ABA Questions & Answers

If you don’t see the answer to your question below, please feel free to reach out and ask us!

What is ABA exactly?

ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis. ABA is a science-backed therapy that helps kids increase their communication, vocabulary, social skills, and independence. Many children start ABA therapy when they receive an autism diagnosis, and the therapy can help individuals with other diagnoses as well. In ABA, we set goals based on each child’s needs, measure their progress, and celebrate every success both big and small.

I’ve heard ABA therapy is repetitive and robotic. Is that true?

ABA therapy is not robotic, harsh, or boring at Stepping Stones. Our approach to ABA is compassionate, fun, and productive. The therapy has changed a lot since it was created, and at Stepping Stones we are always learning and growing our practice as we learn more about children and their development. 

We are child-focused. We celebrate every individual who walks through our doors, and we’re excited to get to know each and every child we work with. We use a firm but gentle approach to help your child reach their greatest potential. You’ll find we hold high expectations and joyfully, kindly help your child make progress and meet new milestones. All ABA therapy – whether in your home or in our center – is about making progress in a fun, natural environment.

What does an ABA therapy session look like?

An ABA session usually resembles typical play and learning. Depending on where your child is and what their goals are, an ABA session could include: learning to request an item verbally or nonverbally, taking turns rolling a ball back and forth, identifying parts of an animal, sorting toys by color, shape, or size, putting together a puzzle together, or playing imitation games.

How are parents involved in the ABA session?

Part of ABA therapy is providing parent training to our families. We meet regularly with families to review targets, goals, and the progress their child is making. We also teach ABA strategies and tools to parents to assist them in the home environment.

How much does ABA cost?

The cost varies depending on your child’s diagnosis, your insurance coverage, and other factors. We’ll work with you to make sure you understand exactly what your out-of-pocket expenses will be before we begin working with your child. You can click here to see the insurance networks we work with.

How long will my child need ABA?

ABA therapy is about making progress, which means there’s no “right” length of treatment. It depends on your child and their goals! Most of our clients continue their therapy through childhood and even beyond school age when appropriate.

What if my child doesn’t have a diagnosis? Can they still receive therapy services?

Insurance coverage only applies with a proper diagnosis. If you plan to pay out of pocket, you can receive services without a diagnosis.

We can provide a list of diagnosticians in the area and we can discuss options for obtaining a proper diagnosis.

What ages do you work with at Stepping Stones?

We know that every child or adult can make progress, no matter what age! We work with children from as young as 2 up through 21. We don’t have a set “cut-off” age for our services.

Do you accept insurance?

We do! We are currently accepting Aetna, BlueCross/BlueShield, and United/Optum.

If your insurance provider is not listed, we do accept private-pay and out-of-network clients. For specific insurance questions, we recommend you contact your insurance provider directly.

Do you offer speech or OT services?

We work with several speech and OT therapists who will come to the center to work with your child. We are big proponents of collaborating with other therapists to provide the best services for your child.