When ABA begins, it’s natural to wonder: Is this working?
But during the first few weeks, the answer probably won’t come from a major new skill or a dramatic change in behavior. Your child and their therapy team are still getting to know each other, figuring out what works, and building the foundation that future progress will depend on.
Instead of looking for huge changes right away, there are other signs you can watch for. Here are some things to consider when measuring progress early on.
One of the most important things happening during those early sessions is relationship-building.
Your child’s therapist should be learning what they enjoy, how they communicate, what makes them laugh, what they avoid, what helps them feel comfortable, and how they respond to different activities and expectations.
Over time, you might notice small changes:
These may not look like big goals being checked off a list, but they matter. A strong therapeutic relationship can help create the foundation for learning later.
Your child shouldn’t simply be expected to fit into a predetermined therapy routine.
Early sessions give the team an opportunity to learn how the treatment plan actually works with your child in real life.
Does the therapist know your child’s favorite activities? Do they understand how your child communicates? Are they learning important routines, triggers, safety concerns, sensory preferences, and situations that tend to be difficult?
The treatment plan may provide the roadmap, but the team should continue learning from your child along the way.
You don't need to understand every ABA term or know every goal in the treatment plan. But you should have a general understanding of what the team is trying to accomplish.
As services get underway, you should know things like who your child’s BCBA is, what some of the current treatment priorities are, how you can contact the team with questions, and how important updates will be communicated to you.
And if something doesn't go as planned, you should have a sense of how the provider communicates and responds to problems.
You are part of your child’s team. You shouldn't feel completely in the dark about what happens during therapy.
An assessment gives the clinical team a lot of useful information—but they will continue learning once therapy actually begins.
Maybe an activity that seemed appropriate during the assessment turns out to be too difficult.
Maybe your child needs a different type of communication support.
Maybe something the team thought would be highly motivating loses its appeal after a few sessions.
Or perhaps a goal needs to be broken into much smaller steps than expected.
Good treatment should be responsive. The team should use what they're learning during sessions to make adjustments rather than continuing with an approach simply because that's what was originally planned.
This one is important. Your child probably isn't going to master a life-changing goal during their first week of ABA.
In fact, things may occasionally look harder before they look easier.
Therapy can introduce new expectations, transitions, instructions, or demands. As your child learns how to navigate those changes, you may temporarily see more frustration or challenging behavior.
That alone doesn't tell you whether therapy is working.
Instead, look for the smaller signs of progress: your child tolerates an activity a little longer, communicates instead of becoming frustrated, completes one additional step independently, transitions a little more easily, or becomes increasingly comfortable with their therapist.
Those seemingly small moments can become the building blocks for much bigger changes later.
Ask yourself one simple question: “Do I understand what my child’s team is trying to accomplish right now?”
You don't need to know every goal or understand every piece of clinical terminology.
But you should be able to explain the general priorities the team is working toward and why those priorities matter for your child. If your answer is no, that's a good reason to schedule a conversation with your BCBA.
Ask what they're currently working on, what they've learned about your child so far, what progress they're seeing, and what they expect to focus on next.
You don't have to wait until something is wrong to ask questions.
The first few weeks of ABA are less about dramatic transformations and more about building the foundation for meaningful progress.
Look for a team that is getting to know your child, communicating with you, responding to what they learn, and gradually helping your child become more comfortable and successful.
The big wins may take time. Pay attention to the small ones happening along the way.
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