There are many treatment options that you will either discover or have thrown at you be providers, family or friends.  These may include Applied Behavior Analysis, Sensory Integration, Auditory Integration, Vision Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, the Greenspan, or “Floor play” method, Music Therapy to mention a few.  However, of all the therapies above, and those that you may hear about, there is only one that has controlled scientific research and studies, published in respected peer-reviewed journals.  That therapy is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).  And, within ABA , we recommend Verbal Behavior specifically due to its ability to by used in the natural environment.

We recommend that every client start an intensive and credible Verbal Behavior (VB) program.  There are many people out there representing that they “do ABA ,” or “do VB.”  Well, unfortunately, some of these people have not had real training in VB or ABA and may have just attended a one or two day workshop and are not under the guidance of a reputable Masters or Ph.D. level consultant that specializes in VB.  As a direct result of this, there are people in the autism filed that will say that VB or ABA only works for “some kids,” or works “sometimes.”  We have seen many different children all over the spectrum make strides through VB.  However, it requires a solid VB program with a committed family that educates themselves and conducts therapy during those hours when the child does not have a therapist available.

THE BOTTOM LINE: We have personal contacts with the top Ph.D. and Masters level consultants in the field and will make sure that you are paired up with a credible therapist-candidate and that your program is overseen by a consultant that will ensure a good VB program that gets results.

This program will focus on using behavior modification techniques to teach your child appropriate behavior and, most importantly, how to develop verbal communication skills.  While some kids start out learning sign language to communicate, that in and of itself can reduce some negative behavior as the child’s frustration of not being able to communicate.  After signs are learned (if the child does not start off as being vocal), the therapist will typically work on helping a child become verbal, as well as start developing the child’s mand repertoire. 

A “mand” is a request for ……  The initial focus of any good VB program is to develop either verbal or sign mands, just as a typically developing child first learns mands.  As the child is developing their mands, then tacts (def…) will also be added.  These are the two cornerstones of a solid VB program and are the building blocks onto which later, more advanced verbal skills will be acquired.

The important thing to remember here is that a good VB program takes not only well-educated therapists and experienced consultants, but committed parents and other caregivers that will learn to do therapy before and after formal “therapy hours.”  I won’t mislead you, this is hard.  I know from firsthand experience.  However, I also know that if you commit to this as the foundation for your child’s development and therapy, he or she will make strides towards developing a verbal repertoire.

Then, after we have you in the process of always focusing first and foremost on your child’s VB program, we can assist you in looking at other therapies.