Training for Parents of Children with Autism
As a parent whose child has autism, you take on added responsibilities. A good ABA therapy center will include parents in their treatment program. This makes sense because the child doesn’t live in the center. They go home and experience normal life, family interactions, interpersonal conflicts, and so on. Helping parents to better help their child thrive, adapt, and practice appropriate communication skills is critically important.
Elements of Parent and Caregiver Training
Parents and caregivers are vital parts of a child’s treatment and learning, as they are fixtures in the child’s social environment. Typically, an ABA therapy center uses a custom training plan that accounts for the child’s specific needs, the family living situation, and the family’s cultural background. This training will take place in a number of regular sessions. At JoyBridge the training will be biweekly, at least.
You can expect to have multiple training sessions where you will learn a variety of tricks to establish routines and manage whatever triggers the child. The lessons will also be customized to suit each child’s developmental level and needs. Parents learn to reduce maladaptive behaviors, set up routines for their child, and plan social outings. They’ll also learn how to help their child with communication, oral hygiene, and more. This is only part of a comprehensive training and treatment program, because parents are also invited to observe occupational therapy, speech therapy, and applied behavioral analysis sessions with their child.
Benefits of Applied Behavior Analysis Skills
The tools and techniques that behavior analysts use can help a child communicate and regulate their behavior, but the learning should be reinforced at home. By working with trained staff to create a healthy and supportive environment you can experience:
- Drama-free mornings and nights;
- Reduced acting out and aggression;
- Smooth family outings;
- Improved communication skills;
- Increased independence; and
- Better interactions with siblings and neighborhood children.
These benefits come from a combination of applied behavioral analysis and a team approach to providing comprehensive treatment and support. This strategy is crucial to providing the best social environment for each child.
Comprehensive Autism Services in Nashville
Parents and caregivers are critically important to a treatment plan so any good ABA therapy center should train parents to participate in their child’s therapy. You and your child will both benefit from the lessons learned. If you are looking for comprehensive autism services in Nashville, please do contact us to learn more about our approach and our training program for parents.
