A pediatrician’s guide to the ABA conversation

For the visit where ABA comes up. How to raise it, what families may ask, and what they can carry out of the room. For current referral instructions, please call our intake team.

Call intake (737) 214-9205 Family application

The short version

Raise ABA as an option, and leave the decision with the family.
Send timing and coverage questions to the provider.
Give the family a written next step.
Ask what happened at the next visit.

Before you raise ABA

This guide supports a conversation. Your clinical judgment and your practice’s policies come first. For referral steps, see referring a child. Before you bring up ABA, it can help to know:

Where the family is: new diagnosis, evaluation scheduled, or no evaluation yet
What worries them most right now
What they have already heard or read about ABA
Their practical limits, such as work, transportation, and other children
Who else is involved, such as a preschool or another therapist

How you might frame it

Plain words are easier to carry home. These sample phrases are yours to adapt.

“I am suggesting this as something to look into. The decision is yours, and you can ask questions first.”
“You can ask any provider what a session looks like and what they do when a child says no.”
“Nobody can tell you exactly how your child will progress, so be careful with anyone who promises a result.”
“Insurance differs by plan, so ask your plan and the provider what applies to you.”

Some families come in with worries about ABA. Taking those seriously keeps the door open. Families can ask any provider, including us, what happens when a child says no or needs a break. Our ABA therapy is BCBA-led, individualized, one-on-one, and play-based, for children with autism from 18 months to 6 years.

Questions a family may ask

Questions a family may ask and a way to respond to each
A family may ask	You might say
Do we have to do this?	No. The decision is theirs. You can explain why you raised it and what you will keep watching.
How much therapy will my child need?	That is a question for the provider’s BCBA, so you do not need to answer it today.
Will insurance cover it?	That depends on the plan, and coverage is not automatic. The family can ask their plan and the provider. Plans we work with
When can we start?	That depends on current openings, so the family should ask the provider. It is fine for you not to know.
We do not have a diagnosis yet. Now what?	Our diagnosis guide covers next steps, and their plan may require a documented diagnosis.
How do we choose a provider?	Our guide to choosing and question list work for any provider.

A handoff note the family can keep

A family can leave a visit with a lot to remember. A short written note gives them something to act on. Your staff can fill this in with them, as your privacy practices allow.

Why we talked about ABA, in the family’s own words
Diagnosis status, and who has the report
Who to contact at our office with questions
What the family will do next
Any other referrals from this visit
When we will talk about this again

If the family chooses to contact us, their next step is our family application or a call to (737) 214-9205. They can read how to prepare for intake first.

At the next visit

Some families act right away, and others need time. At the next visit, you could ask:

Did you get to look into ABA, and what did you find out?
Did anything get in the way?
Has your thinking changed?
What would be helpful from our office now?

If a family is stuck, the person who manages care in your office can use our care coordinator checklist. If you would like to stay informed after a referral, please ask our intake team what permission is needed.

Please do not send patient records by ordinary email. Call (737) 214-9205 for the current way to share documents.

Need current referral instructions?

Call our intake team for referral and document transfer instructions. Families can apply online or call the same number.