We were proud to see one of our Northwest Omaha families recently featured on KMTV, sharing their experience supporting their young son, Cooper. In the interview, Cooper’s parent Ryan spoke with our CEO Brad Zelinger about what their family’s journey has looked like since beginning early intervention.
Stories like Cooper’s matter because many families are walking a similar path. When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents are often asked to make important decisions quickly, sometimes before they have had time to fully process the diagnosis. Hearing from another family can help parents feel less alone and better understand why early ABA therapy is often recommended after diagnosis.
Many clinicians agree that the years between ages two and six are an especially important time for learning and development. During these early years, children’s brains are more open to learning new skills. Early, consistent support can help children build communication, social, and daily living skills that support independence over time. For many families, learning how to choose the right ABA program for their child is one of the first steps after diagnosis
At Stride, progress is not based on observation alone. Outcomes are measured so families and care teams can understand how children are developing over time. This focus on data and individualized goals is part of the Stride approach to ABA therapy, which emphasizes consistent measurement, collaboration with families, and treatment plans tailored to each child
Across Stride centers, caregivers report meaningful improvement across many areas within the first six months of therapy. According to collected outcomes data, caregivers report improvement in transitions for 100 percent of children within six months. Improvement is also reported in initiating communication at 98 percent, and in motor skills, self-care skills, and understanding communication at 96 percent. Progress is also reported in play skills and social interaction, both at 95 percent.
Families also report improvement in areas that can strongly affect daily routines, including challenging behaviors, school readiness, and social-emotional skills, each reported at 93 percent. Even mealtime behaviors, which can be especially stressful for families, show improvement in 91 percent of cases. Across all of these areas, caregivers report improvement in an average of 95 percent of essential therapeutic goal areas within the first six months of treatment.
These outcomes are often associated with intensive, center-based ABA therapy during the preschool years, where children benefit from structured routines, consistent expectations, and frequent opportunities to practice skills.
Center-based ABA therapy allows care teams to work closely together and adjust plans as children grow and develop. For many families, this level of coordination and consistency is difficult to achieve in less structured settings.
Cooper’s story, as shared on KMTV, is one example among many families we serve. We are grateful to his family for sharing their experience and helping other parents better understand what early intervention can look like. Early support cannot remove every challenge, but it can help families build skills and routines during a time that is especially important for development.
We are grateful to KMTV for featuring Cooper and his family and for helping bring thoughtful attention to early autism intervention in Nebraska.
Stride is the leading center-based ABA therapy program in Nebraska serving children 2-6 years old who have received an autism diagnosis. We have locations across the state in:
All Nebraska centers are currently enrolling, accept most major insurance plans including Medicaid, and do not have a waitlist at this time.
Stride is also the only ABA therapy provider in the state of Nebraska fully accredited by the Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ), reflecting an ongoing commitment to clinical quality, consistency, and accountability in care delivery.
