ABA therapy is one of the most effective ways to support children with autism. However, ABA therapy has a very important secondary objective—assisting and instructing parents. This is a crucial part of ABA therapy because you are your child’s lifeline when they need help. Consider the importance of parent training in ABA therapy to understand why your participation is essential.

Build Communication Skills

ABA therapy is excellent for helping children with autism develop social skills. When it comes to parent training, ABA therapy will provide the tools you need to continue effective communication methods when you aren’t actively in a therapy session. These methods include ways to communicate with your child both in a casual manner and in a way that’s more constructive to helping them develop their own social skills.

Generalize New Skills

While ABA therapy does help children with autism work on the skills they’ll need to be independent, parent training in ABA therapy is important when helping your child translate those skills to the outside world. This is known as generalization, and it’s crucial for your child to be more adaptable as they grow up. It’s easier to develop these skills in a controlled and therapeutic environment, but your job as a parent will be to ensure they understand how to apply those skills to various life situations.

Support Your Child’s Independence

When going through parent training, you’re learning how to best support your child as they learn to be independent. At the end of the day, a parent’s job is to make sure their child has the skills needed to face life’s challenges on their own. As you progress through training, you’ll become an increasingly useful resource for your child when they start to branch out and try things independently. You can’t solve all their problems for them, but you will be there to assist them as needed.

Address Personal Concerns

Parent training is about more than supporting your child; it’s also about helping you better understand their needs and gaining answers to lingering questions. All parents have concerns about how their child is developing—we endeavor to answer any questions you might have about parenting a child with autism.

If you’re looking for ABA training for parents in North Carolina, the HANDS center for Autism can set you and your child up for long-term success. Let us know how we can best help you.