ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy is an effective treatment that can help children with autism reach their fullest potential. From improving a child’s ability to communicate and interact well with others, to decreasing challenging behaviors and issues that could keep your child from thriving, ABA therapy is an effective approach to improving a child’s development and quality of life.
It’s important to understand that while ABA therapy is a great treatment option for children with autism, it differs from school. In this article, you’ll learn more about whether ABA therapy can replace school and more below!
At ABA Revolution, we provide top-rated ABA therapy in Illinois to help your child receive the best possible care to improve their well-being. Our ABA therapy for children with autism can help your child learn valuable skills so that they can grow and reach their potential. Our compassionate team is here to help your child receive the comprehensive, personalized care they need to feel empowered and thrive. Contact us today to learn more!
3 Reasons Why ABA Therapy Does Not Replace School
According to the CDC, about 1 in 36 children have autism. Children with autism can have a difficult time developing key skills like communication and socializing with others which can decrease their overall quality of life. ABA therapy provides a structured, personalized opportunity to help children with autism learn positive behaviors to thrive while helping to also identify and improve any challenging behaviors that could be negatively impacting the child’s quality of life.
School and academic development is an essential component of every child. It’s important to understand that ABA therapy cannot replace school because they are two different environments. Below are more reasons why ABA therapy can supplement, but not replace school.
1. Goals/ Purpose
First, the goals/ purpose of ABA therapy vs traditional schooling are different. ABA therapy works to help children with autism develop key skills while reducing certain behaviors that may be hurting their relationships and quality of life. For example, if a child struggling with communicating, ABA therapy offers a safe, structured space to work on their communication skills. Meanwhile, traditional schooling typically follows a set curriculum that is much more generalized and primarily focuses on children’s academic development.
2. Academics
While ABA therapy can help support a child’s academic development, it does not follow an academic curriculum like traditional schooling does. Traditional schooling again is focused on enhancing a child’s academic development through math, writing, and other subjects, while ABA therapy, although it can help improve a child’s skillset and knowledge, isn’t restricted to following an exact academic curriculum.
3. Social Interaction
Finally, while ABA therapy and school each offer a great opportunity for children to learn, develop, and expand their social skills and social interaction, each is different. For instance, in ABA therapy, if a child is struggling with communication and socializing well with others, they can receive tailored guidance and exercises to practice developing their ability to communicate and socialize well with others.
Meanwhile, while school does offer a great way for kids to socialize and interact with their peers, oftentimes developing communication skills is not a primary focus in traditional schooling. Therefore, while ABA therapy and school do each have social interaction components, traditional schooling oftentimes does not offer a structured environment for kids to expand their ability to communicate with others.
Help Is Available
ABA therapy does not replace school; however, ABA therapy can be used in addition to a traditional education at school to help supplement a child with autism’s development, especially when it comes to receiving more individualized developmental support. While ABA therapy and traditional schooling have their similarities, they are not the same, and ABA therapy should not be considered as an option to replace traditional education.
At ABA Revolution, we offer leading ABA therapy in Illinois to help your child grow, thrive, and reach their fullest potential. We understand that each individual with autism has a unique set of strengths and challenges. That’s why our compassionate team is here to provide the tailored support your child needs to improve their well-being and reach their fullest potential. Contact us today to learn more about how we can best support your child.
