Ava's parents were not expecting their daughter to be on the spectrum. But as Ava grew, her parent's noticed milestones that were not being met, leading to her autism diagnosis. Her journey through ABA Therapy is transformative, and this is Ava's story.
At 18 months old, Ava's mother, Jennifer, began noticing that her daughter's vocabulary was limited and not complex. The only words that Ava would say were "mommy" or "daddy". Ava's older sister, Victoria, received an autism diagnosis at age two, so her parents knew that her limited vocabulary was critical for development.
Communication was not the only indicator for Ava's autism diagnosis. She also was not keen on socializing with anyone who was new to her. This meant that Ava was not playing with other children, and began to worry her parents.
Once Ava was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), both her parents began seeking professional help options through research and were led to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy with Centria Autism.
"I know that early intervention is definitely the key. The quicker you can get your child into a program, the better they are going to be" states Ava's mom, Jennifer, about enrolling Ava into ABA therapy after receiving her autism diagnosis.
Ava's Journey with ABA
Ava's family began working to determine the best treatment plan for her unique needs with a Centria Autism Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Since ASD affects each child differently, focusing on Ava's unique set of characteristics allowed her child-centered treatment plan individualized for her.
Upon Ava's evaluation, the amount of therapy needed and a recommended schedule of care was created with Ava's parents, and therapy visits began.
Ava's Behavioral Therapist began working on social interaction and communication skills immediately with Centria's In-Home ABA Therapy.
"When we first started, she was not interested in new people whatsoever" states Ava's Behavioral Technician, Sarah. As time with therapy progressed, Ava blossomed into a ‘social butterfly'.
"[Ava] learning how to speak, not even verbally but with a PECS book has been huge for her to be able to indicate what she wants and how she's feeling" recalled Sarah.
The Positive Impact of ABA Therapy
For Ava's family, the impact of ABA Therapy has been monumental in her growth. One of the biggest milestones for Ava's parents were when their daughter visited the playground and began socializing and making friends on her own.
"I got a call from Jennifer [Ava's mom] and I left work. She told me ‘You need to come to the playground'" stated Ava's dad Max. His assumption was that Ava did not want to get out of the car or play on the playground again.
"I came to the playground and my daughter was not only playing on the equipment with other children, but she was engaging with other children. That's a big deal." said Ava's dad. "I don't know where we would be if we didn't have ABA Therapy in our lives."
Ava's story signifies that providing quality ABA Therapy for children allows Centria Autism the great satisfaction of seeing that impact on our clients. Ava and her family remain a client of Centria Autism and her most recent milestone in ABA therapy is that Ava has begun speaking in full sentences and became more social with new individuals. She continues to #DoWonders
To speak with a specialist about starting ABA therapy, please contact us at 855-77-AUTISM. You can also request more information here.