Steps To Progress

10/28/2026

💡Halloween safety highlight!

A study published in Pediatrics found that 49% of autistic children surveyed had attempted to wander or leave a supervised setting at least once after age four.

With busy sidewalks, unfamiliar neighborhoods, and exciting distractions. Before heading out to trick-or-treat, consider practicing a few safety skills:

🎃 Stay together: Establish a buddy system and keep your child within sight.

🚦 Review boundaries: Practice stopping at sidewalks, waiting before crossing streets, and staying close to a trusted adult.

🏷️ Plan ahead: Make sure your child has identification information available in case you become separated.

A little preparation can help families enjoy trick-or-treating with greater confidence. 👻😊🍬

10/23/2026

Does your child seem to do well at school, only to become overwhelmed or upset once they get home?

For some children with autism, getting through the school day requires a lot of effort. Following instructions, navigating social interactions, managing sensory input, and adjusting to transitions can leave them mentally and physically exhausted.

By the time they get home, even small requests may feel overwhelming to them.

Giving your child time to decompress, keeping after-school routines predictable, and recognizing signs of overload can help.

At Steps to Progress, our ABA therapy programs help children develop communication and coping skills to better manage everyday challenges.

10/21/2026

Is it a tantrum or a meltdown? 🤔

When your child is crying, screaming, or visibly upset, it can be difficult to tell the difference. Tantrums are often associated with frustration, while meltdowns typically occur when a child becomes overwhelmed by sensory or emotional demands.

For parents of children with autism, recognizing these differences can help you better understand what your child is experiencing and how to respond.

This Friday, we're breaking down the differences between tantrums and meltdowns, signs parents should look for, and ways to support their child during difficult moments.

Keep an eye out for our latest blog!

10/16/2026

🎃 What if your child refuses to wear their Halloween costume?

For children with autism, scratchy fabrics, tight accessories, masks, or unfamiliar clothing can feel uncomfortable or overwhelming. If your child is hesitant to wear their costume this Halloween, here are a few tips that may help:

🎃 Introduce it early. Let your child see, touch, and explore the costume before Halloween.

👻 Practice in short periods. Start with a few minutes and gradually increase the time if they're comfortable.

🧡 Choose sensory-friendly options. Soft fabrics and familiar clothing may be easier to tolerate.

🍬 Offer choices. Let your child decide which costume pieces they feel comfortable wearing.

Most importantly, respect your child's discomfort. Wearing a costume doesn't have to be a requirement for enjoying Halloween!

10/14/2026

When your child becomes upset, refuses an activity, or tries to leave a situation, what happened right before the behavior?

In ABA therapy, looking at what happens before and after a behavior can help identify patterns and better understand what your child may be trying to communicate.

For example, a child refusing to participate in a school event may be overwhelmed by noise, uncomfortable with a change in routine, or unsure of what is expected.

Understanding the reason behind a behavior helps therapists determine which skills to teach and how to better support your child.

In case you missed it, here is our latest blog to read and learn how ABA therapy in Houston helps families better understand behavior: https://www.stepstoprogress.com/blog/aba-therapy/aba-therapy-houston-understanding-behavior/

10/09/2026

Have you ever wondered why your child handles something just fine one day but struggles with the exact same thing the next?

Sometimes, the answer has less to do with the behavior itself and more to do with what happened before it.

In our latest blog, we share how ABA therapists look for patterns in behavior, what those patterns can tell us, and how parents can use that understanding to better support their children.

Read the full blog: https://www.stepstoprogress.com/blog/aba-therapy/aba-therapy-houston-understanding-behavior/

ABA therapy in Houston looks at what happens before and after a behavior to identify patterns and better understand a child’s individual needs.

10/07/2026

Two children can show the same behavior for completely different reasons.

For example, one child may refuse an activity because it feels difficult, while another may refuse because they want to continue what they were already doing.

That’s why, in ABA therapy, we don’t look at a behavior in isolation. We also consider what happened before it, what happened afterward, and when or where it tends to occur. Those patterns can give us important information about what a child may need.

This Friday, we’ll be talking more about how understanding the why behind behavior can help guide the way we respond and the skills we teach!

10/02/2026

We know it’s a little early to start planning for Halloween, but for some children, having extra time to prepare can be helpful. 🎃

Halloween can involve a lot of experiences that don’t happen every day, including costumes, decorations, doorbells, unfamiliar people, crowded events, and changes in routine. Introducing some of these things ahead of time can give your child a chance to become more familiar with what they may see and do.

You might practice walking up to a door, carrying a treat bag, seeing family members in costumes, or using your child’s preferred way to communicate while trick-or-treating.

A little practice now can help make Halloween activities feel more familiar when the day arrives!

09/30/2026

October starts tomorrow! 🍂🎃

A new month brings plenty of simple ways to practice skills during everyday activities. Picking out a pumpkin can encourage making choices, decorating can practice following directions, and fall crafts can work on fine motor skills and completing steps in order.

ABA skills don’t have to stay in a therapy session. Some of the best practice happens while doing the things your family already enjoys!

Happy October from Steps to Progress! 🧡

09/25/2026

🍂 Fall is here, which means pumpkin patches, festivals, school events, and plenty of opportunities to get out as a family!

If your child has a hard time with crowds, new environments, waiting, or changes in routine, a little preparation can help. Check out our latest blog for tips on preparing children with autism for fall festivals and community activities.

Read the full blog: https://www.stepstoprogress.com/blog/aba-therapy/fall-festivals-and-activities-with-aba-therapy-in-houston/

Make fall outings more manageable by preparing for crowds, sensory needs, waiting, and changes in routine with support from ABA therapy in Houston.