What to Do While Waiting for ABA Therapy

Waiting for ABA therapy can feel frustrating, especially when your child needs support now and the next available appointment feels far away. While you’re waiting, you can still take helpful steps at home: build predictable routines, track behaviors and skills, support communication, care for your own mental health, and stay organized with providers and insurance.

This guide is for parents and caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are on an ABA waitlist or waiting for services to begin. You’ll learn what you can safely do at home, what to avoid doing without professional guidance, and how to prepare for your child’s first sessions.

Start With What You Can Control at Home

Applied Behavior Analysis, often called ABA, is a therapy approach that looks at how behavior works and how skills can be taught in small, meaningful steps. A trained ABA provider will create an individualized plan for your child, but that does not mean you have to sit still while you wait.

A helpful waiting period plan includes keeping routines predictable, tracking behaviors, and exploring options like comparing behavioral support with occupational therapy to address sensory needs before formal sessions begin.

• Keeping daily routines as predictable as possible.
• Noticing what happens before and after challenging behaviors.
• Practicing simple communication and daily living skills.
• Gathering records, evaluations, and insurance information.
• Preparing questions for your future care team.

If your child also needs communication support, it may help to understand how ABA and speech services can work together. This guide on ABA vs. speech therapy explains the differences in a parent-friendly way.

Use Simple Evidence-Based Strategies While Waiting for ABA Therapy

You do not need to “do ABA therapy” on your own before services begin. In fact, more intensive behavior plans should be guided by a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) or another qualified professional.

But there are safe, practical strategies many families can use at home. Research also supports the value of involving parents in appropriate interventions.

A systematic review of parent-mediated interventions for children with autism found evidence that parent involvement can support areas such as joint attention, language, communication, behaviour, play, and social communication. This reinforces the idea that everyday interactions at home can provide meaningful opportunities to practise skills while families wait for formal services.

Make Routines Predictable

Children often feel calmer when they know what is coming next. Predictable routines can reduce stress around transitions like waking up, meals, bath time, bedtime, and leaving the house.

You might try:

• Using the same short phrase before a transition, such as “Shoes, then car.”
• Showing a simple picture schedule.
• Giving a two-minute warning before changing activities.
• Keeping bedtime and morning steps in the same order when possible.

If sleep is one of the hardest parts of your day, you may also find this guide on sleep problems and autism helpful as you think through bedtime routines and when to ask for support.

Reinforce the Behaviors You Want to See More Often

Reinforcement simply means adding something meaningful after a behavior so the behavior is more likely to happen again. That might be praise, a favorite toy, a snack, a hug, or time with a preferred activity.

For example, if your child hands you a cup instead of crying for juice, you might say, “You gave me the cup. Juice!” and respond right away. The goal is to show your child that communication works.

Keep it simple. Notice small steps, not just perfect outcomes. Research supports the value of involving parents in appropriate interventions, highlighting the distinction between active parent training versus observing sessions so families know how to engage safely while waiting.

Support Communication in Everyday Moments

Many challenging behaviors are connected to communication. A child may cry, run away, grab, or drop to the floor because they cannot yet say what they need.

You can gently support communication by offering choices:

• “Apple or cracker?”
• “Blocks or book?”
• “Help or all done?”

Your child may answer with words, gestures, pictures, signs, or pointing. The communication method matters less than the message: “I can tell someone what I need.”

There is also research supporting parent involvement in social communication interventions. A systematic review of family-mediated social communication interventions found evidence supporting several parent-implemented approaches for young children with autism, including Pivotal Response Treatment. However, outcomes can vary between children, so parents should focus on simple, appropriate strategies rather than trying to recreate a formal therapy program independently.

Adjust the Environment Before Problems Start

This is sometimes called an antecedent strategy. In simple terms, it means changing what happens before a behavior.

If your child struggles in noisy stores, you might bring headphones or keep trips shorter. If getting dressed is hard, you might offer two shirt choices instead of opening the whole drawer. Small changes can make daily life feel less overwhelming.

Prioritize Which Skills to Work on First

When there are many concerns at once, it can be hard to know where to begin. A simple framework can help you choose what matters most right now.

Start with skills in this order:

This does not mean lower-priority skills are unimportant. It simply helps you avoid trying to fix everything at once.

If you are unsure whether a behavior is related to autism, anxiety, mood, trauma, or another concern, a professional evaluation can help clarify what is happening. For parents comparing overlapping signs, this article on BPD vs. autism may offer helpful background, though it should not replace clinical guidance.

Track Routines, Behavior, and Progress

Data tracking can be very simple and give future providers a clearer picture of your child's day, which ultimately helps when preparing to request a functional behavior assessment with your clinical team.

Try writing down:

• What happened before the behavior.
• What the behavior looked like.
• What happened afterward.
• How long it lasted.
• What helped your child calm or reconnect.
• New words, gestures, or skills you notice.

For example: “At 6:30 p.m., the tablet was removed for dinner. The child cried and lay on floor for five minutes. Calm after visual timer and first/then board.”

These notes can help your ABA team understand patterns faster. They can also help you notice progress that may be easy to miss during a busy week.

Stay Organized With Insurance and Waitlists

Waiting for behavioral health intervention often involves more than just waiting for an opening, making the process of managing multiple service waitlists and intake paperwork a necessary part of the journey.

You may want to keep one folder with:

• Diagnostic reports.
• Referral forms.
• Insurance cards.
• Prior authorization letters.
• IEP or school documents, if applicable.
• Speech, occupational therapy, or medical evaluations.
• A list of current concerns and goals.

It can also help to ask the provider:

• Am I missing any paperwork?
• Has insurance authorization been submitted?
• Is there anything that could delay the start date?
• Do you have a cancellation list?
• How often should I check in?
• What should I bring to the first session?

If you are preparing for services to begin soon, this guide to your child’s first ABA therapy session can help you know what to expect.

Take Care of Caregiver Burnout

Long waitlists can be emotionally heavy. You may be managing meltdowns, sleep struggles, school concerns, insurance calls, and your own worry about whether you are doing enough.

Please hear this clearly: needing support does not mean you are failing.

Caregiver burnout can show up as exhaustion, irritability, sadness, trouble sleeping, feeling numb, or feeling like every small task is too much. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to add support for you, not just more strategies for your child.

Helpful steps can include:

• Asking a trusted person for one specific kind of help.
• Taking short breaks when another safe adult is available.
• Joining a parent support group.
• Talking with a counselor or healthcare provider.
• Lowering expectations during especially hard seasons.
• Choosing one routine to work on instead of five.

An ABA waitlist can make families feel stuck, but your well-being still matters during the waiting period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Trying Too Many Strategies at Once

It is natural to want progress quickly. But changing several routines at the same time can make it harder to know what is helping. Start with one or two simple supports and give them time.

Using Consequences Without Understanding the Behavior

A behavior may look like refusal, but it could be communication, sensory distress, fear, fatigue, or confusion. Before responding, ask: “What might my child be trying to tell me?”

Skipping Data Because Life Is Busy

You do not need perfect notes. Even a few short observations each week can help your future provider understand your child’s patterns.

Forgetting to Follow Up With Providers

Waitlists can move, paperwork can be missed, and insurance authorization can take time. A polite check-in every few weeks can help you stay informed.

Ignoring Your Own Stress

Parents often put themselves last. But burnout can make every routine feel harder. Support for you is part of the plan, too.

A Gentle Next Step

Waiting for ABA therapy can feel discouraging, but the waiting period does not have to be wasted time. Focus on steady routines, simple communication supports, caregiver well-being, and clear documentation.

You do not have to solve everything before therapy begins. Your goal is to make the next step easier for your child, your family, and the care team that will support you.

References:

• CDC: Developmental Milestone Trackers
• UCSB Koegel Autism Center: PRT Introduction and Techniques