What to Do While Waiting for ABA Therapy: A Parent Guide for Immediate Support
One of the most frustrating realities families face after an autism diagnosis is the wait. ABA therapy is in high demand, and between insurance authorization, provider availability, and the assessment process, it can feel like weeks or months pass before services actually begin. During that time, many parents wonder: what can I be doing right now?
The answer is: more than you might think. While there is no substitute for professional ABA therapy delivered by trained clinicians, there are meaningful steps families can take during the autism therapy wait time to support their child’s development and lay the groundwork for a smooth and productive start to services.
Understanding Why ABA Therapy Waitlists Exist
ABA therapy waitlists are not a sign that providers are disorganized or indifferent. They reflect the reality that demand for qualified ABA services outpaces the current supply of credentialed behavior analysts in many parts of the country. Every child who starts therapy went through the same process you are in now.
One important thing to know: different providers have different wait times. If you are currently waiting with one provider, it is worth reaching out to others, including Score ABA, to explore whether services could begin sooner. Some families assume the wait is the same everywhere, but that is not always the case.
Score ABA works to begin services as quickly as possible after authorization and assessment are complete, and the team keeps families informed at every stage of the process rather than leaving them to wonder what is happening.
Build Consistent Routines at Home
Children with autism often thrive with structure and predictability. One of the most valuable things you can do while waiting for ABA therapy to begin is to establish consistent routines around the activities that happen every day. Morning wake-up, meals, transitions between activities, bedtime, and any other regular events in your child’s day are all opportunities to practice structure.
Consistent routines reduce anxiety, minimize opportunities for challenging behavior, and help children know what to expect. They also make it easier for a behavior technician to step into your child’s world when ABA therapy begins, because the basic scaffolding of the day is already in place.
Visual schedules are a simple and effective way to support routines. A sequence of pictures or images representing the steps of a morning routine or bedtime process can help your child understand what is coming next and feel more settled during transitions.
Learn Basic ABA Principles as a Parent
You do not need to be a trained clinician to understand the core ideas behind ABA therapy. Learning even a few foundational concepts can help you interact with your child in ways that support positive behavior and skill development while you wait.
Some of the most useful ideas to begin exploring include:
- Positive reinforcement: Acknowledging and rewarding behaviors you want to see more of. This can be as simple as enthusiastic praise, a preferred activity, or access to a favorite toy when your child follows a direction or uses a skill.
- Clear and simple instructions: Giving one-step directions in language your child understands, and waiting calmly for a response, is a skill that takes practice but makes a significant difference.
- Prompting and fading: Offering the right level of help to support your child in completing a task, then gradually reducing that support as the skill develops.
- Natural environment teaching: Embedding learning opportunities into everyday activities, like practicing counting during snack time or working on color identification during play.
Pursue Early Intervention and Related Services in the Meantime
ABA therapy is not the only form of support available to children with autism. While waiting for ABA services to begin, families can explore other early intervention options that complement ABA and support development across multiple domains.
- Speech therapy: If your child has communication challenges, speech therapy can begin immediately after diagnosis and works well alongside ABA therapy. A speech-language pathologist can address language development, articulation, and alternative communication strategies.
- Occupational therapy: If sensory processing, fine motor skills, or daily living activities are areas of concern, occupational therapy can begin independently and complements ABA goals.
- Early intervention programs: Children under three may qualify for state-funded early intervention services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These are free and can begin quickly after referral.
- School-based services: If your child is school-age, work with your school district to ensure an Individualized Education Program is in place. The school may offer speech, occupational therapy, and behavioral support services.
Document Your Observations and Concerns
The intake period is an excellent time to begin keeping detailed notes about your child’s behavior, skills, and daily patterns. What behaviors concern you most? What skills is your child currently demonstrating? What triggers challenging behavior, and what helps de-escalate it?
This information is genuinely valuable when the ABA assessment begins. The more context the BCBA has about your child’s history and current functioning, the more precisely they can build a treatment plan that addresses what matters most to your family.
You can keep notes in a simple journal or on your phone. There is no need for a formal format. The goal is simply to capture patterns and observations while they are fresh so that nothing important is lost by the time the assessment happens.
Connect with Other Families and Support Networks
Parenting a child with autism can feel isolating, especially in the early months after a diagnosis. Connecting with other families who are on the same journey can provide perspective, practical advice, and emotional support that is hard to find elsewhere.
Look for local or online support groups for parents of children with autism. Organizations like the Autism Society of America and the Autism Science Foundation offer resources and community connections. Many families find that shared experience is one of the most helpful things during the waiting period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there anything I should avoid doing while waiting for ABA to start?
One common misstep is inadvertently reinforcing challenging behaviors by giving in to them to keep the peace. While this is entirely understandable, it can make those behaviors harder to address once therapy begins. If you are unsure whether a particular response strategy is helpful, that is a great question to raise with your BCBA at the assessment.
Can I start ABA therapy without a formal diagnosis?
Most insurance plans and Medicaid programs require a formal autism diagnosis to authorize ABA therapy. If your child has not yet been evaluated, pursuing a diagnostic assessment should be the first step. A pediatrician or developmental pediatrician can provide a referral.
What if there is no ABA therapy waitlist and we can start right away?
That is ideal. The sooner ABA therapy begins, especially for young children, the more significant the long-term outcomes tend to be. If you are working with a provider who has availability, move through the intake steps promptly so sessions can begin without delay.
You Do Not Have to Wait to Get Support
If your child is on an ABA therapy waitlist, or if you have not yet begun the process, Score ABA is here to help you move forward. Our team works efficiently to get families through intake, insurance verification, and assessment so that therapy can begin as soon as possible.
Reach out today at info@scoreaba.com or call 973-412-3663. We serve families in Colorado and Georgia, and we would love to be part of your child’s next step forward.
