The Second Post in Our Series on What to Do While Waiting for ABA Therapy
After receiving an autism diagnosis for your child, it’s natural to want to take immediate action. While waiting for ABA therapy to begin, one of the most important things you can do is understand your child’s unique needs. Observing their behaviors, preferences, and strengths will help you create a supportive environment and provide the foundation for effective therapy once it begins. Here’s how you can get started:
Observing Behaviors, Preferences, and Strengths
Understanding your child’s unique behaviors, preferences, and strengths is essential for tailoring your approach to their specific needs. Every child with autism experiences the world in their own way, and recognizing these differences can have a big impact on their development. For example, if your child is sensitive to certain sounds, like the noise in a busy kitchen, identifying this sensitivity allows you to adjust the environment, such as using sound mufflers or creating a quieter space.
Trying Self-Assessments to Understand the Situation
Using self-assessment tools is a helpful way to evaluate where your child is developmentally and identify areas that may need support. Regular assessments provide a clearer picture of your child’s progress and challenges. You can use developmental milestone checklists to track growth in speech, motor skills, and social interaction.
- CDC Milestone Tracker: A reliable tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track developmental milestones for children.
- Autism Speaks: Screening: A resource to help parents recognize early signs of autism and understand developmental progress.
For more in-depth assessment of your child’s development, consider using our Developmental Assessment Tool. This comprehensive resource provides a detailed analysis of your child’s abilities across various developmental domains, helping you identify strengths and areas that may require additional support.
Start Journaling
Keeping a detailed journal of your child’s behaviors, progress, and challenges is a great way to track patterns over time. Journaling allows you to identify which strategies are working and where adjustments may be needed.
Here’s what to include in your journal:
- Daily Observations: Record your child’s behaviors, reactions to stimuli, and daily activities. Pay attention to any changes or new behaviors.
- Sensory Reactions: Track how your child responds to sensory inputs, such as lights, sounds, textures, and tastes.
- Social Interactions: Document your child’s interactions with peers, family members, and in different social settings.
- Emotional Responses: Note your child’s emotional responses to various situations, including triggers for stress or anxiety.
- Communication Attempts: Record both verbal and non-verbal communication attempts, observing any progress or challenges.
- Milestones and Achievements: Celebrate and document your child’s milestones, even the small victories.
For more information on how to effectively use journaling, check out this helpful resource:
- Journaling for Kids With Special Needs Simplified: A guide for parents to track behaviors, sensory issues, and emotional patterns.
Communication Between Home and School, Preschool, or Daycare
Establishing communication between home and your child’s school, preschool, or daycare is essential. Maintaining open and consistent communication with teachers and caregivers ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding your child’s needs and progress. Consider using a “notebook of communiqués” to share important information, such as:
- Motivations and Interests: What motivates your child? What are their current interests?
- Current Challenges: What challenges is your child facing at home, school, or daycare?
- Sensory Issues: Are there sensory sensitivities or issues that need to be addressed?
- Effective Strategies: Share strategies that are working well at home and in therapy.
This communication will help ensure that strategies and interventions are consistent across different environments, which is crucial for your child’s success. It also allows teachers or daycare providers to provide insights into your child’s behavior and progress outside the home.
By using these tools and consistently documenting your child’s progress, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of their unique needs. This personalized approach will guide you in providing the best support and interventions possible.
Understanding your child’s unique needs is key to making the most of the time before ABA therapy starts. By observing behaviors, using self-assessments, journaling, and ensuring communication between home and school, you’ll be setting your child up for success once therapy begins.
Stay tuned for the next step in our series, where we’ll dive into more actionable strategies you can use to continue supporting your child during this waiting period!