Pediatrics Plus empowers children to conquer their world. The specialized pediatric healthcare provider in Frisco offers evidence-based therapy, diagnostic services, family support, specialized equipment and state-of-the-art facilities to help children with diverse needs succeed in all stages of life.
These programs help children and families improve their quality of life, overcome challenges and teach vital living skills.
For families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the Applied Behavior Analysis program provides individualized, evidence-based treatment to help enhance quality of life.
ABA utilizes the science of behavior and helps to develop communication, adaptive and social skills individuals need to succeed in the world. The facility employs Board-Certified Behavior Analysts who work on ABA goals with children at Pediatrics Plus.
Chief Operations Officer Krista Tapp said the prevalence of ASD diagnoses has increased considerably since 2015.
When the Frisco center opened its doors in 2018, it employed one BCBA. Over time, that number has increased tenfold to address the growing needs of the community.
“In August 2015, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder was one in 59 kids,” Tapp said. “As of 2020, numbers show this has jumped up to one in 36 kids.”
Tapp said the jump could be due to a wider availability of diagnostic services, improved assessment and identification, and a greater understanding of ASD.
The recommended treatment for children diagnosed with ASD is Applied Behavior Analysis, and the BCBAs at Pediatrics Plus design individualized ABA programs based on each child’s specific needs.
The goal is to give each child the skills to communicate their needs without engaging in challenging behaviors.
“We determine their needs related to primarily communication, adaptive skills, social interaction skills, and needs related to challenging behaviors,” Tapp said. “We believe that all behaviors have communicative intent, so it’s our job to figure out what our kids are trying to tell us.”
During the initial assessment, the BCBA will recommend the appropriate duration of treatment to meet the child’s needs, ranging from 10 to 40 hours a week.
Another important piece of the program is the parent training aspect, which teaches families skills to succeed in a less restrictive environment, Tapp said. Although the facility conducts all its services at the clinic and does not push services into the home, the parent training component gives families the tools they need to succeed beyond the center’s walls.
The goal of ABA therapy is for the child to one day leave the program equipped with the necessary skills to conquer their world.
“I love all of our kiddos, but I want them to go to bigger and better things than hang[ing] out with our staff,” Tapp said.
By teaching parents, families learn how to teach novel skills in the home environment and work on socially significant targets in the child’s life, Tapp said. Because Pediatrics Plus serves ages ranging from birth to 21 years old, these targets can look different for each individual.
Tapp said the facility offers a variety of learning environments including a developmental preschool for children from 6 weeks old to 6 years old. For younger children enrolled in the preschool, targets could include learning how to play and socialize with others.
The center also offers an “activities of daily living suite,” which is a replica of a one-bedroom house including a bedroom, a functioning bathroom, a kitchen with appliances and a living room. In this setting, individuals can work on independent living skills such as feeding therapy in a natural kitchen environment, self-care tasks in the bedroom and bathroom, and other home skills.
In addition to serving children with ASD through its ABA program, Pediatrics Plus also serves children who are neurotypical or have different illnesses, physical ailments or mental conditions.
More programs include:See more information about Pediatrics Plus and the services it offers.
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