My Child Has Just Been Diagnosed with Autism. Now What?

Having a child diagnosed on the autism spectrum can be a difficult and confusing time for a family.  We’re here to make things easier.

If you didn’t already receive one, your first step after diagnosis should be asking your doctor for a prescription for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. Once you have your prescription in hand, you’re well on your way to finding the expert care your child requires.

Over the past decade, Butterfly Effects has treated thousands of children affected by autism. In each case, we work closely with the family to individualize the child’s treatment. We can help you create an ABA therapy plan and an environment that will help your child and your family achieve the specific goals and priorities you have in mind.

It starts with that all-important first step. So grab that prescription and reach out to our ABA therapy experts for guidance.

How Do I Start ABA Therapy for My Child?

ABA therapy should be a collaborative effort. Once your family calls or emails Butterfly Effects seeking help, our phenomenal client services team will respond. After attaining your insurance information, we will confirm your healthcare coverage for ABA therapy, and then schedule an assessment with your family.

Your assigned behavior analyst will complete the comprehensive assessment, which includes a parent interview, observation of your child in their usual environment, and data collection. The assessment report will then be submitted to your healthcare provider to attain the proper authorization. Once authorization has been confirmed, your child’s treatment plan and services will begin.

What Should We Expect While Receiving ABA Therapy?

Our team strives on a daily basis to meet the specific needs of your family and your child. This is why we provide open and honest communication about your child’s progress throughout ABA therapy.

Our quality clinical services will focus on your child’s developmental milestones, functional communication, and adaptive daily living skills. We will specifically target the reduction of problem behaviors that disrupt daily life and negatively impact your child’s ability to function independently. We also provide ongoing parent coaching so that you can help your child apply their newly learned skills to additional situations.

What Happens During an ABA Therapy Session?

A Butterfly Effects trained behavioral technician will work one-on-one with your child using various techniques to teach skills in the context of play and daily routines. Our frequent supervision of our technicians ensures that your child’s therapy is effective and that quality clinical outcomes are achieved.

Periodic assessments, observations, and parent interviews are an important part of the ABA program and ensure that your child’s treatment is successful. With this goal in mind, your assigned technician will gather data on goals during each therapy session. This information will then be analyzed by our behavior analyst to determine whether appropriate progress is being made.

What Can I Expect After One Year of ABA Treatment?

After the first year of ABA therapy, you should notice distinct improvements in your child’s skills. These should be socially significant in nature and directly address the family concerns you pinpointed at the beginning of the therapy process.

In addition, you should notice an increase in your child’s ability to access her or his own wants and needs, resulting in an improved ability to function in the environment with less support from others.

Most important, you can expect to see a reduction in your child’s problem behaviors. Their current behavior should more closely reflect that of a child without autism.

Based on your child’s progress, we will then work with you to assess what additional steps are necessary to ensure your child’s continued improvement. Research suggests that most children with autism gain the greatest benefit from a three year treatment protocol.