My name is Sarah Lopez, and I am a Registered Behavior Technician with Kinfolk ABA here in Raleigh. I want to share the journey of a seven-year-old girl I worked with, Star.
When I started with Star, her parents were worn out. She was bright and loved exploring toys, but she had very limited words and often communicated by crying or pulling her parents toward what she wanted. Transitions were especially tough moving from playtime to dinner or bedtime usually ended with her lying on the floor in frustration. Mornings were also a struggle, with getting dressed sometimes taking close to an hour.
On my first few visits, Star avoided me and clung to her mom. I didn’t push her. Instead, I spent our early sessions pairing, playing alongside her, joining her with activities she already liked. She enjoyed puzzles and looking at picture books, so I sat with her and built trust. Within a couple of weeks, she was sitting near me and allowing me to guide her through simple activities.
Our first real goal was helping with dressing. We used differential reinforcement, rewarding even the smallest step in the right direction. At first, if she touched her shirt, she earned a chance to play with her favorite toy. Then we reinforced her for putting one arm through a sleeve, then both arms, then pulling the shirt down. It was slow, but steady. After a few months, she was able to put on her shirt with only a little prompting. Later, she managed pants and socks. Shoes were still tricky, but we celebrated every bit of progress. Her parents told me mornings were becoming calmer, which made a huge difference for the whole family.
Communication was another focus. Star could say a few single words like “no” and “go,” but she usually relied on crying or pointing. We introduced a simple picture board so she had a way to ask for things. At first, she pushed the pictures away. But every time she touched one, we immediately reinforced it by giving her the item she wanted. Slowly, she started handing us the right cards. After several weeks, she was using pictures consistently. A couple of months later, she began pairing words with the cards, like saying “juice” while handing the juice card. It was not perfect, but it meant she was less frustrated and her family could better understand her needs.
We also worked on transitions. Star used to throw herself on the floor when asked to switch activities. We created a visual schedule with simple pictures showing what would happen next. Each time she moved to a new activity without a meltdown, she earned a sticker, and after earning five, she got extra time with bubbles, which she loved. Over time, her meltdowns around transitions became shorter and less frequent. Her parents said dinner time was finally becoming manageable, managing mealtimes is the ranking hardest autistic challenge parents complain about.
There were still setbacks. Some days Star refused to engage, and progress slowed. Sometimes a skill we thought she had mastered would slip back. But the consistency of ABA therapy in-home helped. Her parents practiced the same strategies throughout the day, and together we kept building on her successes.
After a year, Star had made meaningful progress. She could dress herself with some support, use her picture board to ask for what she wanted, and combine words with pictures when motivated. She handled transitions more calmly and had fewer daily meltdowns. Her family told me their home felt calmer and they finally had routines that worked.
Star is still on her journey, and she will continue to face challenges. But the changes she made were realistic and meaningful. They gave her more independence and gave her parents confidence that things could keep improving.
As an RBT, I’ve learned that progress is rarely dramatic or immediate. It comes step by step, with small victories that add up over time. Star’s story is a reminder that with patience, consistency, and family involvement, in-home ABA can make daily life easier and more hopeful.
Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.
