ABA and Speech Therapy Should Work Together
Over the years, I’ve become increasingly passionate about improving collaboration between ABA professionals and speech therapists because families are often stuck in the middle of conflicting recommendations and disconnected services.
Many parents are juggling:
- ABA therapy
- Speech therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Evaluations
- Goal meetings
- Scheduling challenges
- Different recommendations from different professionals
It can quickly become overwhelming.
The reality is that ABA and speech therapy both play important roles in helping children communicate.
When professionals collaborate effectively, children benefit from:
- More consistent goals
- Better support across settings
- Reduced frustration
- Improved communication progress
- Stronger family support
Rose and I also discussed how social media has increased tension and misinformation between professions.
Unfortunately, some professionals become more focused on defending their field than helping families.
But families don’t care about professional turf wars.
They care about helping their child communicate and thrive.
That’s why collaboration matters so much.
What Good Collaboration Looks Like
In my opinion, good collaboration means everyone stays focused on the child — not on egos, labels, or who “owns” communication.
Good collaboration looks like:
- Professionals communicating regularly
- Shared goals across therapies
- Respect between disciplines
- Parents not being forced to choose sides
- Teams focusing on practical next steps
Rose shared an example of a child who may not yet have foundational joint attention skills, while professionals are debating whether the child should use PECS or a robust AAC device with many buttons.
This is where I think we sometimes put the cart before the horse.
Before worrying about complicated communication systems, many children first need support with:
- Joint attention
- Engagement
- Imitation
- Pointing
- Vocal play
- Social interaction
That does not mean AAC is wrong.
Far from it.
AAC can be life-changing for many children.
But thoughtful assessment, collaboration, and individualized planning are critical.
As Rose discussed, communication systems should match the child’s current abilities and needs — not simply adult preferences or social media trends.
Why Parents Should Focus on Connection First
One thing I often coach parents on — and something Rose emphasized too — is that many adults unintentionally bombard children with questions all day long.
Questions like:
- “What is it?”
- “What color?”
- “What does it say?”
Instead of constantly quizzing children, I encourage parents to narrate activities and model language naturally.
For example:
- “Cow.”
- “The cow says moo.”
- “Moo!”
This creates a communication-rich environment without pressure.
Communication does not only happen during therapy sessions.
It happens:
- During meals
- During bath time
- During play
- During errands
- During songs
- During routines
- During everyday moments
Small daily interactions create opportunities for growth.
And small daily steps can create meaningful change over time.
Final Thoughts
Joint attention is one of the most important foundational communication skills for children with autism and developmental delays.
It affects:
- Language development
- Social interaction
- Learning
- Play skills
- Communication
- Independence
The good news is that joint attention can be supported naturally through books, music, movement, playful routines, and meaningful interaction throughout the day.
As both Rose Griffin and I discussed, communication should stay fun and functional while helping children build meaningful ways to connect with the world around them.
If you are a parent or professional supporting a child with autism or signs of autism, my biggest advice is this:
Don’t wait and worry.
Start building connection, engagement, and communication today — even in small ways.
Because communication begins with connection.
