Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Early Intervention Program

This 12-week, day program provides intensive behavior therapy to young children with autism. The strategies we use and teach help increase positive behaviors or skills, such as communication, and decrease negative behaviors, such as tantrums.

• Assess learning needs
• Develop learning readiness skills and independence
• Provide family and caregiver support and education
• Provide individual treatment to address basic skill areas like communication, play, self-help and social skills

Your child will be treated by a team of healthcare providers, including a psychologist, behavioral therapist, speech and language pathologist, therapy assistants and a family advocate.

There are 2 sessions: 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. We will let you know which session you are in. Below is the daily schedule.

Each week, you will attend a Parent Education Group and either a Parent Educator Meeting or Classroom Training Session (these are on alternate weeks). You also will attend meetings with our family advocate.

You will meet in a group with other parents for 1 hour. We will provide information and training on several topics about having a child with autism. Here are some examples:

• Strategies to develop communication, language and positive social behaviors using play and common routines
• Strategies for decreasing challenging behavior
• How to understand the services your child may receive outside of our program, like Birth to Three and public-school services

• We will assign you a parent educator. You will meet with them for 1 hour on the weeks you do not have a Classroom Training Session.
• The topics depend on the needs of your child and family. They will help you make progress on your parent/caregiver goals. For example, we may review topics from the Parent Education Group or go over strategies to support your child’s learning and behavior.

• You will observe your child for 1 hour during a specific time on the weeks you do not have a Parent Educator Meeting. You will sign up for Classroom Training Sessions with your parent educator.
• During these sessions, you will see staff using strategies that support positive behavior, teach new skills and encourage communication. Here are some important things to remember:
• Feel free to ask the therapist questions. Here are some questions to ask:
  
  • What skill are you teaching in this activity?
  • Can you explain how you will teach that skill?
  • Can I practice teaching that skill?
• You may see challenging behavior from your child. If your child has a behavior support plan, review the plan before you observe. Ask us if you have questions about the plan. If the behavior is from your child:
  
  • Remain calm and neutral.
  • Follow your behavior support plan.
  • Ask staff if you don’t know what to do.
  • Ask staff to explain what they are doing.
• You may see challenging behavior from another child. It’s important to:
  
  • Remain calm and neutral.
  • Not intervene.
  • Ask staff if you don’t know what to do.
  • Follow staff instructions.

• Our family advocate will meet with you often to make sure your child has the services they need outside of our program.
• The family advocate can help you request an evaluation of your child by the public school district, complete paperwork for the Developmental Disabilities Administration or understand insurance benefits for autism services.

• After your assessment, we will send your child’s treatment plan to insurance for authorization. Authorization takes up to several weeks.
• Once we get authorization, we will contact you with a start date and assigned session (morning or afternoon). We will try to accommodate the session time you prefer.

Each day

• Backpack or bag
• Clothes that are weather-appropriate and OK to get messy
• Snack and drink. If your child has a food allergy, please let us know and make sure they bring food they can eat.

To leave at the center

• Full set of extra clothes (pants/shorts, T-shirt/sweatshirt, underwear, socks, etc.)
• Extra diapers and wipes (if applicable). We will let you know when we run low for your child.

Drop-off

• Check in at the front desk and wait in one of the clinic waiting areas.
• Your child's individual therapist will meet you in the waiting area at 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. (depending on the session your child is in).
• Please wait until we come to get your child and do not leave your child alone.

Pick-up

• Wait in the waiting area until we bring your child out.
• We will give a “Daily Child Record.” This form gives you basic information about your child’s day.
• If you need interpreter services to communicate with your child's therapist, we will bring an interpreter iPad to communicate with you about your child's day.

If your child cannot make it to a session, call 206-987-8080 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and ask to be transferred to the Autism Center Scheduling Team.

Please call us as soon as you know your child will be absent.

If your child is not toilet-trained, staff will change your child’s diaper in the bathroom next to the classroom.

For children who are toilet-trained, staff will go with them to the bathroom.

If your child gets sick, we will contact you to pick them up. They must be free of symptoms such as fever, vomiting, rash, cough or congestion for 24 hours before they can return to the program.

If they have a medical emergency while they are in the program, we will seek emergency treatment. This may include first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) by qualified staff.

If we cannot reach you, we will call 911 and ride with your child in the ambulance to Seattle Children’s Emergency Department. We will stay with them until you arrive. Emergency medical care, including riding in an ambulance, will be billed to you/your insurance.