What to Expect During an In-Home Visit

In-home therapy for autism is an increasingly popular choice for parents and caregivers. Here is what to expect when your child starts in-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy with A Happy Family Behavioral Services.

A Multitude of Benefits

The ability to have a qualified board-certified behavioral analyst (BCBA) visit your home to provide your child with ABA therapy has important benefits.

Benefits for Your Child

With ABA service at home, young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder improve their behavioral health, communication skills, and much more.

In-home visits allow children with autism to receive early intervention and treatment in a familiar and comfortable environment. This can benefit their mental health, facilitate accelerated learning of new skills, and help them develop their confidence in a shorter amount of time.

Benefits for You

Having a professional in your home presents many opportunities for caregivers and parents of children with autism. You can enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your child is being cared for by a trained and certified individual who understands what they need.

You can also expect to learn a wide range of techniques and skills which can be applied between visits to reinforce what your child has learned in therapy.

Treatment That Directly Addresses Primary Areas of Concern

Part of the in-home autism therapy process is an interview with and assessment of your child by a BCBA from A Happy Family. This will result in identifying your primary areas of concern. Your BCBA uses the information gained from this assessment to develop a detailed treatment plan.

This treatment plan is followed at each home visit, allowing your child to receive behavioral intervention that helps them develop socialization skills, and that is tailored to their individual needs.

Continuous Treatment and Supervision

In-home autism care provides your child with continuous treatment. You can expect that your child will receive between 10 and 20 hours per week with their BCBA. It’s this level of behavioral management, skill acquisition, and positive reinforcement that will be so instrumental to your child’s progress in therapy.

Constant supervision allows the BCBA to detect changes which would warrant modification to your child’s treatment plan, and make those changes immediately. Therapy at home also allows you to continue with your regular routine, or simply relax and enjoy some quality “me” time.

Finally, having a BCBA in your home provides you with the opportunity to observe and schedule in-home parent training for autism.

Make Preparations

In order to facilitate learning and give your child the most benefit from in-home autism services, you can expect to make some preparations prior to your in-home visit.

Choose a Room and Communicate Changes

Decide on a space where your child will receive therapy. The space you choose should be of sufficient size for both your child and their therapist, and be free of any distractions which can interrupt your child’s focus during in-home sessions.

Any changes made to this dedicated therapy room should be shared with your child so that they are as comfortable as possible when therapy begins.

Communicate With the Therapist

Another preparation will be to have a conversation with the therapist about any favorite activities, toys or interests your child has. Having this information prior to the first session will allow the therapist to use these to reinforce learned behaviors and motivate your child.

This conversation can also include any questions you have with regard to therapy. Make a list prior to the first visit and set aside time to talk.

Ensure Your Child Is Prepared

It’s important to ensure your child is prepared for every session. Create a schedule, and show it to your child. You’ll also want to create and review a pre-session routine with your child so that they know what to do.

They should be alert and awake, have been changed (if applicable), and have a meal prior to every session. It’s also important that your child not be participating in a favorite activity which the therapist may use as reinforcement.

Schedule Your Evaluation Today

If you are ready for your child to begin in-home ABA therapy with A Happy Family Behavioral Services, we are excited to hear from you! Contact us today for an in-home evaluation.