What is ABA?

 ABA Therapy is an evidenced based intervention for children with autism or related disabilities (e.g., ADD/ADHD, ODD, anxiety) that focuses on the science of learning and behavior. This approach decreases maladaptive behaviors and increases appropriate behaviors, which allows children to establish positive relationships with others, coping skills, and independence.  

ABA will look different for every child we work with, as treatment and interventions are always individualized. But one thing should always be present: fun! We want to ensure that your child enjoys their therapy. It's crucial to the therapeutic relationship that the ABA therapist and child build a strong bond, so that the child is open to feedback, and willing to learn!

So if your child loves play doh, you'll likely see your ABA therapist playing playdoh and incorporating learning into the activity by giving multi-step instructions or tolerating waiting for a desired item. If your child is into Minecraft, then you might overhear conversations between the therapist and your child about the game, while they work on how to ask follow up questions or stay on topic. 

We utilize a number of curriculums to create goals for any skill deficits your child may have. We also create goals based on our clinical observation, knowledge of child development, and parent feedback. Our goals are always individualized to the client, their family, their culture, and their environment to teach goals that are truly functional and necessary for your child.

The first step of services involves a functional behavior assessment (FBA). During the initial assessment, your child will be evaluated by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) to identify skill deficits, strengths, and areas of need. Once the initial assessment is complete, the BCBA will create an individualized treatment plan catered to your child’s needs.  ABA Therapy is provided by a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), or a Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credentialed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).  All therapy hours provided by an RBT are regularly supervised by a BCBA during session overlaps. 

Learning about ABA and how to move forward with services can often be a little overwhelming or confusing, especially when insurance is involved! We're here to help guide you through this process. Please reach out directly to our Clinical Director Katie Worrell at (512) 983-2234 or kworrell@topazaba.com and she will be able to help answer any and all of your questions!