What to Do While Waiting for ABA Therapy
Do not wait passively. While your child is on an ABA waitlist, you can join more than one list, ask about parent training, keep related care like speech or occupational therapy going, and start the insurance paperwork today.
Waiting is not just stressful, it is lost time. Families often wait about 27 months just to reach an autism diagnosis, and the wait for therapy comes after that. Budding Futures can often start in-home ABA in weeks, not months, so ask us before you settle in for a long wait.
Steady practice at home supports your child while a spot opens.
Five things you can do this week
| What to do | Why it helps | Who controls it |
|---|---|---|
| Join more than one waitlist | More lists means a better chance of an earlier opening | You |
| Ask each provider for a cancellation list | Open slots from cancellations move faster than the main list | You and the provider |
| Ask about parent training | It often starts sooner than full therapy, so a BCBA can coach you now | The ABA provider |
| Keep speech, OT, or school services going | They support your child now and work alongside ABA later | Pediatrician, school, or plan |
| Start the insurance or Medicaid paperwork | It begins the approval clock so care can start the day a spot opens | You and your provider |
Ask about parent training first
Parent training is the step most families miss. It usually has a shorter wait than full therapy, and it puts real strategies in your hands right away. Rachel Blackburn, BCBA, leads our parent coaching. She can show you simple ways to build communication and calm tough moments at home, even before regular sessions start.
A head start at home is not wasted time. One research review found children who began early intensive intervention scored about 11 points higher on IQ measures than peers who waited. See the evidence on early intervention from the Association for Science in Autism Treatment.
If you are still early in the process, our guide on what to do after an autism diagnosis walks Colorado families through the next steps.
Keep the other therapies and supports running
ABA is one part of a child's plan. While you wait for a spot, the other supports around your child should keep running and ideally talk to each other. Budding Futures does not provide speech therapy, occupational therapy, or autism diagnostic evaluations in-house, but we coordinate with the providers who do, with your written permission.
| Provider | What they bring | How it fits with ABA |
|---|---|---|
| Speech-language pathologist | Language, articulation, AAC support | Communication goals can be aligned so ABA reinforces what speech is teaching, and the other way around. |
| Occupational therapist | Sensory regulation, fine motor, daily living | Sensory strategies and self-regulation work fold directly into how a BCBA structures sessions and reinforcers. |
| School or preschool team | IEP services, classroom routine | Behavior plans, transitions, and skill targets line up across home and school. See school collaboration for how that works. |
| Pediatrician and diagnosing provider | Medical home, diagnostic documentation | Diagnosis paperwork, medical necessity letters, and reauthorization support, especially if you are still waiting for a formal evaluation. |
If you are weighing speech vs ABA right now, our ABA vs speech therapy comparison covers when each one is the right starting point and when both run side by side. The short version: you do not have to pick one. They work better together when each provider knows the other exists.
For the full coordination policy, including how we handle permissions, shared notes, and the AT4K referral pathway when a diagnosis is still pending, see our quality and credentials page.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us about your child and where you are in Colorado. We will explain in-home ABA, your insurance or Health First Colorado steps, and how soon care can begin.