The Power of Consistency in ABA Therapy: 7 Challenges of Cancelling Sessions

Why is consistency in ABA therapy important?

Applied Behavior Analysis, also known as ABA therapy, boasts over 40 years of proven effectiveness. Its results are both tangible and measurable, setting the gold standard in autism care. While ABA therapy excels at teaching skills, coping mechanisms, strategies, and other invaluable life resources to individuals with autism, one key factor underpins its success: consistency in ABA therapy.

At ABA Centers of Tennessee, we empathize with the struggles faced by parents and caregivers of children with autism. In addition to catering to your child’s unique needs on the spectrum, we understand that you juggle many other responsibilities, such as caring for other children, work obligations, family commitments, and self-care. This hectic routine can sometimes lead parents to frequently cancel their child’s ABA therapy sessions, which significantly hampers their child’s progress.

Therefore, this blog post seeks to answer the question: why is consistency in ABA therapy important? Inconsistent ABA therapy services can result in increased maladaptive behaviors and setbacks in progress. Caregivers must realize that ABA therapy is medically necessary for those living with autism. Even if children receive more than 20 hours of treatment per week, you should treat it with the same importance as any other medical appointment.

Beyond impacting client progress, cancellations can also incur costly fees, affect clinics financially, and prompt insurance companies to reevaluate or even deny coverage claims due to persistent cancellations.

Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that parents and caregivers strive to minimize the impact of cancellations and commit to maintaining consistency in ABA therapy. Continue reading to understand the importance of consistency in ABA therapy for enhancing long-term outcomes and for tips on how to avoid cancellations.

How Does Lack of Consistency in ABA Therapy Impact Your Child?

1. Delays in Progress And Development: The Association for Behavior Analysis International acknowledges the efficacy of ABA therapy in addressing complex aspects of autism, including communication difficulties, interaction challenges, and problem behaviors. Yet, consistency in ABA therapy emerges as a vital element for harnessing the full potential of this approach. Given its individualized nature, each ABA therapy session is meticulously designed by a specialist to cater to a child’s specific needs, drawing on data gathered from previous sessions. A canceled session can result in the child missing crucial instruction and practice time, thereby creating treatment gaps and obstructing the path to skill enhancement.
   
   Typically, ABA therapy sessions occur once a week, underscoring the criticality of each session. During these sessions, therapists often employ complementary techniques, like visual supports, to amplify the learning process. Canceling an ABA therapy session can disrupt the continuity of information processing from various visual aids. This disruption can slow down and complicate the child’s learning and memory processes, consequently delaying their progress and development.
   
   
2. Affect Therapist Bonding: ABA therapy sessions hinge on two pivotal therapists: the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Disruptions in therapy sessions can affect the bond between therapists and clients, engendering a disconnect that could lead to a regression in learned skills and an upsurge in problematic behaviors, such as resisting the ABA provider’s presence. As previously stated, each ABA session builds upon the data gathered from prior sessions and employs techniques that necessitate systematic progress, so interruptions can complicate the child’s ability to keep pace.
   
   

   Take social skills, for instance, which encompass greetings, considering others’ interests, and responding appropriately in social situations. These skills need regular practice across a range of settings to be effective. When children don’t practice these skills consistently, they can find it more challenging to retain and apply them. A lack of consistency in ABA therapy heightens the chances of the child experiencing behavioral setbacks and disruptions in their relationship with their therapist, both of which are critical to their progress. Consequently, inconsistency can lead to frustration and monotony for the child, as it may necessitate additional repetition.

   

   To ensure relationship bonds aren’t affected during school closings and other breaks, caregivers should proactively reach out to their child’s ABA providers and discuss events they can attend or special programming that may be available during gaps in school schedules to ensure their ABA prescription hours aren’t affected or result in lost hours.
   
   

3. Loss of Feedback: Cancellation or missed therapy sessions can hinder therapists’ capacity to offer feedback on a client’s progress. Frequent interruptions in ABA therapy sessions can result in lost opportunities to document data and uncover fresh insights that could pave the way for innovative solutions.
   
   

   An absence of data can lead to ambiguity and complicate the management of therapy shortcomings. Ensuring your child consistently attends their therapy sessions is imperative for the efficacy of ABA programs. Furthermore, communicating any behavioral shifts to ABA providers is crucial to guaranteeing all parties involved in the child’s development are aligned and can effectively continue therapy.
   
   

4. Benefits of Routine: Routines often offer significant advantages to individuals with autism by fostering a sense of control and reducing uncertainty, thereby alleviating anxiety. When ABA therapy becomes an integral part of your child’s routine with consistent attendance, it transforms into a familiar and anticipated element of their weekly schedule. Upholding consistency in ABA therapy as much as possible stimulates learning and comfort for your child with ASD.
   
   

   By positioning ABA therapy as a cornerstone of your child’s development and wellness, the instances of cancellations diminish, and you can observe notable improvements in progress. In other words, consistency in ABA therapy not only encourages growth but also enhances your child’s comfort level, making the therapy sessions more productive and beneficial.
   
   

5. Confidence and Willingness: Maintaining a consistent schedule in ABA therapy helps establish a comforting routine for the child, thus reducing stress caused by unexpected changes. In addition, during therapy sessions, social interactions with peers, groups, and professionals often arise, and interrupting them can be disruptive when resuming.
   
   

   Consistency in ABA therapy sessions demonstrates a commitment to the child’s learning and development, which builds self-confidence and improves the child’s willingness to interact with others.
   
   

6. Feeling of Exclusion: Cancelled ABA therapy sessions not only impede developmental progress but can also incite feelings of exclusion in children with autism. When children perceive their peers advancing more rapidly, they may feel left behind. Absence from therapy sessions deprives children of the chance to learn and practice, which impacts their participation and rapport with their peers. This sense of exclusion can complicate their capacity to communicate and interact with others, adversely affecting their ability to practice, self-regulate, and foster relationships.
   
   
7. Schedule Flexibility: ABA providers are committed to accommodating sessions to your schedule flexibly. Families should acknowledge that cancellations may occur, but the primary concern for providers is to ensure that the child receives the required treatment. Feel free to ask for a session to be postponed by a few hours or to adjust your schedule to avoid complete cancellation. Open communication and exploring alternatives can significantly influence the consistency of ABA therapy sessions.

Tips to Enhance Consistency in ABA Therapy

1. Establish Clear Goals: Ensure that both parents and providers are aligned with the child’s ABA therapy goals to maximize personal growth and progress.
2. Consistent Communication: Maintain open and transparent communication with ABA providers. If a cancellation is unavoidable, notify them as early as possible.
3. Plan Ahead: Anticipate potential scheduling conflicts and plan accordingly to minimize the need for cancellations.
4. Makeup Missed Time: Work with your child’s ABA provider to reschedule missed sessions promptly within a suitable timeframe to avoid disruptions in therapy progress.
5. Remain Flexible: Understand that cancellations may be inevitable at times, but they don’t have to be catastrophic. Stay flexible and adaptable to changes in scheduling.
6. Prioritize Attendance: Attend ABA sessions regularly to ensure consistency and effectiveness in therapy outcomes.
7. Avoid Continuous Cancellations: While occasional cancellations may occur, strive to avoid a pattern of continuous cancellations that could disrupt your child’s progress.
8. Focus on Progress: Keep the bigger picture in mind and focus on the progress your child is making in ABA therapy, even if occasional cancellations occur.
9. Foster Cooperation: Encourage collaboration and cooperation between all parties involved in your child’s ABA therapy to overcome challenges and achieve optimal results.
10. Stay Positive: Remain optimistic and proactive about managing cancellations, knowing that with proper planning and communication, you can successfully navigate them on your family’s ABA journey.