So you've got your Autism diagnosis, you've started your kid at an ABA Therapy clinic and they're getting things set up, but you're worried.

"What does progress really look like?" "How do I know its working?" "How long is this supposed to take?" You aren't alone in asking those questions-every parent has them. Below is a brief overview of some questions you can ask and milestones you can look out for to ensure you can support your child and the ABA staff with confidence!

Key Stepping Stones

• The child begins to understand that they can achieve what they want through communication (verbal, sign, AAC, etc) as opposed to unsafe behaviors
• Manding (requesting things)
• Labeling items
• Responding to "yes" or "no" questions
• Unsafe behaviors are less frequent
• Unsafe behaviors are shorter in duration and the child is able to follow regulation techniques to work through them
• Your child may begin to request items to help with overstimulation
• Taking turns during a game
• Sharing items
• Initiating interaction with others

Questions to Ask Your Provider

Of course, for every child, progress may look different. Additionally, these are only general milestones and each can likely be further broken down into even smaller steps, or expanded to include frequency and setting. That is why it is important to ask your ABA provider the following questions:

• What goals are being set for my child and how can we collaborate?
• How is progress being measured?
• How often will we go over my child's progress and what if an adjustment is needed?
• What is expected of me in the home so that we can ensure these skills are sustainable?