What does ABA look like for Toddlers and Preschool-aged children?
ABA intervention for toddlers and preschoolers at Autism From The Start® is highly individualized, intensive, and fun! Children come to our center Monday through Friday for a schedule that can range from 4 to 8 hours each day. Each child has a team with whom he or she works. This team is led by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in addition to 3 to 5 Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs).
An assessment with one of our board certified behavior analysts is completed prior to starting therapy. This includes a parent interview and a play-based assessment with the child. From here, the behavior analyst develops a treatment plan that outlines goals for both the child and the parents.
If you were to peek into a day at Autism From The Start®, you would see that we approach each child with a warm greeting at drop off, jump into an engaging activity to transition into their day, and then move to their special space within their room that they share with two well-matched children. The rest of the day is designed to be engaging and fun so children have ample opportunities to work toward their developmental goals. This ‘work’ is designed to feel like play. The children will seamlessly transition between focused individual work, circle time, group games and activities, playdates with each other, indoor and outdoor play, yoga, crafts, snacks, and more!
Every moment of therapy is goal driven and productive, geared toward helping each child gain skills in the areas of communication, social skills, independence, and learning-to-learn skills. These goals may be worked on using elements of natural environment teaching, pivotal response training, and discrete trial teaching and have precise teaching guidelines, measurement, and mastery criteria. The science of ABA is embedded in a day full of play with the idea that children laughing and learning to love learning is an “informal goal” for every child at Autism From The Start®.
Do you offer therapy in the home?
Not for the core program, but we will supplement the program at our center with consultation in your home or your child’s school when warranted.
What are your hours... do you offer evening and weekend hours?
Each child will have a Monday through Friday schedule and attend for either a full day or half day (depending on availability for half-days). We open at 8:00 and close at 3:00. Morning sessions are 8:00 to 12:00 and afternoon sessions are 12:00 to 3:00. We do not offer evening or weekend hours.
Do you work with parents?
Yes we do! As part of your child’s program, we aim for weekly parent meetings with your child’s Team Leader (i.e., Behavior Analyst). Here you can review your child’s progress, look at graphs, visit a session, obtain strategies for using in the home, ask questions, and plan for the future. We also have an inviting and supportive parent community that meets for monthly Coffee MeetUps, share resources and suggestions, host Dad’s Groups, and more.
What are the ages of the kids at your center?
We work with children as young as 18 months until they are of age to enter kindergarten…5 or 6 years.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes. Autism From The Start® is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, United HealthCare, and Cigna. To learn more about your benefits, contact our billing manager, Karen Hough, at karen@autismfromthestart.com.
Can I pay for services out of pocket?
Yes, you may pay for the ABA therapies directly. We will provide you with a written “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much the ABA services will cost before you enroll your child. If you ever receive a bill that is at least $400 more than the Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute this bill. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call our Billing Manager, Karen Hough at 913.608.7594.