As we continue to celebrate our clients and promote awareness for autism and related delays, it is also important to promote awareness for how we may help your child! Applied behaviors analysis (ABA) services can be beneficial to children diagnosed on the autism spectrum and is often used to reduce inappropriate or problematic behaviors; however, the word “behavior,” extends well beyond the bad! ABA therapy, like that provided by BCOTB, can be a remarkable tool for new skill acquisition and improving upon existing skills.
It is important to understand that all behavior (even the “bad”) is your child’s way of communicating their needs and desires. It is our job to figure out what they are trying to say and show them a better or more effective way to say the same thing. BCOTB offers a variety of programs that focus on skill development while reducing problematic behaviors that may be interfering with this development.
Verbal Behavior Programs:
Our general approach focuses on verbal behavior, which does not necessarily mean speaking but, communication. Vocal (using words) speech is a goal we aspire to obtain for all learners; however, it can be a long and difficult journey and for some may never be fully realized. It is important that our learners have other tools to communicate, which improves their quality of life and allows them to affect their surroundings.
Feeding Therapy:
Complications with meals can vary greatly and may result in a range of other issues from behavioral to physiological. Some kids do not eat enough, some only eat certain foods, some eat too quickly, while others have routines that are counterintuitive to their health. We work with you to figure out why these issues are happening and set up a plan to correct them!
Toilet Training:
A skill common to all of us; toilet training can present a host of complications for our learners. Traditional approaches may fall flat for your child and our intensive toilet training has proven effective time and time again. We work with you to create a plan for success both during and after the training occurs.
Parent Support:
We are grateful to have any amount of time with our learners to help them build success; however, it is a mere fraction of their day-to-day lives. If your child is great for us during their therapy sessions but has the same struggles when we’re not around, we still have work to do! We see the quickest success when we’re all working together towards the common goal of improving your child’s abilities. Parent support is a critical element to our services as it gives you the tools best assist your child in their learning journey. Our clients learn in ways as unique and individualized as they are. We use our therapy services to figure out what works best for them and then disseminate that information to parents, family members, and other caregivers. It is a collaborative endeavor to find a feasible approach we can all follow to best ensure your child’s success.
School Support:
When your child is school-aged, new hurdles present themselves. Everyone responds to these changes differently and some children may hit the ground running while others may need some additional support! BCOTB understands the importance of collaborating with teachers, school/classroom staff, and other service providers (speech pathologists, physical/occupational therapists, etc.) to find a feasible approach to best achieve success:
- School Shadowing: When there are specific concerns in the classroom, it can be beneficial for us to observe these challenges. School shadowing allows us to get more information on why certain challenges are happening and develop suggestions to improve the situation.
- IEP Support: Individualized Education Plans (IEP) are critical to your child’s success during their education. They can also be an overwhelming experience for a parent early on. BCOTB offers support for these meetings by having someone attend who is familiar with your child, their needs, and knowledge on how to help them succeed.
- Child Advancement Track: We have broken down our services to best assist our learners wherever they are in their educational journey. The Toddler Achievement Program (TAP) focuses on younger learners (1.5 – 3.5 years) who need help meeting developmental milestones and builds foundational learning skills. The School Readiness Program (SRP) is the next step (3.5 – 5 years) and builds upon the foundation developed during TAP. We focus on skills necessary for the beginning of their educational career. The final (5+ years) tier or the Child Advancement Track is the School Success Program (SSP). We focus on building up skill deficits pinpointed by parent/teacher input, the IEP team, and our own assessments.
These are some of the more common concerns we work on at BCOTB; however, our programs are as varied and individualized as the children we serve. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, especially for those diagnosed on the autism spectrum. BCOTB constantly evolves and adapts our approaches to be as useful to your child as we can. Navigating the daily challenges present with the diagnosis of autism can be overwhelming. Reach out to BCOTB and see how we may help your child along their journey!
**BCOTB has been Tampa’s leading provider of pediatric ABA therapy since 2003. With four clinic locations throughout the Tampa Bay area, we know that our clinic is the right spot for your early learner! BCOTB treats a variety of diagnoses – ASD, ADD, ADHD, & Down Syndrome and specializes in early intervention – children from birth to 10 years old! BCOTB accepts most major insurances, including, but not limited to: Aetna, Anthem, Baycare, Beacon, BCBS, Cigna, CMS, Florida Blue, Humana, MHNet, Meritain Health, Magella Health, UnitedHealthcare, and TRICARE.**
