As our office starts to fill again with center-based clients, we at The SEED Center are encouraging and promoting our home-based services! To ensure social distancing, we are limiting one therapist and one client per room at the center, so while we would love to have you at the center, right now we are trying our best to ensure we practice our ABA therapy safely and cleanly. We understand this is an uncertain time, but you and your child’s health, safety, and peace of mind are our number one priority. The SEED Center is taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of clients and staff, both home- and center-based, during the COVID-19 pandemic, including requiring wearing face masks, practicing social distancing, conducting staff meetings remotely, and conducting daily temperature checks for clients and staff! We also provide employees with rubber gloves, cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, and disposable face masks.

Benefits of home-based services

You may be wondering, if my child has been doing center-based ABA services, will switching to home-based services hurt the progress they have made so far? The answer is no! Home-based services allows for a different but familiar environment to receive ABA therapy, and allows different skills and situations to be practiced and targeted more effectively.

1. Adaptive Skills

By choosing home-based ABA services, there is an added emphasis and focus on practical, everyday skills. It allows behaviors more likely to be exhibited in a natural environment to be targeted, such as toileting, mealtime, bedtime routines, getting dressed, or brushing teeth. Therapists are also better able to address behavioral issues that may arise, as they unfold.

1. Undivided attention

While a center may have social skills groups and other clients at the same time as your child, home-based services allow ABA to be administered with your child’s undivided attention. ABA therapy in the home allows for more focus and one-on-one time to devote to working on skills and programs. Undivided attention can be used to focus on important skills such as pre-academic skills, play skills, and other skills that may lead to more independence.

1. Generalization

By learning and building skills in a natural environment, children are more likely to continue these encouraged behaviors elsewhere. Home-based ABA services will help your child develop and practice necessary skills on a daily basis. Teaching skills in the space the child will use every day can speed up learning, and these skills can be generalized to other environments, like school or daycare.

1. Family Training

Children typically feel most comfortable in the presence of their parents and caregivers. Inclusion of family members and caregivers has been found to play a vital role in ABA treatment. Parents and caregivers are actively able to participate in home sessions, keep track of their child’s progress more effectively, as well as observe the therapist and see how they execute ABA programs. It allows the whole family to get involved and learn how different techniques can improve behavior. While observing parent behavior, the therapist can give data-based feedback to them on how they are progressing when working with their child. Home-based services also foster more open communication between therapists and caregivers.

1. Natural Reinforcers

The most effective reinforcers in ABA therapy are those that motivate the learner. Toys and activities already in the home that the child like playing with or doing are great tools that can be used to increase motivation and reinforce desired behavior.

1. Convenience

Since ABA therapy can take a few months to start showing proper results, it may be difficult or become difficult for parents to take their child to a center for sessions. Home-based ABA services make it convenient for families to integrate therapy into their busy schedule, while also letting parents actively engage and take part in their child’s therapy.

 

Contact Our Autism Treatment Center in Stamford, CT to Learn More

At The SEED Center of Stamford, we’re proud to provide quality ABA therapy services for children and adolescents across Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk, CT and the surrounding communities. If your child has been diagnosed with autism, we’re here to help. Our autism treatment center is a state-of-the-art facility that specializes in working with individuals with developmental disorders. While at-home services may not be ideal for everyone, we strive to meet the needs of every child and adolescent that walks through our door. If you’re interested in learning more about our ABA therapy options, contact our office in Stamford, CT.