ABA Therapy is not a cookie cutter process!
Treatment is designed based upon assessment results and is individualized for each learner and family as it is a medically necessary service designed to teach skills across all areas of development. This approach is currently the only evidenced-based treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). All treatment plans have the same goal - to build communication skills, self-help skills, social skills, and to remove any barriers that interfere with learning - including disruptive behaviors.
Treatment is designed based upon assessment results and is individualized for each learner and family as it is a medically necessary service designed to teach skills across all areas of development. This approach is currently the only evidenced-based treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). All treatment plans have the same goal - to build communication skills, self-help skills, social skills, and to remove any barriers that interfere with learning - including disruptive behaviors.
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DIRECT ABA SERVICES
Teaching your child communication skills is the most important part of the plan. At Gateway we use the Verbal Behavior Model. This model uses lots of positive reinforcement and teaches the child using items and activities that interest them.
For younger learners, the majority of their ABA instruction will take place at home and/or within our learning center using a mixture of Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Natural Environment Teaching (NET). DTT is a fast-paced teaching method where language skills are taught in short bursts. Your child will work on their skills in labelling, copying actions, following directions, mimicking sounds and words, work on visual/perceptual skills, and more. All new learners start out slow and build skills over time. Throughout all of this, they are given tons of positive reinforcement with constant rewards for their hard work. NET is a manner of teaching that looks more like play and the child often times does not even realize that they are learning! Through play, children are taught to request items/activities that are meaningful to them. They learn the power of language which helps them build other language skills. This is also a time to practice generalizing skills so that what they learn during intensive teaching can be used in the real world in a very natural way. All learners are taught self-help skills. Many times individuals with Autism can struggle to learn self-help tasks because language deficits and behavior interferes with learning and understanding. Learners will be taught to do important tasks that help build independence, such as dressing, brushing teeth, eating with utensils, etc. PARENT COLLABORATION & SUPPORTAre you tired of battling with your picky eater at mealtimes?
Do you dread nighttime because your child just won't sleep? Do you avoid taking your child in public because you want to avoid the stares and rude comments from strangers? Do you feel confused by all of the scientific terminology that the "experts" working with your child use? At Gateway, we hear you and are here for YOU. We are committed to providing judgement-free parent collaboration! During parent collaboration meetings, we will work as a team to make a treatment plan that meets your family's needs. You don't need to be an expert in ABA to use the techniques we use to teach your child. We will teach you the basics of the science of ABA and teach you how to apply them to help better your everyday life. We can work on self-help skills like learning to brush teeth, feeding, sleep, behavior management, and more. |
COMMUNITY ABA
Treatment packages for teen and adult learners will help build skills in the home and community. At Gateway, we believe in preparing learners for the "next step", which should include the workplace. Our team will work to help hone your loved one's skills in a way that prepares them for employment and/or provide supervision for adults in the workplace to help carryover skills.
Some of these skills taught may include functional language skills, or skills that are useful/practical for the learner in the community, safety skills, self-help skills, etc. We work on fading adult supervision to the maximum extent possible. Our goal is to help your child become eligible for the most desirable work placement and/or community programs possible so that they may have a happy and fulfilling life. 
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES
Part of our Clinical Services includes our in-house Speech & Language Pathologist. Our SLP offers a wide range of skills and knowledge to help facilitate communication! This includes not just the spoken words and expressive language, but listening to others, receptive language, understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, pragmatic skills, articulation, and so much more! Our SLP works very closely with each ABA Team to provide a full-service model as we teach communication!
CONSULTATIONFor parents of children with Autism it can be so frustrating to get conflicting advice from different professionals and hard to understand all of the jargon that goes along with it!
Through our consultation services, we work with all of the service providers in your child's life to keep everyone communicating and to keep everyone on the same page. Here's some of the ways we do this...
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