ABA Therapy for Teens
Teens need customized autism treatment plans when it comes to ABA Therapy. In some cases, autism is not recognized early on but becomes more visible once a child reaches puberty.
Whether your child just received this late diagnosis or you’re dealing with changes in your child’s IEP (Individualized Education Program), ABA Centers of Florida can provide the special attention your teen with autism needs.
As your child grows into a teenager, needs change and ABA Therapy may include new goals and new plans of action.
Skills Taught by ABA Therapy for Children are:
Attention and Focus
Examples may include playing board games or video games to get into the habit of focusing on a goal. Simple card games or board games may be the first step before working toward more detailed games.
Music
Teens can learn to calm down
and relax through audio stimulation, including listening to music.
Social / Communication Skills
Teens on the autism spectrum may feel as though they don’t fit in because they struggle creating and maintaining relationships with other teens. We will help your teenager interpret what other people are thinking or feeling. Role playing is especially important in enhancing communication skills.
Finances
Examples may include counting change, and playing games that involve the exchange of currency.
Planning for Post-Academic Life
- Helping the teen pick a job that is right for their skill set
- Working on resumes
- Practicing interview skills
- Role-playing various job scenarios
- Helping place the teen in an environment that is safe for them to work or live
Reading
Examples may include having your teen read simple (but interesting) books and talking about what they’ve read.
Self-Care
Examples may include grooming, showering, washing hair, shaving and brushing teeth. Therapists will work on establishing routines when it comes to personal hygiene. Teenagers also deal with puberty, body changes, hormones and emotional outbursts. Our ABA therapists understand the importance of making teens feel safe and comfortable during this time.
The Primary Goal of Teenage ABA Therapy
The primary goal of ABA therapy with teens is teaching adaptive skills. These are the skills that enable the teen to have some level of personal independence. It also helps the teen meet standards that would be expected from someone of their own age or social group.
Our goal at ABA Centers of Florida is to use positive reinforcement to encourage appropriate behavior during this process. Adaptive behavior changes as the teen grows older and culture and society have different demands.
It’s important that the teen learns coping mechanisms that come with those demands whether it’s in school, at work, out in public with friends or at home with the family.
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