My child is already getting speech or occupational therapy, is ABA also needed?

As with all forms of behavioral therapy,  ABA cannot cure ASD. However, the strategies used have been shown to  lessen the symptoms associated with having ASD that make it difficult for the individual to build meaningful relationships and participate in daily life activities. What makes ABA different from speech and occupational therapy is its focus on behavior-environment relations, function, and ability to address areas of concern across all developmental domains, such as language, cognition, social emotional, social, play, daily living, and pre-academic skills. It's a set of procedures and techniques that can be used on all individuals regardless of a diagnosis, that give them the tools and skills necessary to be able to live an independent social life that isn’t so frustrating or difficult for that individual to participate in daily life activities. Individuals with autism often have comorbid diagnosis and many providers work with many other diagnoses other than just ASD. Given collaboration, the combined efforts of different professionals, such as behavior analysts, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists can often lead to more comprehensive treatment and better outcomes for the child.