01  What is ASD? (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Individuals with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from others. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

 

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately:

• Autistic disorder;

• Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS),; and

• Asperger syndrome. 

 

 

 

 02  How can ABA help your child?

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There are different ways in which ABA can be implemented to help your child. The following are some examples:

• Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT)- DTT is a style of teaching that uses a series of trials to teach each step of a desired behavior or response. Lessons are broken down into their simplest parts and positive reinforcement is used to reward correct answers and behaviors. Incorrect answers are ignored. While DTT often results in a more rapid rate of acquisition, IT/NET (see below) often results in stimulus and response generalization. Effective teaching generally includes both DTT and IT/NET. Specific distribution of DTT versus IT/NET varies depending on a child’s repertoire.

 

• Incidental Teaching (IT) – also known as Natural Environment Teaching (NET). During this ABA teaching methodology, the therapist waits for the child to respond or provides varied prompts. The teacher provides one or more naturally occurring consequent events (or reinforcers) based on the learner’s response. This strategy is typically used with learners who demonstrate attending skills, cooperate with prompts, do not exhibit problem behavior, and exhibit some matching and imitation skills. IT/NET is often used to teach a child requesting skills because it is relatively easy to provide large number of trials in naturally occurring situations. IT/NET consists of instructional trials, which begin with learner-initiated responses to naturally occurring activities and materials and ends with delivery of naturally occurring consequences as reinforcement.

 

• Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) -This is a type of ABA for very young children with an ASD, usually younger than five, and often younger than three.

 

• Pivotal Response Training (PRT)- PRT aims to increase a child’s motivation to learn, monitor his or her own behavior, and initiate communication with others. Positive changes in these behaviors often have widespread effects on other behaviors.

 

• Verbal Behavior Intervention (VBI)- VBI is a type of ABA that focuses on teaching verbal skills.

 

 

 

 03  I'm a parent. How do I get training? 

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ABC has developed its very own parent training protocol. As a new parent working with us, we will share this document with you to review on your own time. Then, a formal meeting will be scheduled with our BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) to answer any questions and review programs that are pertinent to your child’s ABA treatment plan.

At ABC, we are here to give you the tools that you need to help your child thrive. As a parent, you may need help reducing your child’s frustration or tantrums due to his/her lack of communication, redirecting or focusing your child’s maladaptive behaviors to more appropriate ones, increasing appropriate ways for your child to express his or her wants and needs, and/or helping you to complete simple daily routines such as toileting, tooth brushing, bathing, etc. Remember, everything that we do is behavior. We are here to give you doable and very easy to follow strategies that you can work on at home with your child. Something important to remember is that we will always set you and your child up for success. We will determine what works best for your child first, and then we will give you the tips to try it yourself.

 

ABC thrives on parent engagement and communication with our staff. We know that for your child to succeed in his/her ABA program, communication with our staff is paramount. For instance, we promote parent/therapist communication prior and after every session. This way, we will all work together towards the same benefit, to help your child succeed in the best way possible. 

 

 

 

 04  Can ABA therapists collaborate with other professionals?

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Throughout the years, ABC’s clinical director has learned the importance of collaborating with other professionals. In order to better help your child, Fiorella has been invited to participate in multiple IEP (Individual Educational Plan) and BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) meetings, teacher conferences, and multidisciplinary team meetings. Additionally, our Team participates in observing your child in various environments (e.g., other therapies, school environment, etc.). 

 

 

 

 05  What sets ABC Behavior Development apart?

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We want the BEST for your child

ABC team members take great personal pride in what we do. When your child thrives and is successful, we celebrate these achievements with you! To us, your child is not simply a number or a client. To us, your child is our child; our successful student. Following our ethical guidelines and boundaries, we are here to celebrate and support your child and your family as we work together to achieve your child’s fullest potential.

ABC Team Members engage in Best Practice

ABC professionals follow HIPPA guidelines by protecting your child’s privacy. Also, we hold monthly staff meetings at out Coral Gables location to review pertinent areas of interest in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. If there is an area or principle that our therapists are having difficulty with, we review and give feedback to our Team during said meetings.

 

Data collection and progress updates

ABC currently implements a HIPPA approved data collection software, Catalyst. This is a very user friendly program for therapist and parents. As a parent, you will receive a user name and password as well as user manual to easily navigate this program. Catalyst can be accessed through the application or web site modalities. There, parents can review their child’s daily session notes, data, progress notes and documentation such as supervision reports, evaluations or assessments and other relevant reports pertaining to your child’s overall education.

 

 

Hands on involvement with parents and other caregivers

We highly encourage a community of feedback with parents and other professionals

As previously stated, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of regularly meeting with parents and caregivers. During our regular supervision sessions (weekly or bi weekly), Analyst or Supervisor will meet with parent/s and/or caregivers to review ABA treatment plans including objectives mastered, objectives that will be incorporated in your child’s ABA treatment plan, and strategies to implement at home. As always, we welcome parent’s feedback since you are the ones that knows your child’s best. Also, we want to implement interventions that are socially significant to your family (or that you think that are important for your child’s progress).