Our Services
We currently service families around the Bay Area, including Union City, Newark, Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, East Palo Alto, and Palo Alto. We provide services Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm.
Parent Training
Included in each treatment package is an essential parent training component. Research indicates that parental involvement is crucial in the success and growth of each child. Parent training consists of understanding the principals of ABA and the application of ABA strategies in daily life.
Verbal Behavior Development
Communication skills are the building blocks of development. We teach language skills using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the Verbal Behavior approach of B.F. Skinner. Verbal Behavior includes spoken words, body language, social cues, gestures and signs. It is a way of understanding the different purposes of language (e.g., a child may use language to ask for things, label things in his environment, or answer a question). Each child has their own method of communication (spoken words, signs, augmentative communication devices, pictures, etc.,) but all children need to learn to be effective communicators.
Social Skills Development
Much of our behavior is learned through observation. Typically, we learn to imitate and form appropriate social interactions through such observations. In some cases, these skills need to be taught. Our clients are given tools to observe and imitate appropriate behaviors. Social skill development includes areas such as eye contact, imitation of actions and movements, joint attention, initiating play, responding to others, and sharing and turn taking.
Play Skills Development
Children learn how their world works through observation and play. Play skills lead to the acquisition of new skills, personal happiness, and creative and imaginary play. Our clients are given tools including functional pretend play, dramatic play, symbolic play, early social games, music and movement, independent play, and block construction.
Self-Help Skill Development
Children have a desire for independence. We encourage autonomy and confidence by teaching daily living skills. We focus on self-feeding, dressing, hygiene (hand washing, brushing teeth), and toilet training.
Behavior Modification
Maladaptive behaviors inhibit the acquisition of new skills. To reduce restrictive behaviors, an individualized behavior intervention plan is created and implemented. The process involves documenting the antecedent (what comes before the behavior), a description of the behavior, and the consequence (what happens after the behavior). Additionally, interviews are conducted with parents / caregivers and others who work with the child. The behavior plan includes 3 components: antecedent modifications (e.g. actions to teach replacement behaviors, manipulation of the environment to reduce the likelihood of the behavior occurring, etc), a description of the behavior (i.e. what the behavior looks like), and consequences (i.e. steps to take to reduce the reoccurrence of the behavior). These 3 components are utilized to decrease the frequency of the problem behavior and to increase appropriate replacement behaviors.