How ABA therapy is reshaping the future for children with autism in Atlanta

“The organization that we’re building is dealing with children’s lives,” Ryan Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Propel Autism, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Working with clinicians and other experts in the field of behavioral therapy, Lewis says Propel has found a way to further advance a new individualized therapy. Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, or ABA, is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. According to Autism Speaks, the goal of the therapy is to increase behaviors that are helpful and to decrease behaviors that are harmful or impede learning.

“ABA really is this incredible science of behavior,” Lewis explained, “and so when you have a child that has behavior challenges, ABA is a really effective solution in helping them.”

In ABA therapy, clinicians use positive reinforcement to encourage certain behaviors and decrease the incidence of others. According to Autism Speak, clinicians try to understand what outside factors affect problem behaviors. After identifying those factors, a consequence is doled out to attempt to curtail the behaviors.

While ABA therapy has been used widely already, Propel approaches the therapy differently, according to Lewis. For one, the experience level of the clinicians stand out.

“These aren’t individuals trying to see if this is a space that they’re interested in,” Lewis told the AJC. Many of the clinicians have experience in different modalities, he says, whether it be demographics or age groups. They also have small caseloads so they can focus their energy on “what matters, which is helping our kiddos kind of realize their potential and achieve their goals.”

ABA therapy has been championed by many, but some people in the autism community have their reservations. Some criticize the therapy’s attempt to make autistic individuals “indistinguishable from their peers,” according to the Child Mind Institute.

“The emphasis on things like eye contact or sitting still or not stimming is oriented around trying to create the trappings of the typical child,” the president and co-founder of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Ari Ne’eman, told the Child Mind Institute, “without acknowledging the reality that different children have different needs. It can be actively harmful when we teach people from a very early age that the way they act, the way they move is fundamentally wrong.”

But some parents say this specific therapy is helping their kids learn to become self-reliant, a powerful tool to take into adulthood.

“What I like is that they’re trying to help him live as independently as possible but they’re not trying to take his autism away,” Stephanie Kenniburg told the Child Mind Institute on her son’s experience with ABA therapy. “Like there are certain parts of his autism — the way his brain works, the way he thinks — and they’re not looking at that as something negative that needs to go away. They’re looking at it as ‘this is how he thinks so this is how we’re going to teach him how to live in the world.’ ”

What is the goal of ABA therapy?

After a child receives an autism diagnosis, they may be referred to a clinician for ABA therapy.

“(Propel) would then do our own evaluation and understand all the unique behavior challenges, strength areas, development areas, etc. and build a detailed, unique to that child, plan that will then be discussed with the family and submitted to insurance for approval,” Lewis said.

When the process begins, the goal is to prepare them to live independently, while also curbing behaviors that may harm them and others.

“The goal is to help these kids master out of ABA, and then realize their goals, and that could be different for every child,” Lewis told the AJC.

In one experience, the Propel team met a child that expressed many behavioral challenges that greatly affected their lives, including bed-wetting and tantrums. Within a year, Lewis shared that the child graduated from the program and is now “thriving” in school and winning academic awards.

“In many cases, the goal is for them to graduate, and then go to school as independently as possible.”

Is ABA right for your family?

It may be right to consider ABA therapy if your child with autism needs help with language or communication skills, social skills or other behavioral challenges that can impact their quality of life.

“They could tantrum. They may have some issues with emotional regulation. They may be nonverbal. They may not be able to make eye contact, or body training may be difficult. Sleep may be an issue,” Lewis said.

Ask your pediatrician if they feel further treatment is a good idea, however, they are typically unable to provide a proper diagnosis. An autism diagnostician can perform a full evaluation and then refer you to a local ABA provider.

“A lot of the time, parents may not want to speak to a doctor,” Lewis said. “But the earlier you are able to identify the signs, the earlier you can act on therapy that may be able to help them.”