What Is ABA Therapy?

February 2, 2022 Apollo Behavior Team Comments Off

ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis, is a scientific evidence-based treatment that takes an individualized approach to understanding your child’s specific behaviors. This insight is used to guide targeted therapies and apply proven techniques to help your child in specific areas. 

Children with autism often have communication and language challenges, problematic behaviors, and difficulty with academics, social skills, focus, and memory. ABA therapy addresses each of these concerns in ways that meet your child’s individual needs. Treatment improves upon your child’s existing skills and helps them build new ones. It uses positive reinforcement to encourage your child and help them bask in their accomplishments. 

By understanding how children with autism learn and the impact a child’s environment has on their development, ABA programs work to help your child meet goals and milestones that once seemed unattainable.

“Studies demonstrated that children who began ABA therapy as early as 2 and 3 years old led to significant cognitive and adaptive skills”

How does ABA therapy work?

Every ABA program at Apollo Behavior is designed to meet your child’s
specific needs. Using in-home, telehealth, or center-based therapy (or a
combination of multiple approaches), your child will participate in a
highly personalized, a one-on-one program. ABA therapy will teach your
child life skills to help them navigate their home, academic, and work
environments.

What are the different types of ABA therapy?

Discrete Trial Training

DTT, or Discrete Trial Training, lays out a specific set of steps to help
the child change or redirect a behavior. It involves an instruction from
BCBA or behavioral technician, a response from the child, and a
positive response or redirection from the clinician. DTT is clear,
simple, and encouraging, making it an effective therapy option for
children with autism.

 

 


Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention

EIBI, otherwise known as Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, is a method
used in children with autism under the age of five. This method
analyzes your child’s behavior, then uses that knowledge to encourage
the positive behaviors and decrease the negative ones. In a one-on-one
setting, EIBI therapy takes an in-depth approach to autism treatment.
Children in EIBI therapy will spend 20 to 40 hours each week in
treatment.


 

Verbal Behavior Intervention

VBI, or Verbal Behavior
Intervention, teaches your child to use requests (called “mands”) as a
form of language. With an “errorless learning” approach, VBI utilizes
repeated, immediate prompts to help your child deliver an appropriate
response. VBI helps children with autism develop their language and
communication skills, teaching them to connect words with their
meanings. VBI is not limited to learning to speak. In addition, VBI is
an effective means of learning broader communication skills, including
self-awareness, appropriate expression of emotions, advocating for
oneself, and obtaining wants and needs.

 

Pivotal Response Treatment

PRT, short for Pivotal Response Treatment, is a unique approach in that it
is guided by your child. A play-based therapy, PRT helps your child
improve in a number of areas – communication, learning, behavior, and
social skills – using natural reinforcement and motivation. PRT focuses
on social interaction initiation, cue responses, self-management, and
motivation to relieve disruptive “stimming” behaviors, increase positive
social behaviors, and develop language and communication skills.


What are some examples of ABA therapy?

Task Analysis:

This process breaks a complex task down into smaller, more feasible steps. Taking into consideration the processing and communication abilities, age, and skill level of the child, task analysis uses operationally-defined steps to teach your child how to perform tasks and to help him or her develop skills.

Reinforcement:

Arguably one of the most important components of any ABA therapy program, reinforcement is an effective and positive strategy. It strengthens behavior by clarifying the consequences associated with that behavior.

Generalization:

When your child uses a concept or skill they learned in one setting and applies it to another, this transfer of skills is referred to as generalization. Encouraging your child to apply skills across a number of environments and situations helps make your child more independent.

Natural Environment Teaching:

Children with autism may struggle with change. Many thrive on routines and repetition. Therefore, natural environment teaching is a flexibly structured session that follows the child’s lead in a “real-life” setting.

Picture Exchange Communication Systems:

Developed for children with limited or no communication skills, PECS helps children initiate communication through pictures. The child will present a picture in exchange for the item they want or need. Through self initiation, your child will learn to communicate effectively and quickly.

Behavior Contracts:

Typically formed between a child and a parent or caregiver, a behavior contract is a negotiation that outlines exact expectations and consequences of behaviors. When this is put into writing, your child will be able to see and understand the consequences of desired and undesired behaviors.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT):

as described above, DTT takes a step-based approach to allow your child to redirect or change behaviors.

Discrete Trial Training

DTT, or Discrete Trial Training, lays out a specific set of steps to help
the child change or redirect a behavior. It involves an instruction from
BCBA or behavioral technician, a response from the child, and a
positive response or redirection from the clinician. DTT is clear,
simple, and encouraging, making it an effective therapy option for
children with autism.

 

 


Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention

EIBI, otherwise known as Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, is a method
used in children with autism under the age of five. This method
analyzes your child’s behavior, then uses that knowledge to encourage
the positive behaviors and decrease the negative ones. In a one-on-one
setting, EIBI therapy takes an in-depth approach to autism treatment.
Children in EIBI therapy will spend 20 to 40 hours each week in
treatment.


 

Verbal Behavior Intervention

VBI, or Verbal Behavior
Intervention, teaches your child to use requests (called “mands”) as a
form of language. With an “errorless learning” approach, VBI utilizes
repeated, immediate prompts to help your child deliver an appropriate
response. VBI helps children with autism develop their language and
communication skills, teaching them to connect words with their
meanings. VBI is not limited to learning to speak. In addition, VBI is
an effective means of learning broader communication skills, including
self-awareness, appropriate expression of emotions, advocating for
oneself, and obtaining wants and needs.

 

Pivotal Response Treatment

PRT, short for Pivotal Response Treatment, is a unique approach in that it
is guided by your child. A play-based therapy, PRT helps your child
improve in a number of areas – communication, learning, behavior, and
social skills – using natural reinforcement and motivation. PRT focuses
on social interaction initiation, cue responses, self-management, and
motivation to relieve disruptive “stimming” behaviors, increase positive
social behaviors, and develop language and communication skills.


What are some examples of ABA therapy?

Task Analysis:

This process breaks a complex task down into smaller, more feasible steps. Taking into consideration the processing and communication abilities, age, and skill level of the child, task analysis uses operationally-defined steps to teach your child how to perform tasks and to help him or her develop skills.

Reinforcement:

Arguably one of the most important components of any ABA therapy program, reinforcement is an effective and positive strategy. It strengthens behavior by clarifying the consequences associated with that behavior.

Generalization:

When your child uses a concept or skill they learned in one setting and applies it to another, this transfer of skills is referred to as generalization. Encouraging your child to apply skills across a number of environments and situations helps make your child more independent.

Natural Environment Teaching:

Children with autism may struggle with change. Many thrive on routines and repetition. Therefore, natural environment teaching is a flexibly structured session that follows the child’s lead in a “real-life” setting.

Picture Exchange Communication Systems:

Developed for children with limited or no communication skills, PECS helps children initiate communication through pictures. The child will present a picture in exchange for the item they want or need. Through self initiation, your child will learn to communicate effectively and quickly.

Behavior Contracts:

Typically formed between a child and a parent or caregiver, a behavior contract is a negotiation that outlines exact expectations and consequences of behaviors. When this is put into writing, your child will be able to see and understand the consequences of desired and undesired behaviors.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT):

as described above, DTT takes a step-based approach to allow your child to redirect or change behaviors.

There are four main kinds of ABA therapy. Each approach helps children
with autism develop skills and manage their symptoms in a different way.
Your child’s team might employ one or several of these therapies as
part of a tailored treatment plan.


Discrete Trial Training

DTT, or Discrete Trial Training, lays out a specific set of steps to help
the child change or redirect a behavior. It involves an instruction from
BCBA or behavioral technician, a response from the child, and a
positive response or redirection from the clinician. DTT is clear,
simple, and encouraging, making it an effective therapy option for
children with autism.

 

 


Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention

EIBI, otherwise known as Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, is a method
used in children with autism under the age of five. This method
analyzes your child’s behavior, then uses that knowledge to encourage
the positive behaviors and decrease the negative ones. In a one-on-one
setting, EIBI therapy takes an in-depth approach to autism treatment.
Children in EIBI therapy will spend 20 to 40 hours each week in
treatment.


 

Verbal Behavior Intervention

VBI, or Verbal Behavior
Intervention, teaches your child to use requests (called “mands”) as a
form of language. With an “errorless learning” approach, VBI utilizes
repeated, immediate prompts to help your child deliver an appropriate
response. VBI helps children with autism develop their language and
communication skills, teaching them to connect words with their
meanings. VBI is not limited to learning to speak. In addition, VBI is
an effective means of learning broader communication skills, including
self-awareness, appropriate expression of emotions, advocating for
oneself, and obtaining wants and needs.

 

Pivotal Response Treatment

PRT, short for Pivotal Response Treatment, is a unique approach in that it
is guided by your child. A play-based therapy, PRT helps your child
improve in a number of areas – communication, learning, behavior, and
social skills – using natural reinforcement and motivation. PRT focuses
on social interaction initiation, cue responses, self-management, and
motivation to relieve disruptive “stimming” behaviors, increase positive
social behaviors, and develop language and communication skills.


What are some examples of ABA therapy?

Task Analysis:

This process breaks a complex task down into smaller, more feasible steps. Taking into consideration the processing and communication abilities, age, and skill level of the child, task analysis uses operationally-defined steps to teach your child how to perform tasks and to help him or her develop skills.

Reinforcement:

Arguably one of the most important components of any ABA therapy program, reinforcement is an effective and positive strategy. It strengthens behavior by clarifying the consequences associated with that behavior.

Generalization:

When your child uses a concept or skill they learned in one setting and applies it to another, this transfer of skills is referred to as generalization. Encouraging your child to apply skills across a number of environments and situations helps make your child more independent.

Natural Environment Teaching:

Children with autism may struggle with change. Many thrive on routines and repetition. Therefore, natural environment teaching is a flexibly structured session that follows the child’s lead in a “real-life” setting.

Picture Exchange Communication Systems:

Developed for children with limited or no communication skills, PECS helps children initiate communication through pictures. The child will present a picture in exchange for the item they want or need. Through self initiation, your child will learn to communicate effectively and quickly.

Behavior Contracts:

Typically formed between a child and a parent or caregiver, a behavior contract is a negotiation that outlines exact expectations and consequences of behaviors. When this is put into writing, your child will be able to see and understand the consequences of desired and undesired behaviors.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT):

as described above, DTT takes a step-based approach to allow your child to redirect or change behaviors.

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