After patience, time, the right approach, 
and a lot of hard work, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a child empowered by real progress.
All of the small victories accomplished along the way are pieces of the bigger puzzle, and that got us thinking, Why not celebrate and share those progress pieces too? So that’s exactly what we’re doing!
And it’s not just our kiddos who are empowered with progress – our team members feel the benefits personally & professionally!
1) Hello Hug
My three-year-old client is always excited when I arrive. He will try to show me his favorite toy of the moment or pull me into the room to play a game with him, but he does not say hi, make eye contact, or follow prompts to vocally greet me. Last week we role-played greeting someone at the door by saying “Hi” which he thought was fun. Yesterday when I arrived for an overlap he yelled “Hi!” and wrapped his arms around me as soon as the door was opened! –Aislin B.
2) Goodbye Hug
For two years I have worked with a client, and she has never once spontaneously initiated a greeting. She would always respond to the greeting by repeating the exact phrase, including her own name instead of the other person’s name. She struggled a lot with attending to her environment and noticing nonverbal cues. This week as I was getting ready to leave for the last time before transitioning the team to another BCBA, I picked up my jacket and keys and she turned to me. Completely on her own, she jumped up, said “Bye Jen,” and gave me a big hug. This was a completely new and untaught skill. Dad and I were both in shock and it was the best possible goodbye I could have gotten! –Jen R.
**These statements (solicited from AHSS staff) represent a quick snapshot of a moment in time. Each child with autism is unique and on their own journey. Your child’s journey will be different than any other child’s, including those depicted here. If you would like more information on the progress possible for your child, please call 844-AHSS-ABA.
Every week we’ll share progress pieces from our team. We invite you to share yours as well & embrace the positivity!
