An Open Letter to Parents & Caregivers

Dear caregiver,

Hi there! Welcome to InBloom! We might find you reading this letter thinking of some of the following questions: Where do I start? What in the world is ABA? What is this going to look like for me and my family?

We are here to help and let’s dive head first into these questions!

First, where do you start?

Great question, you have started! You are here, reading this letter! After this, your journey will vary a little bit depending on where you live. The general answer is here, at Inbloom, we are here to help you, your family, and your child reaches goals that open up his/her world. We strive to consistently provide the highest quality of ABA to you. We want you to be as involved as possible, ask any and all questions, and learn all the things!

What is ABA?

ABA is the acronym for Applied Behavioral Analysis. ABA in its technical form is a science that uses many variables to increase desired behavior, and it also looks to replace behavior that is either interfering with learning, or a risk to safety. What ABA is in its not-so-technical form is, finding the “why” behind behaviors. This three-letter word, “why” holds extreme value and insight. It’s the driving force that steers your child’s therapy. When we figure out the why, the rest of it falls into place.

How does it work?

When teaching desired skills and behavior, ABA breaks them down into smaller, measurable steps that allow the clinician to really see where the learning is occurring, and where additional support is needed. Another way to think about what ABA is is to think about a bee hive. On the outside, it looks like one massive structure while on the inside there are all of these compartments that get built on top of each other. Those compartments are skills and behaviors, and when they become strong and consistent, your child keeps building and growing his/her independence with critical skills and his/her success with navigating the expectations of daily living.

What does ABA look like?

FUN! A child’s job is to play. That is how we, at Inbloom, implement ABA. Through play-based learning and, simply, by having fun. At times, it might look like that’s all that is occurring. What we want to help show you is the bigger picture. What might look like a game of Connect Four, is actually teaching skills such as waiting, sharing, following directions, giving directions, communication, tolerating losing, requesting to be all done, etc. The possibilities and learning opportunities within just one activity are endless!

We hope this letter helps to answer some of your questions and helps you to feel more confident as you and your child embark on this journey. Your ABA success story has just begun, and we are beyond excited to be a part of it!

Written by: Kelsey Proctor, Clinical Integrity Officer/ Board Certified Behavior Analyst