ABA Therapy and Preschoolers on the Spectrum
ABA Therapy for Preschoolers
If you have recently received an autism diagnosis for your young child, you may be finding yourself having to make some hard decisions as your child gets closer and closer to school age. For many children, preschool is their first experience with formal education or a classroom setting. Should you and your child be embarking on a brand new preschool journey, or thinking about it, here are some additional things to consider.
What Makes ABA So Effective for the Preschool Age
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy focuses on social skills, communication skills, and general life skills. These are skills that are being worked on by all students in preschool. Common skills for pre-k include:
● Following directions
● Listening to a speaker
● Sharing
● Waiting for one’s turn
● Communicating needs
● Handwashing
● Toileting
ABA is a unique approach that allows the therapist to observe and interpret a child’s existing behaviors and use that information to design an individualized program. This program is a systematic plan to help a child grow towards specific goals, many of which could work in tandem with the goals of preschool.
How Could ABA Therapy be Incorporated into Preschool
When touring potential preschools, many parents of children with autism ask about the facility’s current use of ABA therapy from outside providers. For example, you could ask if any students in the school currently receive ABA services, or what therapy providers the school is familiar with.
Inquire about how a child’s day could be structured in order to allow for time in the classroom with peers as well as regular ABA sessions. Many children with autism have been successful with attending pre-k for half of the day and ABA therapy for the other half. Other families prefer a schedule of two days of preschool and three days of ABA therapy each week. It just depends on your child’s specific needs.
Other Questions to be Asking
As you prepare to make preschool and ABA therapy decisions for your child with autism, be sure to look into these questions as well:
● Does my insurance cover ABA therapy in the preschool setting?
● Does the ABA provider offer services in my desired setting?
● Is the preschool willing to work with outside therapy providers?
● And finally, and most importantly, is this plan what is best for my child?
Positive Reinforcement provides in home ABA Therapy in Ashburn VA, Purcellville and surrounding areas.
Positive Reinforcement
