What Happens When a Child ‘Ages Out’ of ABA Services?

Applied behavior analysis, or ABA therapy, is a proven treatment method for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a science-based approach to learning and behavior, ABA therapy has been shown to significantly improve a child’s communication, social interaction and daily life skills, as well as reduce instances of problematic behaviors.

ABA therapy is often considered to be an early intervention, meant for younger children. While it is true that ABA therapy is most effective when the treatment starts early, it is a myth that older children and even adults can’t benefit from it.

Even so, many parents worry about whether their child will “age out” of ABA therapy services and what happens then. Below, we’ll discuss this topic in more depth.

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Is ABA Therapy Only for Young Children?

The quick answer to this question is no. ABA therapy can be very effective for people regardless of their age, even if it is most often associated with early intervention.

The reason why early intervention is so important is that the brain is at its most adaptable state during a child’s formative years. Because of this, studies have shown that when early intervention approaches such as ABA therapy begin before a child is 5 years old, they can make significant improvements, especially in social and communication skills.

That doesn’t mean ABA therapy isn’t effective for older children, though. Children between 6 and 12 years old, for instance, can still show major strides with ABA therapy.

At this stage, the treatment might have slightly different focuses, including improving academic outcomes, addressing challenges that are specific to their situations including disruptions in the classroom and improving their interactions with peers.

Even teens and adolescents can benefit from ABA therapy. Their treatment plans might focus more on building life skills they’ll need to be independent, how to navigate peer pressure and social relationships, and helping them prepare for higher education and/or employment.

Do Children ‘Age Out’ of ABA Therapy?

There isn’t an age where ABA therapy is no longer beneficial or appropriate for children. That being said, there may come a point in time when your child “ages out” of therapy.

The most common reason this happens is that they have made enough progress that they don’t need the same level of intensive support services. Of course, this is a great thing, as it means your child has built new skills and reduced instances of problem behaviors, and has generalized those skills in real-world settings.

Another common reason why children “age out” of ABA therapy is if they are no longer eligible to have the services covered by insurance.

Many states have an age limit for when insurance carriers are required to provide coverage for autism-related services. When this happens, it may not be possible for families to afford ABA therapy completely out of pocket.

What Happens After ABA Services?

When ABA therapy services end, parents may become worried about what’s next for their child. How will they be supported without ABA therapy, and will their child’s needs be met?

It’s important to realize that in most cases, if your child “ages out” of ABA therapy services, it’s likely because they’ve made sufficient progress that it’s simply no longer necessary. This doesn’t mean they won’t need any extra support services or accommodations, of course, but they’re likely ready for the next chapter in their life.

Make sure that you have a good relationship with your child’s ABA therapy team so that when it gets close to the time when their services will end, you have a good plan in place for how you can best support them. The team will also be able to provide any recommendations for what support services and/or accommodations your child might still need, whether that be through private speech providers, for example, or accommodations through an IEP/504 plan at school or through requests at work.

It’s also important to remember that even though your child’s formal ABA therapy services have ended, you can still follow the same principles, strategies and tools at home to support them.

Along the way, you should have been integrated into your child’s ABA therapy and learned ways to reinforce the skills learned in sessions in real-world settings. Those are strategies and tools that you can always use for your child’s benefit, whether they’re getting formal ABA therapy services or not.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Children Transition Out of ABA Therapy Services

There comes a time when all children will eventually “age out” of ABA therapy services, though it’s usually not because they’ve celebrated a certain number of birthdays. In most cases, the intensive services are no longer needed because the child has made enough progress.

At Blue Gems ABA, we work with parents of children with ASD to prepare for life after ABA therapy services. We take an individualized approach to everything we do, as we believe our support doesn’t end when a patient no longer needs our direct, daily help.

To learn more, please contact us today.