapy helps children on the spectrum by using the principles of applied behavioral analysis to increase social abilities, learn self-regulation, reduce negative behaviors, and, most importantly, learn how to apply these skills in new environments.
For a more in-depth look at ABA therapy, visit our Parent Resources page!
The Impact of ABA
There is plenty of evidence that early and intensive ABA intervention can improve outcomes for children with ASD. Long-term ABA therapy can also improve adaptive behavior, including socialization, communication, and expressive language¹. Remember: a good program isn’t one-size-fits-all. ABA is highly flexible, and this method can be adapted to meet your child's unique needs.
Understanding ABA
The key to understanding ABA is the ABCs - or, as they’re known in the world of ABA, the antecedent (A), the behavior (B), and the consequence (C). The antecedent is what happens right before a behavior is performed. It can be a verbal command, an environmental factor, or a physical sensation. The resulting behavior is the reaction (or lack of response) to the antecedent. Finally, the consequence is what comes directly after the behavior. Despite its name, the consequence can include a wide variety of interactions, including positive reinforcement of a desired behavior, or no reaction for incorrect/inappropriate responses.
The ABCs provide a roadmap for your child that they can apply in different environments. For example, let’s say that a child was asked to clean up their toys after playing (the antecedent). The child cried and refused to clean up (the behavior). The parent became frustrated and picked up the toys instead (the antecedent). A BCBA can help correct this behavior by creating a visual schedule and using positive reinforcement after completing clean-up tasks, which reduces tantrums and builds self-reliance. Once the behavior (in this case, cleaning up toys) is established, the BCBA can help the child transfer these skills to a different environment, like the home or the classroom.
Achieving Milestones with ABA Therapy
If your goal for 2025 is to help your child reach key developmental milestones, ABA therapy can help your child reach the following milestones:
Communication Skills
Establishing basic communication
Making eye contact
Gesturing
Using assistive technology
Expanding vocabulary
Engaging in conversation
Improving language usage
Social Skills
Parallel play
Recognizing social cues
Initiating interactions
Sharing interests
Understanding emotions
Developing friendships
Independence
Dressing
Eating
Basic hygiene
To help your child reach these milestones, your child’s BCBA will break down each of these skills into small, concrete steps. The therapist slowly builds on each skill, starting with the simple (like imitating a single sound), and moving on to more complex abilities (having a conversation).
Your BCBA will measure progress by collecting data in each therapy session. This data will help them monitor your child’s progress toward their goals. Your child’s BCBA regularly meets with family members and program staff to review information about their progress. A BCBA can then adjust teaching plans and goals as needed.
At Essential Speech and ABA Therapy, our staff adapts to your child’s needs. With a flexible behavior plan and a team of dedicated professionals behind them, you can help your child reach developmental milestones this year. If you’re ready to experience the golden standard of care, contact a location near you!
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