Is ABA suitable for little ones? Yes. There are special approaches for the youngest children, including the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), which is based on ABA principles. That's why the Neuron center starts sessions as early as 18 months.
What an early, play-based approach means
Sessions with little ones are play-based. The skills they need are built through the child's interests, interaction with an adult and sensory-social games. From the outside it looks like a fun game, but every game has a goal.
Sensory-social games
These are games that develop sensory sensitivity (body awareness, vision, hearing, touch) and social skills at the same time: interaction, playing together, paying attention to a partner. They are especially helpful for children with ASD, developmental delay, ADHD and other developmental differences. The goals of these games:
- developing joint attention;
- improving sensory regulation;
- supporting interaction with an adult or another child;
- learning turn-taking, making requests and responding to their name;
- increasing motivation for social contact.
Trust first, tasks later
Modern ABA therapy starts not with demands but with cooperation. The specialist creates conditions where the child feels comfortable, interested and eager to interact. Through fun social games and shared activities, the little one's attention gradually shifts from objects to people.
The adult becomes part of an exciting game, and the child starts seeking contact on their own: coming closer, taking the initiative, continuing the game. This is where learning begins: with trust, motivation and the wish to be close to an adult.
Building on the child's interests
New skills are always built on what the child enjoys. Specialists choose games, materials and toys that capture attention and make learning engaging.
An example: a light-and-sound panel that responds to the voice. When the child speaks quietly, the bottom cells light up; when they speak loudly, the light rises higher and fills the whole panel. With it, children can clap, learn colors, repeat rhythms and learn to tell "loud" from "quiet." This develops auditory attention, imitation, a sense of rhythm and an understanding of the link between "sound and result." And most importantly, the child is genuinely interested.
That's why the center regularly reviews its toys and materials: updating them and buying new toys, choosing bright and clear images and printing new learning materials. Materials must be high-quality and motivating, so the child wants to play, learn to use different objects, and then transfer that knowledge to pictures and other situations.
When to come
Starting early doesn't mean the child is being "diagnosed too early" or overloaded. It's a chance to support development while the little one is learning to communicate and play. If something about your child's development worries you, you can discuss at a consultation whether this format would suit them.