Autism Support Chicago is dedicated to enhancing the lives of the children and families we serve by providing them with tools and techniques to better communicate and learn.
Our focus is on increasing your child's behavior to communicate and decrease the number of challenging behaviors they face throughout the day. We want to meet your child where they are and help them live their life to the fullest.
Our team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Registered Behavior Technicians are specially trained to handle your child's most extreme behaviors. They are a team of people who love to play and have fun with your child while also helping them learn and grow.
Autism Support Chicago believes in-home treatment is the most beneficial form of ABA therapy. Your child will feel most comfortable in their home. Your team of therapists will be able to see your child where they are most comfortable. You will also have the opportunity to watch your child's progress and take part in their therapy.
Skills Assessments
Every child we see is unique and has varying skills. The first step in developing a program that concentrates on the specific needs of the child is conducting an assessment of their current abilities and deficiencies.
Behavior Assessments
Functional behavior assessments are critical to the development of effective programs. By determining the factors that contribute to disruptive and interfering behaviors we can develop plans that will effectively teach children alternative behaviors.
One of our Board-Certified Behavior Analysts will evaluate your child's behavior. They will observe your child in the home, school, and social settings. They will also interview parents, caregivers, and teachers. This will help them develop a comprehensive and effective behavior treatment.
Behavior Reduction
Based on our skill assessments, functional behavior assessments, and interviews with parents and teachers our team will determine the behaviors that are most disruptive to daily life. These behaviors could be aggression, tantrums, self-injurious behavior, and many others. We will begin by identifying the causes of the behavior. We will then positively reinforce appropriate behaviors and increase functional communication. During this time there may be an increase in problem behaviors while the new, appropriate behavior is being developed. This process will create an alternative behavior to cope with difficult or overwhelming situations.
What does ABA look like in action?
ABA looks different throughout a session. Sometimes your child and therapist will work at the table on academic tasks or other skills. Other times your child and therapist will be working on the floor, playing and working on independent play skills and communication skills. Sometimes your child will be working on specific independent living tasks like tying shoes, washing hands, or putting on clothes. All of these things can occur in a session. You will hear lots of laughter, compliments, and praise during a session.
Other times during the session you may hear your child engaging in problem behavior. The tasks the therapist is working on with your child can be difficult. The therapist is trained to handle it, and the Board Certified Behavior Analyst will create a plan for you and the therapist to know how to handle the behavior. Sometimes when a new behavior is being trained more problem behaviors will occur. This is called an extinction burst. This occurs when a behavior that was previously reinforced is now being ignored. For example, a child would scream, their parent would come in and soothe them. This unknowingly reinforced the behavior. When the therapist comes in and begins teaching new methods of communication, the child may try screaming louder to get the parent's attention. The process can sometimes be difficult, but it is so worth it!
Skills Acquisition
One of the goals of ABA is improved skill acquisition. Our therapists break down tasks into small pieces that are easier to understand. These skills can be fine and gross motor skills, social skills, or daily life skills. Tasks like washing hands are broken down into steps and trained individually. Each step that is completed independently is rewarded. Each program is individually formatted for your child's skill level based on our previous observations.
Parent Training & Support
Parents and caregivers are one of the most important parts of a child's therapy. You know your child best, and can provide us with the best information about them. Your child's BCBA will meet with you to discuss your concerns, successes, and your child's behaviors. Our goal is to make you feel supported and better understand your child. The goal of these meetings is also so you can better understand your child's therapy. We want you to understand the techniques and ideas we are using to help your child.
One-on-One Home Based Therapy
There are many benefits to in-home therapy. In-home therapy is much more convenient for you. We come to where you are located. Working in-home allows us to see behaviors as they occur naturally. There are also some skills that can only be focused on in-home, such as dressing, mealtime and bedtime routines. In-home therapy also allows all family members to be involved. If behaviors are occurring with siblings or parents, we can run a therapy session with those family members involved.
Community Based Services
Your child and family deserve to experience and live life to the fullest! Sometimes challenging behaviors can prevent your child from attending events and family activities. Our therapists and BCBAs will be happy to help you attend these events to address these behaviors. Our therapists can accompany your family to museums, zoos, amusement parks, grocery stores, malls, public transportation, and just about any setting your child may find challenging.
School Consulting
School is another important aspect of your child's life that can be affected by your child's behavior. Our Board Certified Behavior Analysts will advocate for you and your child in the school setting. This includes development of IEPs and accompanying you to IEP meetings, observation of classrooms, assessment of current in-school programs, and assessment of appropriate placement of your child. We want to ensure your child is getting the highest care in all aspects of their life.
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Request a consultation with one of our dedicated team members today!