FAQ

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are general terms for a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that interfere with daily living. Individuals with Autism often display repetitive behaviors, have difficulties communicating verbally and nonverbally, and with social interactions. The disorder is believed to be present very early on, with clear signs and symptoms manifesting when the child is 2-3 years old. ABA therapy has been proven to be the most effective intervention in teaching individuals with Autism important life skills in all settings.

Act Now. Talk to your Primary Care Physician or contact us at Thrive Therapy about getting your child evaluated for ASD.  Research has shown that early diagnosis and intervention increases the chances for improving function and maximizing child’s potential.

It’s important to make sure your child has a knowledgeable and reputable health-care team. This means finding doctors, therapists, psychologists and teachers who understand and have experience with Autism and can respond to his shifting needs appropriately

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on improving specific behaviors in individuals, especially those with developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ABA is based on the principles of behaviorism, which emphasize observable and measurable behavior as the target for change.

• Our brand of ABA service is compassionate first. We want our clients to be happy and give their assent to any intervention we provide.
• We look at every client as an important individual and we treat each with dignity and respect. This means we do not force our clients to do anything and we view ourselves as serving them first.
• We have a large and growing team of passionate behavior technicians and supervisors as well as a team of dedicated administrative personnel. At Thrive you will always have someone to reach out to if you have questions or need support.
• We provide customized and individualized treatment plans for each client. We work on goals and skills that are meaningful to the child and family.

• Thrive uses the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a scientific, evidence­-based discipline that strives to understand and improve socially significant behaviors. We do a full assessment to determine how to best design treatment to help your child reduce challenging behaviors and replace them with new skills.
• We teach new socially appropriate skills to help our clients get their needs met without having to engage in unwanted behaviors.
• We teach skills across many domains, including communicating wants and needs, social skills, play skills, self ­help, and independent living skills.

• We complete a full assessment including a functional behavioral assessment to address problem behaviors, a skills assessment, several observations, as well as a parent and a teacher interview.
• We are flexible and we can provide services in multiple settings including school, home, and community.
• Consistency is key. We provide weekly 1:1 parent training to keep parents informed about what their child is working on in school sessions, and how to generalize what they are learning into the home environment.
• We do monthly parent check-ins to ensure you are satisfied with our services and that the team who is working with your child is the best fit. You will always have someone to reach out to with any concerns or questions.
• We believe in transparency and collaboration. You will have access to your child’s electronic medical records, including assessment and session notes, 24/7.

• We use a person-centered and compassionate approach. We are hands off and do not force our clients to do anything they want to do.
• We use natural environment teaching. Rather than asking clients to do repetitive tasks such as flash cards sitting at a table, the behavior technician will join in the activities that your child is already naturally doing, and embed learning opportunities into those activities.
• We generalize skills across settings. We work to ensure that skills your child learned in the school setting are transferred into the home and community settings as well
• We involve those who are important in the child’s life, including teachers, family, and other service providers.

• After filling out the intake form, you will be contacted by our intake coordinator and your child will be put on our client list. Once we find a team (behavior technician and supervisor) who are a good fit, we will reach out to you and the team will introduce themselves.
• The supervisor will conduct an assessment, which will include an interview with you as the caregiver. The supervisor will spend the assessment period developing a treatment plan which outlines our goals and how we intend to reach them.
• After the initial assessment period, which lasts about 30 days, your child will begin receiving regular services, including daily sessions with the behavior technician. The supervisor will oversee that behavior technician as well as provide consultation and parent training with you.