About Us

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1% of the world’s population has autism spectrum disorder – over 75,000,000 people.  Recent data indicates that at least 3 million Americans are “on the Spectrum.”  At least 10x as many children are now considered to have ASD than 40 years ago, with increased publicity, awareness, and diagnosis being only part of the reason.

1. No speech
2. Delayed speech
3. Echolalia (repetition of words or phrases)
4. Repetitive motor behaviors (hand flapping, spinning in circles, rocking back and forth)
5. Loss of previously acquired speech
6. Limited use of gestures (ex. waving, pointing)
7. Hypersensitivity to sounds, lights, textures
8. Obsessive interests, insisting on doing actions in the same way
9. Lack of joint attention
10. Lack of social skills/desire to interact with others
11. Avoiding eye contact
12. Not responding to name
13. Delayed or limited imaginary play (i.e. lines up toy cars instead of playing with them)
14. Trouble with transitions
15. Challenging behaviors
16. Aggressive behaviorsExtremely picky eating habitsUnusual sleeping habitsCognitive impairmentsDelay in motor skills

ABA is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. It is typically used to help people with autism and other developmental disorders learn behaviors that help them live safer and more fulfilling lives. 

ABA focuses on teaching necessary skills and stopping dangerous behaviors rather than preventing harmless self-stimulatory behavior (stims). Therapists work with autistic people to improve skills like: 

• Communication and language abilities 
• Social skills 
• Self-care and hygiene routines 
• Play and leisure skills 
• Motor abilities 

The goal is not for someone to appear neurotypical. The goal is for their life to be improved in a way that is meaningful to them. 

ABA is effective for people of all ages. While therapy looks different in young children versus adolescents and adults, the principles remain the same. ABA can help adults achieve goals that they want to work on. These might include: 

• Strategies for coping with waiting 
• Using public transportation  
• Other skills to help them be more independent at home, in the community or at work

Because autistic people past age 14 often have difficulty getting funding for formal ABA therapy through their private insurance, adults usually utilize ABA principles more casually in their everyday lives. For instance, someone learning to greet others by saying "hello" may practice this skill in the grocery store and on a walk in the neighborhood rather than in a clinic. Similarly, a mother using positive reinforcement to teach her son how to get to work on a public bus is using ABA principles. 

Without as much in-clinic support, parents, family members and caregivers often play a more active role in ABA-based learning for this age group. The key is for the person to get rewarded for their efforts with positive reinforcement, either from a therapist, family member or the environment. 

How can families embrace ABA principles to help the autistic adults in their lives achieve their goals? 

• Work together to understand the goals or skills they would like to work toward. 
• Encourage independence by prompting them to complete tasks by themselves, using verbal, visual and physical prompts as needed. 
• Break down tasks into small steps. Use picture prompts or other communication supports if needed to show each step. 
• Spend time working with the person on their goals every day. Practice the same activity several times until it’s mastered. 
• Reward positive behaviors and ignore and redirect negative behaviors. 
• If you observe harming behaviors developing, get in touch with the person’s care team. Specialists can help look at these behaviors more closely to understand the root causes and set goals around those needs to keep them safe.