When you first receive an autism diagnosis for your child, the future can feel uncertain. You might wonder how they will make friends, communicate their needs, or navigate the world independently. For Katie, a retired pediatrician, and her 23-year-old son, Ben, the journey through autism has been filled with challenges, hard work, and incredible milestones.
Today, Ben is a funny, kind, and chatty young adult. He holds down three jobs, takes public transportation by himself, and easily makes friends wherever he goes. But getting to this point took years of dedication, finding the right support systems, and embracing the power of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy.
If you are a parent or caregiver navigating an autism diagnosis, Ben and Katie’s story offers a beacon of hope. It shows that with persistence, parent involvement, and the right therapeutic team, children with autism can grow, learn, and truly thrive.
Trusting Your Instincts: The Early Days
Every family’s path to an autism diagnosis looks a little different. For Katie, her background as a pediatrician provided a unique perspective, but it also brought its own anxieties.
During Ben’s infancy, Katie noticed delays in several areas of his development. By the time he was 18 months old, Ben wasn’t using many words. Surprisingly, their pediatrician was dismissive of her concerns, suggesting that Ben was fine and his language would eventually catch up.
Knowing something was not quite right, Katie self-referred Ben to a speech and language pathologist and then a psychologist. Even then, they faced diagnostic hurdles. An early evaluation with a speech therapist suggested Ben did not fit the autism diagnosis because he had some social strengths.
“I do remember kind of clinging to that first evaluation, saying no,'” Katie recalls. “But once the psychologist explained their reasoning, everything really did come together.”
Receiving the official diagnosis was frightening and disheartening at first. Twenty years ago, therapies were not as readily available as they are today. However, Katie and her family quickly educated themselves and determined that ABA therapy was the most evidence-based path forward. They jumped in right away, starting ABA when Ben was just two years old.
Overcoming Obstacles to Find the Right Care
Starting ABA therapy brought immediate challenges, especially when the family relocated from California to Utah shortly after Ben’s diagnosis.
In California, they had managed to get ABA funded through a regional center. When they moved to Utah, the landscape looked completely different. At the time, they had to pay out of pocket and essentially find and train their own therapists. Katie found a local consultant who held a training session in their living room, teaching handpicked therapists they found through online ads.
This level of dedication highlights the fierce advocacy parents often must adopt. While the landscape of autism services has vastly improved since then, Katie’s determination laid the groundwork for Ben’s future success.
Experiencing the First Major Milestone
One of the most memorable moments in any ABA journey is the first major breakthrough. At ABS Kids, we call these “WOW moments”; those instances when your child reaches a milestone that makes you step back and say, “WOW!”
For Ben, that moment centered around a simple request for a cookie.
When Ben started ABA, he only had three to five words. His therapist worked diligently on verbal imitation and communication, trying everything from sign language to picture exchange cards. One day, Ben was sitting at his table and desperately wanted the cookie his therapist was holding.
The therapist showed him the cookie, presented the picture exchange card, said the word, and signed it. In a rapid sequence, Ben signed “cookie,” pointed to the picture, and spoke the word.
“He was like, ‘Yes, I’ll communicate. Just give me the cookie,'” Katie laughs.
Things clicked for Ben in that exact moment. He realized that communication was the key to getting what he wanted. He went from having a handful of words to acquiring 50 words within his first month of therapy. He learned that expressing himself yielded positive results, setting the stage for years of continued learning.
Growing Up with ABS Kids Support
As Ben grew older, his needs shifted. He moved past the initial early intervention stages and began requiring support for the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood. This is where ABS Kids became an integral part of their lives.
ABS Kids stepped in to help Ben manage the unique behavioral challenges that come with getting older. Whether he was resisting chores, struggling to finish homework, or facing other daily frustrations, the ABS Kids team helped shape more appropriate behaviors and reduce maladaptive ones.
Focusing on Independence and Daily Living
For parents of older children with autism, the focus often shifts heavily toward independence. Katie wanted Ben to be as independent as possible while remaining safe.
The ABS Kids team incorporated activities of daily living and functional skills into Ben’s programming. They challenged him to learn new routines that would serve him in adulthood. This holistic approach ensured that therapy was not just about compliance, but about building a foundation for a rich, self-directed life.
Forming Lifelong Friendships
Therapy is fundamentally about human connection. For Ben, this connection came in the form of his Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), Jeremy Smith.
As a young adult, Ben benefited immensely from having a male therapist who acted as both a teacher and a friend. Jeremy and Ben bonded over a shared love for sports, the Utah Jazz, Star Wars, and video games. “Jeremy quickly established himself as a friend and an empathetic source of support,” says Katie, “but was still firm enough that he could teach Ben and get him to go through programming and do what he was supposed to do.”
Their bond extended far beyond the therapy sessions. Today, even after Ben has graduated from services, he and Jeremy remain close friends. They still text, play games of “horse” on the basketball court, and Jeremy occasionally attends Ben’s sporting events.
Thriving in Adulthood: Ben Today
Ben proudly holds down three jobs: working at the Delta Center for the Utah Jazz, the Mill Creek Rec Center, and the Lucky Ones coffee shop, which employs people with disabilities. He interacts regularly with seniors at the rec center, making friends and chatting with people wherever he goes. Katie frequently runs into community members who enthusiastically greet Ben by name.
Perhaps one of Ben’s greatest achievements is his ability to navigate the world independently. With help from Jeremy and his support system, Ben learned how to safely take public transportation. He now takes the bus to all of his jobs by himself. The self-esteem and freedom this skill has brought him are immeasurable. “Ben really wants to be as independent as he can be,” Katie adds. “ABS Kids has been great at trying to push and challenge him.”
When you have a young child newly diagnosed with autism, you might worry if they will make friends or if they will feel isolated. Seeing Ben thrive socially and professionally offers a reassuring answer: incredible things are possible.
Words of Wisdom for Autism Parents
Looking back on over two decades of navigating autism, Katie offers invaluable advice for parents who are just beginning their ABA therapy journey.
Persist Through the Hard Days
Starting ABA therapy can be difficult for young children. They may resist, show negative behaviors, or experience tantrums as they adjust to the new demands.
“It’s important to persist, even though it seems like it’s really making a child unhappy,” Katie advises. “Sometimes you have to challenge them and sort of push past that point to get them into a learning arena. Once they figure out what they’re supposed to do, then they can really flourish.”
Stay Actively Involved
It can be tempting to step back and leave the teaching entirely to the professionals. However, Katie stresses that learning does not stop when the therapist leaves your home.
“Being involved and being aware of the techniques that your therapists are using is really helpful,” she explains. Try to emulate what the therapists do and reinforce those skills outside of sessions. Staying engaged helps solidify the learning process and creates a consistent environment for your child.
Start Your Journey with ABS Kids
Ben and Katie’s story is a beautiful reminder of why early intervention, parent involvement, and compassionate therapy matter so much. At ABS Kids, we are dedicated to helping children and families achieve their own “WOW moments,” whether that means saying a first word, learning to ride the bus, or making a lifelong friend.
If you are navigating an autism diagnosis and want to learn how ABA therapy can help your child build skills and gain independence, we are here to help.
Take the next step in your child’s journey. Contact ABS Kids today to learn more about our services, or share your family’s story with us!
About ABS Kids: ABS Kids partners with children and families to deliver high-quality, compassionate applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy at home, in schools, and in our centers. From diagnosis to ongoing treatment, we support children with autism every step of the way. We proudly provide ABA therapy in California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. Join our team to combine purpose with professional growth.
