Much of the responsibility in implementing in-home ABA therapy sessions rests with the staff assigned to work with your child. They are tasked with carrying out programming, handling of behavior issues and materials, as well as pacing instruction. However, soon after agreeing to initiate ABA therapy in your home, it is important to set up the room in which ABA therapy will occur.
Since the physical environment is a variable that will have an influence on goal outcomes and supports learning, it is a critical consideration. Also, your ABA therapy team will appreciate your efforts. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
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Ask Away
Most BCBA’s provide tips for setting up the space well in advance of your child’s first session. If not, feel free to ask for their input.
They will likely want to see the designated space beforehand. So, offer a walk-through of the area at the initial meeting.
Most will examine the basic layout of the room. Is it near high-traffic areas of the home in which noise could prove a distraction? Are the dimensions of the room enough to allow ample movement but not so vast as to prevent the therapist from maintaining good control of the child?
Don’t take it personally if they are less than pleased with the area you have selected. Be open to offering another area of your home in which to conduct therapy. It’s for the best interest of your child.
After an area has been mutually decided upon, now the fun part……
Time to Design
You can easily incorporate the sensory nuances of your autistic child, to the room design. Let’s begin with the room color. We’ve all heard how certain colors can impact our moods. Fortunately, nowadays subdued neutrals are the norm in most homes. Baby nursery pastels also impart a calm vibe and help to reflect light. Stray away from stark white walls. White lightens a room also, but to an overwhelmingly degree.
As to what to include in the room, a minimalist approach works well. You want the space to be interesting to look at, but not cluttered. Limit the number of pictures on the walls and any furniture which doesn’t serve a purpose. If the room has few windows or ceiling lights, add a lamp. A freestanding upright lamp would be a good option since they are easily moved about the room.
The Therapy Space
Since your therapy team sees numerous clients, they will expect you to house your child’s therapy materials. A shelf for safely storing materials out of children’s reach is a must as therapy materials may have small parts. Also, no loss of session time searching for items.
To organize materials consider using shoebox-sized storage bins. Actual shoeboxes or empty baby wipes containers also would work! If finances allow, a child-sized table and chairs would be ideal for discrete trial training. The child can sit in close proximity to the therapist and better sense instructional prompts and learning materials.
Taking steps to set up an ABA therapy room with these suggestions in place, will decrease the likelihood of your child becoming distracted and not focused on learning. Allow your child to explore any room modifications well in advance of commencing therapy. As therapy continues and progress is demonstrated, your child will practice learning in varied settings with greater distractibility, a necessary component of any ABA program.