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Waiting List to Wellness: Fort Myers Parent Coaching for Child Behaviors While on Therapy Waitlist
Securing comprehensive therapy services for a child with autism, developmental delay or is challenging – especially when you’re put on a waitlist. In South Florida, waiting periods for ABA therapy can range from a few weeks to more than year. But parents are not powerless in the interim. In fact, there’s a lot you can do with this time – and you don’t need to struggle doing it alone.
Fort Myers parent coaching (aka behavior consulting) from the FOCUS ABA Therapy team provides strategies specific to your child and your family while you wait for an open time slot for therapy. This could be help with addressing a specific behavior concern, working on global communication skills or just promoting your child’s overall well-being and development. Being proactive in this way could possibly even minimize the length of time your child needs therapy in the long run.
Florida Pediatric Therapy Waiting Lists
If you child is on a pediatric therapy clinic waitlist for ABA therapy, speech therapy or occupational therapy in Southwest Florida, you’ve already taken several big first steps:
- Acknowledging a possible developmental issue
- Talking to a pediatrician
- Getting specialist referrals
- Undergoing evaluations.
Then you’re told your child needs therapy services, but the wait for an open time slot could be weeks or even months.
Now what?
Recent data paints a challenging picture of pediatric therapy access – and it’s not a just a Florida problem. According to a 2023 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, wait times for developmental and behavioral health services have dramatically increased, with some families experiencing delays of 6-12 months for comprehensive evaluations and interventions. Florida in particular has seen a 38 percent increase in developmental screening referrals over the past two years, creating unprecedented pressure on therapy resources.
But here’s the most important message for parents: Waiting doesn’t mean waiting passively.
How Fort Myers Parent Coaching Can Help
Fort Myers parent coaching from our Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) can help bridge the gap – even if your child is on a waitlist with a different clinic. Our behavior consulting can help parents address take action to make the most of the time you spend on the waitlist and address any immediate concerns that may be impacting the well-being of your child and possibly the whole family.
The amount of physical and neurological development that occurs in early childhood is astounding. The window of time between birth to age 5 is especially critical. So the few months or more that your child spends on a waitlist could set your child back even further. It’s more time they have to catch up, and also more time for challenging behaviors to become more ingrained. Unfortunately a lot of parents find out later that they’re unintentionally reinforcing the exact behaviors they’re trying to prevent. Undoing that can take time.
Our BCBAs work with parents 1:1. We help them develop individualized strategies that can be incredibly helpful while you’re waiting out the waitlist.
Some of the common child behavior issues we can help parents work to address right away:
- Major tantrums
- Aggression or self-injurious meltdowns
- Defiance or non-compliance
- Social skills
- Communication skills
- Potty training
- Sleep training
- Trouble with routines
- Adjustment disorders
Our behavior consultants provide in-person individual assessments, which can be conducted at your home or at our Fort Myers clinic. From there, we’ll develop a personalized plan with specific strategies to help you address your most significant concerns. We’ll provide you with in-depth insights into what may be driving your child’s behaviors and how best to respond so that you are equipped to provide effective positive reinforcement.
Follow-up assistance can be as much or as little as you need – whether that’s a quick phone call/email check-in or a lengthier in-person consultation a few times a month. Although insurance is unlikely to cover the cost, we do offer competitive self-pay rates.
The Power of Parental Involvement
Even if you are not a professional, you are not parents. In fact, parents the single most important teacher in a young child’s life. And there are many strategies we can teach that you can start right away to minimize problem behaviors and support your child’s development.
Research consistently demonstrates that parental engagement is a game-changer in child development. A landmark study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found that children whose parents actively participated in therapeutic strategies showed 2.5 times greater developmental progress compared to those receiving services alone.
Meaningful involvement looks like:
- Observational learning. This is about taking the time to understand your child’s unique communication and interaction patterns. You may keep a simple journal or just mental notes on situations your child finds challenging, moments of joy and connection and/or specific behavior triggers.
- Making the most of everyday moments. Most ABA therapists will tell you that everyday moments (mealtimes, bath times, errands, playtime) are some of the most best intervention opportunities because they are recurring (and thus, familiar and safe) and the child gest many low-pressure opportunities to practice.
- Environmental enrichment. We can help parents create a plan to set their child up for success. Every child is different, but that could involve establishing predictable routines, creating designated calm spaces, minimizing sensory inputs or certain triggers, creating simple social stories and/or using visual schedules to provide structure and clear expectations. Any or all of this could go a long way toward making progress on some of the most significant behavior issues while you’re waiting to start ABA, speech or OT.
We believe that waiting for comprehensive therapy services doesn’t mean waiting without purpose. You are your child’s first and most important therapist. By staying informed, engaged, and hopeful, you’re laying a strong foundation for your child’s developmental journey. Our Fort Myers parent coaching ABA therapists can help!
FOCUS offers ABA therapy, ADOS testing, and behavior consulting to children in Lee County, Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Additional Resources:
Developmental Surveillance and Screening Patient Care Overview, American Academy of Pediatrics
More Blog Entries:
Why In-Clinic ABA Therapy Outshines At-Home ABA Therapy: Insights from a BCBA
When seeking Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for your child, you may be wondering about the advantages/challenges of choosing between in-clinic or at-home services. While both settings offer opportunities for skill development, it’s our position at FOCUS Therapy that in-clinic ABA therapy provides a range of unique advantages that make it the superior choice for many families. At FOCUS, a multi-disciplinary clinic dedicated to delivering high-quality ABA therapy, we prioritize a structured, supervised, and collaborative approach to ensure every child’s success.
Below, we explore the key benefits of in-clinic therapy with insights from Iggy Fernandez, BCBA, who highlights the strengths of clinic-based care.
1. A Controlled, Safe Environment for Learning
In-clinic ABA therapy offers a controlled environment that optimizes the effectiveness of treatment. Unlike the unpredictability of home or community settings, clinics eliminate distractions that may hinder progress. Fernandez explains:
“Another term that has been used is ‘sterile environment.’ This doesn’t necessarily mean a ‘clean’ environment, but… there’s nothing in the in-clinic environment that’s not beneficial to the treatment of the child.”
For instance, when a child is learning to tolerate the denial of a preferred toy, clinic staff can adjust the environment by temporarily removing the most triggering items. This ensures that the child can progress without being overwhelmed by factors outside their control.
2. Safety Comes First
Starting Fort Myers ABA therapy in environments like homes or parks can introduce unnecessary risks, particularly for children working on health and safety goals.
“Almost all of our new patients will have goals in the domain of ‘health and safety.’ These goals deal with teaching new skills such as remaining next to adults during outdoor walks or public outings,” Fernandez explains. “If the patient darts or even wanders away, this could present a serious danger. In the clinic, we work as a team to ensure that the patient does not wander or dart away.”
With clinic-based therapy, the environment is structured to mitigate risks, and there is always a team of trained professionals available to assist.
3. Intensive Supervision and Expert Training
One of the key concerns parents have about ABA is the level of expertise among technicians. While Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) are often the primary providers of therapy, their skill development depends on consistent supervision and training.
Fernandez underscores the advantages of in-clinic supervision:
“Often, we interview RBTs with years of experience who lack basic ABA terminology and skills. In the clinic, a high level of supervision is not just from BCBAs who are sitting with you or next to you, but also a high level of supervision from other RBTs. It’s about iron sharpening iron.”
The in-clinic model fosters collaboration among highly skilled staff, ensuring that children receive the best care possible.
4. Effective Development of Social Skills
Social skills are a critical area of focus in Fort Myers ABA therapy, and multidisciplinary clinics like FOCUS Therapy are uniquely positioned to support these goals.
“Social skills are definitely more effectively targeted in the clinical setting,” Fernandez said. “You can certainly work on social skills during a lunch hour at school, but this can prove difficult if it is a loud environment or other children don’t have the same level of support.”
In a clinic, therapists can create structured social scenarios, ensuring positive interactions and teaching pragmatic skills in a supportive setting.
5. Transition Plans and Generalization to Other Environments
One of the main concerns about clinic-based therapy is whether skills learned in the clinic will translate to the home, community, or school. However, FOCUS addresses this concern through strategic transition planning.
Fernandez explains:
“We always ensure that our patients have mastered skills in controlled environments and under strong supervision before going into the community. Additionally, we come up with a transition plan for our patients. Rather than just discharging, we ensure that we have a detailed plan of how to best move our patients onto the next stage of their journey.”
Generalization is a cornerstone of ABA therapy, and clinics like FOCUS prioritize equipping parents with the tools they need to continue progress at home.
6. Parent Education and Collaboration
Parent involvement is vital for a child’s long-term success, and in-clinic therapy facilitates regular communication and education. Fernandez details the robust parent training efforts at FOCUS:
“Parent education with BCBAs is scheduled weekly and parents receive updates from RBTs at the end of each day. Whether a formal meeting or quick briefing, these interactions are critical to the care and progress of our patients.”
By empowering parents with strategies and insights, clinic-based ABA ensures that progress extends beyond therapy sessions.
Addressing Common Concerns About In-Clinic ABA
While some parents express concerns about in-clinic therapy—such as convenience or the desire to address behaviors occurring at home—these issues can often be addressed through thoughtful planning.
“All of our behavior support plans specify that generalization to the home and other contexts is a primary goal of ABA,” Fernandez said. “We provide parents with the knowledge and tools to reduce behaviors at home while receiving ABA in the clinic.”
Additionally, for families worried about pulling children out of school, FOCUS only recommends this step when behaviors are significantly interfering with academic success.
Why In-Clinic ABA Therapy is the Gold Standard
In-clinic ABA therapy offers unparalleled benefits, from its controlled and safe environment to the intensive supervision provided by skilled professionals.
“We teach skills that will translate to the home, community, and in school without some of the dangers of starting out in those environments,” Fernandez said.
By choosing a clinic-based approach, families can feel confident that their child is receiving the highest level of care in a setting designed for success.
Whether your child is learning safety skills, developing social abilities, or reducing challenging behaviors, the structure and support of an in-clinic program like what we provide at FOCUS therapy ensures a foundation for meaningful progress.
FOCUS offers ABA therapy, ADOS testing, and behavior consulting to children in Lee County, Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Additional Resources:
Advantages and Challenges of a Home- and Clinic-Based Model of Behavioral Intervention for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, June 2018, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
More Blog Entries:
Fort Myers Speech Therapy With AAC Boosts Kids’ Communication Skills
FOCUS Therapy provides Fort Myers speech therapy with AAC to children in Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
How Occupational Therapy Can Help Kids With ADHD
FOCUS offers pediatric occupational therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Voice, Speech & Language: Fort Myers Speech Therapists Detail the Differences
FOCUS offers pediatric speech therapy in Fort Myers, Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Additional Resources:
How to Know if Your Child Needs a Speech Evaluation, March 25, 2021, The Cleveland Clinic
Everyday Activities to Build Fine Motor Skills for Toddlers & Preschoolers: Fort Myers Occupational Therapy Tips
Fine motor skills are an essential rung in the child developmental ladder. As our Fort Myers occupational therapy team members can explain, fine motor skills are what enable toddlers and preschoolers to perform everyday tasks that we often take for granted—things like holding a crayon, zipping up a jacket, or picking up their favorite snack. As pediatric occupational therapists in Fort Myers, Florida, I’ve seen firsthand how strengthening these skills can set a solid foundation for lifelong independence and confidence.
The best part? You don’t need fancy tools or hours of free time to help your little one develop fine motor skills. Many of the best activities are simple, fun, and can easily fit into your family’s daily routine.
What Are Fine Motor Skills and Why Do They Matter?
Fine motor skills involve the small muscles in the hands, fingers, and wrists that help with precise movements. These skills are essential for many everyday tasks, such as:
- Self-care. Buttoning a shirt, brushing teeth, tying shoelaces.
- Academic tasks. Writing, drawing, cutting with scissors.
- Play. Building with blocks, playing with small toys, manipulating puzzle pieces.
Research shows that fine motor skill development during early childhood is closely linked to academic performance and self-sufficiency later in life. A 2012 study published in the journal Child Development by Cameron, Brock, et al. found that strong fine motor skills in preschoolers were predictive of better math and reading skills in later grades.
For children with developmental delays or disabilities, fine motor challenges can make daily tasks more difficult. This is where pediatric occupational therapy can play a pivotal role.
Everyday Activities to Build Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor development doesn’t have to feel like extra homework for you or your child. In fact, some of the most effective activities are so much fun your child won’t even realize they’re working on important skills!
1. Playtime with Playdough
Squishing, rolling, and pinching playdough strengthens hand muscles and improves dexterity. Encourage your child to:
- Roll “snakes” or “worms.”
- Press cookie cutters into the dough.
- Use plastic utensils to cut and shape the dough.
2. Stringing Beads or Pasta
Threading beads or uncooked pasta onto a string or pipe cleaner is excellent for improving hand-eye coordination and finger control. Start with larger beads for toddlers and gradually move to smaller ones as their skills improve.
3. Snack Time Sorting
Turn snack time into a fine motor workout. Offer small snacks like cereal, raisins, or goldfish crackers and encourage your child to pick them up with tweezers or their fingers.
4. Scribbling and Drawing
Providing crayons, markers, or chalk encourages your child to experiment with drawing and coloring. These activities strengthen the pincer grasp, which is essential for holding a pencil later on.
5. Water Play
Fill a tub or sink with water and let your child play with sponges, turkey basters, or squirt toys. Squeezing and releasing objects in the water helps build grip strength and coordination.
6. Tearing Paper
Give your child some scrap paper or magazines and let them tear away! This activity strengthens the small muscles in the fingers while also improving hand control.
7. Gardening or Outdoor Exploration
Let your child dig in the dirt, pick up pebbles, or plant seeds. These natural movements engage fine motor skills while providing sensory-rich experiences.
8. Stickers and Peeling Activities
Give your child a sheet of stickers and let them peel and place them onto paper. Peeling stickers is an excellent way to improve finger strength and coordination.
Consistent Fort Myers Occupational Therapy Helps
While everyday activities are fantastic for developing fine motor skills, some children need more structured support to reach their full potential. Pediatric Fort Myers occupational therapy at FOCUS Therapy offers tailored interventions designed to address your child’s unique needs.
A skilled occupational therapist will:
- Assess your child’s strengths and challenges. Every child develops at their own pace. An OT can identify areas where your child might need additional support.
- Create a personalized plan. Therapy sessions include targeted activities to improve fine motor skills, from manipulating small objects to practicing pre-writing skills.
- Support parents with guidance. We work closely with families to provide strategies you can use at home to reinforce progress made in therapy.
Consistent therapy sessions can be transformative for children with developmental delays, disabilities, or conditions like autism spectrum disorder. According to a study published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, occupational therapy interventions for young children can significantly improve fine motor skills and participation in preschool.
It’s important to remember that fine motor skill development is a journey. Progress might not happen overnight, but every small step is worth celebrating. Offer plenty of encouragement, praise your child’s efforts, and be patient as they practice new skills.
If you’re feeling uncertain about your child’s progress or have concerns about developmental delays, don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance. Early intervention can make a world of difference in helping your child achieve their full potential.
At our Fort Myers pediatric therapy clinic, we’re passionate about helping children develop the skills they need to thrive. Whether your child is working on improving their fine motor skills, learning to communicate, or navigating social interactions, our team of dedicated therapists is here to support you every step of the way.
Fine motor skills might focus on small movements, but their impact is huge. By incorporating these simple, everyday activities into your routine and seeking occupational therapy support when needed, you’re setting your child up for success—one pinch, squeeze, and scribble at a time.
So, let’s roll up our sleeves (or playdough snakes!) and get started!
FOCUS offers pediatric occupational therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Additional Resources:
Effect of Occupational Therapy Based Activities on Fine Motor Skills of Children With Intellectual Disability, 2024, By T. Jegadeesan and Dr. P. Nagalaskhmi, Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities
More Blog Entries:
Making the Most of Your Child’s Fort Myers Speech Therapy Session
As providers of Fort Myers speech therapy, we’ve helped countless children and their families to help them overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. The therapy room is a special place where skills are built, confidence is nurtured, and milestones are celebrated. But here’s a secret: therapy doesn’t stop when your child leaves the session. To truly maximize the benefits of therapy, we need teamwork—and that includes you, the parent!
Here, we’ll explore some practical (and fun!) ways you can support your child’s journey toward success.
1. Communication Is Key: Before and After Sessions
Think of your child’s speech therapy as a partnership between you, your child, and the speech therapist. Open communication is the bridge that keeps everyone connected and informed.
- Before Sessions: Share updates with your child’s therapist. Did your child say their first new word in weeks? Are they feeling extra tired or had an off day at school? These details help your therapist tailor each session to meet your child’s current needs in the moment.
- After Sessions: Our therapists always make it a point to take a few minutes to detail the session highlights. We’ll explain what went well and what we think you focus on at home until your next session. This exchange helps parents know how to reinforce the skills your child is working on and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Pro Tip: Keep a small notebook or use your phone to jot down questions or notes between sessions. That way, you’ll have everything ready to share or ask when you arrive.
2. Bring Therapy Strategies Into Everyday Life
The therapy that happens in the clinic is key, but the true transformation happens when those skills are practiced in everyday life. Here’s how you can integrate therapy strategies into your child’s world:
- At Home. If your child is learning to articulate a new sound, practice it during daily routines like brushing teeth or reading bedtime stories.
- In the Community. Turn errands into mini therapy sessions. For example, practice requesting items while grocery shopping or naming colors and shapes while at the park.
- At School. Share key therapy goals with your child’s teacher. They can help reinforce these skills in the classroom, creating consistency across environments.
Remember, repetition and consistency are your best friends. By embedding therapy into daily life, you’re helping your child generalize their skills and make them stick.
3. Consistency Is the Cornerstone of Progress
Imagine trying to learn a new language but only attending one class every few weeks. You’d probably learn it, but progress would be slow, right? (This is especially true if you miss any sessions.) The same applies to therapy. Consistency is essential for short- and long-term success.
Here’s why:
- Skill Retention. Regular sessions reinforce the skills your child is learning, making it less likely for them to lose progress.
- Building Momentum. With consistent attendance, your child builds on each session’s success, creating a steady path of improvement.
- Therapist-Child Relationship. Consistency helps your child develop trust and rapport with their therapist, which is crucial for a positive experience.
Life happens, and occasional missed sessions are understandable (though we do have to stick to our attendance policies to keep it fair for all families). But when therapy becomes a regular, expected part of your routine, your child is more likely to thrive.
4. Set the Stage for a Positive Session
A great therapy session often starts before you even arrive. Here are some ways to set your child up for success:
- Rested and Ready. A well-rested child is a more focused child. If at all possible, try to ensure your child is rested and ready to engage.
- Fed and Fueled. Hunger can be a major distraction. Offering a healthy snack before therapy can help keep energy levels up.
- Positive Vibes Only. Your attitude sets the tone. Speak positively about therapy, the therapist, and your child’s progress. If you’re happy and excited about therapy, your child will pick up on that enthusiasm.
If your child is nervous or resistant to speech therapy, acknowledge their feelings while gently encouraging them. For example, “I know therapy can feel hard sometimes, but you’re doing amazing things, and I’m so proud of you!”
5. Celebrate the Wins—Big and Small
What Can Our Fort Myers Occupational Therapy Do For Your Child?
FOCUS Therapy provides Fort Myers occupational therapy to children in Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
FOCUS offers pediatric speech therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.
From Tantrums to Teamwork: How Fort Myers Parent Coaching Improves Family Dynamics
Parenting can sometimes feel like being caught in the middle of a high-stakes negotiation—except your counterpart is three-years-old and armed with a set of lungs that could rival a rock concert. When tantrums, power struggles, and challenging behaviors take center stage, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what to do next. That’s where Fort Myers parent coaching (aka “behavior consulting”) by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) comes in, transforming family dynamics from chaos to cooperation.
At our Fort Myers clinic, we know that every family is unique. Whether your child has an ABA-qualifying diagnosis like autism spectrum disorder or simply struggles with everyday behaviors like meltdowns at bedtime or refusal to complete homework, parent coaching / behavior consulting from FOCUS Therapy can offer real, lasting solutions.
What Is Parent Coaching?
Parent coaching is a collaborative, personalized approach to addressing your child’s behaviors. Through one-on-one sessions, a BCBA helps you understand why certain behaviors occur and equips you with strategies to address them effectively.
Think of parent coaching as your very own parenting playbook. It’s not about judgment or pointing fingers. It’s about empowering you to become better equipped to manage your child’s challenging behaviors, whether that’s navigating public meltdowns, tackling morning routines, or handling sibling squabbles.
Unlike traditional ABA therapy, parent coaching doesn’t require a specific diagnosis. It’s accessible to any family that wants to strengthen communication, reduce challenging behaviors, and foster a more harmonious home environment.
Why Behavior Happens
To understand how parent coaching works, it’s helpful to consider the “why” behind behaviors. All behaviors, even the challenging ones, serve a purpose. For example:
- A tantrum at the grocery store might be your child’s way of seeking attention or avoiding an unpleasant task.
- Refusal to sit still during dinner could stem from sensory discomfort or difficulty transitioning between activities.
As BCBAs, we are child behavior experts who leverage the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to identify these triggers and motivations. Once we understand the “why,” we can create a customized plan to replace problematic behaviors with positive ones.
From Power Struggles to Peace
Instead of reacting to behaviors in the moment (which can feel like putting out fires), you’ll learn proactive strategies to set your child up for success.
For example, let’s say your child frequently refuses to brush their teeth. During a parent coaching session, we might:
- Pinpoint the Cause. Is the refusal about control? Does your child dislike the texture of the toothpaste?
- Create a Plan. We might introduce a reward system for brushing or gradually desensitize your child to the sensory experience.
- Practice Together. You’ll role-play strategies during coaching sessions so you feel confident implementing them at home.
The result? A happier, more cooperative child—and a more peaceful home.
Building Teamwork: The Parent-Child Connection
Parent coaching isn’t just about changing your child’s behavior; it’s about strengthening your relationship with them. When you understand your child’s needs and how to meet them effectively, you’ll build trust, reduce conflict, and create a positive environment where everyone thrives.
According to research published in Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (McMahon & Forehand, 2003), parent training programs are highly effective in improving child behavior and family relationships. By learning to set clear expectations, provide consistent consequences, and reinforce positive behaviors, parents often see significant improvements in their child’s social and emotional well-being.
Real-Life Transformations
Some common challenges that parent coaching can address issues with:
- Public tantrums
- Bedtime battles
- Sibling rivalries
- Disruptive behavior
- Adjustment disorders
- Aggression
- Defiance/non-compliance
These are just a few examples of areas in which our insight and services can make a big difference for families.