ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis, is one of the most widely known and sought after therapies for kids with autism. ABA works to help kids develop daily living skills that can make their lives much easier and that can help them to thrive in social situations, such as school. ABA is just one of many therapies that can make a tangible difference for your child.
ABA was created in the 1960’s, based on researched completed by a team of scientists who wanted to see if there was a way to move controlled behaviors beyond the laboratory. These scientists wanted to know if using this procedure in real life would help people to adapt to a wide range of social, home and community environments. One of the key components of ABA therapy is that is looks for the relationship between what people do and why they do it. In other words, if a child cries when asked to brush their teeth, ABA uses that to teach the child new skills.
In practice, those therapists who use ABA focus on the consequences of a behavior. In other words, when a child completes a requested behavior, there is a positive reinforcement. When a child does not, then the ABA theory indicates that the positive reinforcement may be withheld or a negative consequence may be put into effect. Some of these may include being able to hold a special toy, a sticker or using behavioral contracts or time outs to help children to understand why a behavior is important.
At Peak Potential Therapy, we offer our own blend of ABA and Floortime to our clients in the Twinsburg, Hudson and Chagrin Falls areas, called Behavior Therapy. We believe that this approach blends the best parts of both therapies and allows kids an opportunity to respond in a natural way, which best mimics real life. For more information on our unique Behavior Therapy approach, call us today to speak to one of our caring therapists.