and this popularity isn’t slowing down any time soon! Offering the chance to lead a more comfortable and understanding life into adulthood, many parents are slowly watching to see whether the work they put in with their child will pay off in the long term.
Does it work?
This is everything a parent will want to know.
The Short Answer
Yes! ABA therapy can still pay off into teenage years and adulthood. These skills and interactions they learn while in treatment are tools that children with autism can use for their entire life. Although the process for learning them may be overwhelming at first, and parents may worry that it's too much work to take on: your child has the opportunity to make it into teenage years well rounded and ready to take on the world.
Why ABA Therapy Works
ABA therapy services work, especially when started from a very young age, because they teach not only the brain but also the body. They give children with autism the chance to form new pathways and reactions and help them and their families better understand why they may react a certain way or why it's more difficult for them to stay on task or leave a task behind when it's time to do so.
ABA therapy is about more than just coping with stress; it's about making life into something that makes sense, cutting through the extended self-learning that many children with autism have to go through to be able to fit in with their peers and make friends.
What You Can Do To Continue Growth
If your child has taken on ABA therapy, and you want to ensure that their growth continues even after it ends, it's a good idea to talk to their therapist about exercises and training lessons to focus on every day or week. These practice runs will give your child the chance to stretch that same muscle without dedicating an hour-long visit with the ABA therapist every week after they've grown.
What Could Stunt Progress
The main things that will stunt progress and growth are shaming, ridicule, or verbal abuse of any kind. ABA therapy teaches children how to deal with stress and work with it: you don’t want to teach your children how to mask instead of expressing discomfort so that they never grow or learn. If your child struggles, show the patience and understanding you want them to have with themselves. Learning new pathways and thoughts takes time, and it's a huge achievement when they succeed.
ABA Therapy Offers a Chance at an Easier Life
Everyone will have hardships in life regardless of whether they have autism or not, but it's up to parents to do everything they can to clear a way for their child to lead an easier and more successful life. ABA therapy offers the chance to enjoy a simpler life with more natural interactions.