Parenting with ABA Therapy
ABA therapy in any format could improve your child’s ability to cope with autism spectrum disorders. However, you might have the opportunity to get more directly involved. Whether you would benefit from taking a central role in your child’s behavioral therapy depends on several factors, such as your family’s goals and your child’s learning requirements.
You Have Support
Parenting with ABA will probably not be a do-it-yourself solution, at least not at first. Behavioral therapists spend years learning how to observe and react to their patients, as well as how to apply the concepts acquired during the half-century behavioral therapy has been practiced.
The good news is you do not need to learn every technique — just those that are most effective with your children. Even so, please do not be frustrated if you do not acquire these skills immediately. Also, please do not hesitate to ask for reinforcement or repetition of any guidance from your behavioral analyst or advisor.
You Make a Difference
Families tend to benefit from parent-focused treatments when children face specific challenges unique to the home environment. Whether it is regular conflicts with authority, hygiene-related meltdowns, communication gaps with family members, or struggles performing household chores, you as a parent are right there when the issue happens. Therefore, you are a natural choice to provide therapy and reinforce positive behavior. You might be surprised how many opportunities you get, once you know what to look for.
Parenting with ABA therapy has the potential to create a sustainable treatment environment for your child. It can complement full-time treatment schedules, allowing you to continue your child’s development at home after sessions at the center. There is also evidence that home-based treatment could further some big goals, such as becoming verbally communicative, in certain children.
You Are Unique
ABA therapy is based on analysis, observation, and fact, which extends to every element of the treatment, resulting in programs that are unique to each patient. Your child’s path to improvement may be challenging, but ABA is the most trusted practice to monitor progress, modify treatments, and engender positive change in children with autism spectrum disorders.
Your role may change as the therapy progresses. You may pivot from intensive, center-based treatment to incorporating therapy techniques into your parenting practices. You may approach it the other way around. Your child’s behavior therapist, analyst, or coordinator should be there to help you understand your special role in the process.
Make Your Consultation Appointment Today
Like any other parenting tool, it takes time to find a way to naturally apply these therapeutic practices on a day-to-day basis. Let us help you find the support, skill, knowledge, and confidence you need to empower yourself, your family, and your child. Please call Pinnacle Autism Therapy today to set up your initial appointment.