ABA builds behavior, communication, and learning skills. OT builds sensory regulation, fine motor coordination, and daily living. Most kids on the spectrum benefit from both — and we coordinate directly with your OT team so the plans pull in the same direction.
ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and OT (Occupational Therapy) are two of the most common therapies recommended after an autism diagnosis. They look similar from the parking lot — a one-to-one provider, lots of play, lots of data — but they aim at different targets. The short version: ABA shapes what your child does and how they communicate. OT shapes how your child’s body and senses respond to the world around them.
Applied Behavior Analysis is the science of learning and behavior. A BCBA writes a plan that breaks big skills (asking for a snack, waiting their turn, joining a group game) into small, teachable steps. Therapists practice those steps with your child every session and track progress with data.
Occupational Therapy helps your child do the “occupations” of childhood — getting dressed, holding a pencil, eating a meal, tolerating a haircut. OTs focus on sensory regulation, fine and gross motor coordination, and the physical skills behind activities of daily living (ADLs).
Imagine your child melts down every time you try to brush their teeth. Both therapists will care about that moment — but they’ll work on it from different angles, and that’s the point.
BCBA designs; RBTs deliver under supervision.
Licensed OT or OTA; sometimes a sensory-trained specialist.
Skills acquired, prompts faded, behaviors reduced — tracked every session.
Sensory profile, range of motion, motor milestones, ADL independence.
10–40 hours/week, depending on age and goals.
1–3 hours/week, often in 30 or 60 minute sessions.
Teach the steps, reinforce calm participation, fade prompts, build a routine.
Address the sensory side — bristle tolerance, taste, oral defensiveness.
Build attention to task, sitting tolerance, and following multi-step directions.
Strengthen the small muscles & grip; train letter formation and visual–motor skills.
Chain the steps, prompt & fade, reinforce independence.
Build the motor skill — buttons, zippers, balance to pull pants up.
We see this every week. A four-year-old who can’t tolerate the noise of a busy room won’t learn much language until the sensory side is addressed. A seven-year-old with great hand strength still can’t finish a worksheet if they can’t sit and attend. ABA without OT often hits a sensory wall. OT without ABA often hits a behavior wall. Together, the two plans cover the whole child.
Insurance plans typically cover both when they’re medically necessary, and the schedules are usually compatible — OT once or twice a week alongside a fuller ABA program. Many of the children at our centers see an outside OT one or two afternoons a week and do ABA the rest of the time. We share progress notes, attend joint meetings when you want, and align goals so your child isn’t getting two different versions of the same lesson.
Your time is too valuable to spend retelling the same story to every therapist. With written permission, our BCBAs talk directly to your child’s OT — sometimes with a brief phone call, sometimes through shared progress notes. The point is one plan, not two competing ones.
You sign a simple one-page consent that lets us share notes with your OT clinic.
We compare goal lists so OT and ABA are reinforcing the same wins, not contradicting each other.
We carry over the OT’s sensory diet — brushing, deep pressure, movement breaks — into the ABA day.
Every 90 days we line up the two plans and decide where to push next, together.
If you’re only going to start with one, choose by what’s getting in the way of daily life the most right now. You can — and probably should — add the second within a few months.
Yes — and in most cases we recommend it. Insurance plans generally cover both when they’re medically necessary. We’ll build the ABA schedule around your OT appointments and carry over sensory strategies so your child isn’t losing ground between sessions.
We respect the lane. ABA addresses the behavior side — tolerating sensory experiences, building coping skills, reducing escape behaviors. Direct sensory integration treatment belongs to a trained OT. When we see a sensory red flag we don’t try to treat it ourselves; we refer or coordinate.
Only if no one is coordinating. That’s why our BCBAs reach out to your OT before week one and stay in touch after. With a shared goal map and aligned cues, the two plans amplify each other instead of confusing your child.
On Target ABA is a dedicated ABA provider — we don’t bill OT ourselves. We work alongside trusted OT clinics in each of our cities. If you don’t already have one, ask your intake coordinator and we’ll share a short list of local OTs other families have had great experiences with.
For most newly-diagnosed kids under 6, families start with ABA because the hour-count is higher and the need for language and behavior support is urgent. OT is added within the first few months. For older kids whose communication is solid but daily living lags, OT alone may be the better first step. We’ll give you a straight read on a 20-minute call.
“The therapists are so warm and really knowledgeable.”
“Very professional staff who are very knowledgeable about Autism. Highly recommend to any parent who wants excellent therapy for their child.”
Talk to a BCBA about what your child needs first, what to add next, and how we’ll work with your OT. Most families get started in under 72 hours — and most pay $0 through insurance.
Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Utah & Ohio