Communication Is More Than Speech

Parents in Greenwood, Beech Grove and Franklin Township often describe the same worry: my child is not talking. But communication and speech are not the same thing. A child who leads an adult by the hand to the refrigerator is communicating. A child who screams when a routine changes is also communicating  just not in a way that serves them well.

At the Indy South ABA therapy clinic, Applied Behavior Analysis begins from that premise. The first goal is rarely words. It is giving the child a reliable, low-effort way to make their needs known, because a child who can be understood has far less reason to escalate.

Starting With Functional Communication Training

Functional communication training replaces a difficult behaviour with a communicative one that achieves the same result. If a child throws materials to escape a demanding task, the programme teaches them to request a break instead  and then honours that request consistently, at least at first.

The logic is straightforward. Behaviour persists because it works. If asking for a break works faster and more reliably than throwing, asking wins. This is one of the most well-researched principles in ABA, and it holds across age groups, diagnosis levels and communication modalities.

Building From Single Requests to Sentences

Once a reliable request exists, the programme expands it. A single sign or picture becomes a word. A word becomes two. Two becomes a short phrase with a descriptor. Each step is taught deliberately and only after the previous step is solid across different people and settings.

Generalisation is the part families underestimate. A skill that works only with one therapist in one room is not yet a skill. Programmes build in different adults, different locations and different times of day on purpose. Without that work, gains stay fragile.

How AAC Fits Into Communication Programmes

Not every child will use spoken words as their primary communication tool  and that is okay. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes picture exchange systems, speech-generating devices and apps designed to give non-speaking children a voice.

Research consistently shows that using AAC does not delay speech development. In many cases it supports it, because the child learns that communication works. Once that connection is made, some children begin adding spoken words alongside their device. Others continue using AAC long-term, and that is a successful outcome.

BCBAs at AFL assess each child's motor skills, cognitive level and daily environment before recommending an AAC system. A system that works at the clinic also needs to work at home, in the car and at school.

Where Speech Therapy Fits Alongside ABA

Some children need both. ABA addresses the function of communication  why and when a child communicates. Speech therapy addresses the mechanics  articulation, oral motor skills, language structure. When both are delivered by teams that share notes, progress tends to be faster than either alone.

At AFL's clinic-based ABA therapy programme in Indy South, speech therapy is available alongside ABA. Coordination between the behaviour and speech teams happens in the same building, which removes the lag that often slows progress when families are managing two separate providers across two separate schedules.

If you are considering a provider elsewhere, ask directly: how do your behaviour and speech teams communicate with each other? The answer tells you a lot about how integrated the programme actually is.

What Parent Involvement Looks Like

ABA is not something that happens to your child while you wait in the lobby. Parent training is built into most programmes because the hours your child spends outside the clinic far outnumber the hours inside it.

In early communication work, parent training typically covers how to respond when your child attempts to communicate (even imperfectly), how to prompt without creating dependence, and how to honour requests consistently so the skill stays strong. BCBAs usually model these techniques live in session and then watch parents practise, giving feedback in the moment rather than just explaining theory.

This is also where home data collection comes in. Tracking how often your child requests something, or how often a meltdown occurs, gives the team objective information to work from. It removes the guesswork from decisions about when to advance a step or when to back up and consolidate.

Signs the Programme Is Working

Look for reduced frustration before you look for words. Fewer meltdowns around transitions, more attempts to get your attention, more willingness to stay in a difficult activity  these usually appear before expressive language expands.

Ask your BCBA to show you the data. Graphs of requesting frequency over time are far more informative than a general sense of how things are going. If the team cannot show you a graph, that is worth asking about.

Getting Started

AFL serves families across south Indianapolis, Greenwood, Beech Grove and Franklin Township. If you are unsure whether your child qualifies or what the assessment process looks like, the team at Indy South can walk you through it. You can also view all AFL clinic locations if another site is more convenient for your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

My child is non-speaking. Can ABA still help?
Yes. Communication programmes routinely use signs, picture exchange and speech-generating devices. Research consistently shows these supports do not delay speech and often support it.

How long before we see communication gains?
Many families notice early changes in requesting within the first few months, though timelines vary considerably by child, starting point and hours of service.

Does AFL offer speech therapy as well as ABA?
Yes. Speech therapy is available at the Indy South clinic alongside clinic-based ABA therapy and autism diagnostic services.

What age should we start?
Earlier generally helps, but ABA is effective across childhood and adolescence. If you are concerned now, an assessment is worth booking now.

 

About AFL Autism Services  Indy South

Adapt For Life provides applied behavior analysis therapy, autism diagnostic services and speech therapy for children and families in south Indianapolis, Greenwood, Beech Grove and Franklin Township. Programmes are designed and supervised by Board Certified Behavior Analysts and built around each child's individual assessment.

Address: 5155 South Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46217
 Phone: (317) 567-9213
 Email: [email protected]
 Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
 Services: Clinic-Based ABA Therapy · Autism Diagnostic Services · Speech Therapy

To book an assessment, call (317) 567-9213, email [email protected] or visit Adapt For Life Indy South.