Your child's team: who does what

Not every child has all of these people, and titles vary by state and setting.

• BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst). A graduate-level, board-certified professional who assesses behavior, writes the ABA treatment plan, supervises the therapists who work with your child, and trains parents. The BCBA is responsible for the clinical decisions in ABA.
• BCaBA (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst). A certified professional with an undergraduate degree who works under a BCBA's supervision.
• RBT (Registered Behavior Technician). Often the person who works with your child one-on-one, carrying out the plan the BCBA wrote. A BCBA supervises RBTs, and RBTs don't design treatment.
• Pediatrician. Your child's main doctor, and often the person who refers you for an evaluation or writes the referrals insurance requires.
• Developmental pediatrician or child psychologist. Specialists who often do autism evaluations and may follow your child's development over time.
• SLP (speech-language pathologist). Works on communication: speech, understanding language, social communication, and other ways to communicate, such as AAC.
• OT (occupational therapist). Works on everyday skills: using hands, dressing, eating, and how a child handles sensory input.
• PT (physical therapist). Works on movement: strength, balance, coordination and walking.
• Teachers and school staff. At school, your child's teachers and special education staff carry out the IEP or 504 plan.
• Service coordinator or case manager. Some programs, such as ECI and many Medicaid plans, assign someone to help coordinate services.

A general guide to where questions usually go:

• Why a behavior happens, or what to do when it does: your child's BCBA if you have one, or your pediatrician.
• The treatment plan, goals or progress: the BCBA.
• How a session went: the RBT can tell you what happened. Changes to the plan go through the BCBA.
• Talking, understanding or communication devices: the SLP.
• Feeding, dressing, handwriting or sensory concerns: the OT.
• Health, sleep, medicine or anything new and worrying: your pediatrician.
• School services, the IEP or a 504 plan: your child's teacher or the school's special education contact.
• Insurance, authorizations and bills: your insurer and the provider's front office.

Not sure who to ask? Start with whoever on the team you trust most. A good team member will help you find the right person.