In the United States, about 1 in 5 kids has a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder, which means millions of kids may find the world more challenging.
At Celebrations Speech Group, our team builds bridges between these worlds through effective, proven therapies that address developmental and behavioral conditions. More specifically, we’ve found great success in combining speech therapy and applied behavioral analysis (ABA) to not only help kids survive, but thrive.
Let’s kick off this discussion by reviewing the behavioral and developmental conditions that can benefit from the powerful combination of speech therapy and ABA, which includes:
While each of these conditions is very different, they all share the commonality that both speech therapy and ABA can help kids move forward through improved communication and behavior.
Given that the term behavioral is part of ABA, it makes sense that this therapy is an excellent tool for addressing behavioral issues.
Through ABA, our goal is to reinforce positive behaviors while reducing what the world considers to be problem behaviors. To reinforce positive behaviors, we identify a goal and then we use a simple reward system, which is what the reward-seeking brain is wired for.
At the heart of the behavioral work we do through ABA is another acronym — ABC, which stands for:
Through ABA, we help kids connect the dots between what happens before the behavior, their response to the antecedent (their behavior), and the consequence. This work allows them to shift behaviors to get a more positive outcome.
For example, you tell your child that screen time is over and to shut down the tablet or TV. The child doesn’t want to and chooses to ignore you. So, you respond by turning the TV off, regardless of whether the show or game is complete — a negative consequence.
Through ABA, your child learns to respond better to your request — perhaps they politely ask for a few more minutes to finish up. And you grant them these minutes, which is a far more positive consequence.
Our work through ABA isn’t punitive. Instead, we gently guide kids toward more positive interactions — for everyone involved.
With the behavioral side of the equation being addressed through ABA, our team expands the work with speech therapy.
Whether your child is completely non-verbal due to profound autism or they simply have a disfluency issue that affects how they speak, speech therapy can help.
It’s tricky to say here what your child’s speech therapy might look like, as it can vary greatly depending upon your child’s needs. For example, if your child needs help understanding what people are saying to them, we focus on that. Or, if you have a nonverbal child who struggles to be heard, we turn to alternative and augmentative communication systems that provide them with means to communicate beyond their own voice.
By improving how your child communicates, the world can be a far less daunting and scary place.
As you might imagine, combining ABA with speech therapy can be game-changing for kids with developmental and behavioral issues. And the sooner we get started, the better the outcome, because we can get in there while your child’s brain is still forming to guide it in a more positive, productive direction.
If you’d like to explore whether combining ABA and speech therapy is right for your child, we invite you to contact one of our offices in Brentwood, Stockton, or Elk Grove, California, to schedule a consultation.
