Q: My child has autism, can you tell me what ABA Therapy is and how to find a good provider?

A: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder based on the science of learning and behavior. ABA therapy is the process of applying interventions based on the principals of learning to create meaningful and positive behavior change.  Our goal for ABA is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease challenging behaviors that are harmful or affecting learning. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a person with a certification in applied behavior analysis. BCBAs receive this certification through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

Below are five questions we recommend when searching for ABA therapy or complementary services like Speech, Occupational, and Physical therapies:

1. Who will be our BCBA? Think of this as you would anything else; it always comes down to the specific people you work with.
2. What’s the BCBAs past experience with a child like my son/daughter and was their approach successful?
3. How does the BCBA share progress with us? You should see your child’s skills firsthand and generalize across environments without a BCBA present.
4. What’s the BCBAs approach to Parent Training? Parents should be receiving one hour of parent training weekly, at the least!
5. What is the company’s protocol for call-offs?

At the time of a diagnosis, families are given many recommendations of therapies to get their children in, along with a handful of companies to reach out to. The key is finding providers you and your child are comfortable with.

Carlyle Center is an in-home ABA Therapy provider, working with families throughout the Grosse Pointe area, focused on ethics, compassion, and providing efficacious treatment to all clients. Carly Steiner, Clinical Director, has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis since 2012, and working with special needs children for nearly a decade. Carlyle Center is a member of The Family Center’s Association of Professionals and can be reached at hello@carlylecenter.com or 313.580.9716.