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Helping Without Overhelping

By: Cristina Martínez M.B.A, M.S, BCBA, LBA Coauthor: Ariadna Martin MS

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, one of the most important things we do is help children learn how to do things on their own. But how do we get there? That’s where prompting and fading come in.

Think of prompts like a set of training wheels—just enough support to help your child succeed, without doing the whole task for them. And just like training wheels, the goal is to remove them gradually until your child can ride solo.

What exactly is a prompt?

A prompt is an additional stimulus we provide to help a child complete a task or behavior when they’re still learning. They can be:

  1. Physical – guiding their hand to pick something up
  2. Gestural – pointing to the correct answer or direction
  3. Verbal – saying, “You can say ‘cookie"
  4. Visual – showing a picture schedule or cue card
  5. Modeling – showing the child what to do by doing it first
Prompts are like gentle nudges toward the right behavior.
Why Use Prompts?

Because learning something new can be hard! Prompts prevent frustration, build confidence, and increase success—which leads to learning. Imagine trying to learn a new language with no help at all. You’d probably give up. But with supports and small examples, such as interactive apps, instructional videos, step-by-step images, or live demonstrations, you can start to pick it up. That’s how prompts work in ABA.

What Is Fading?

Fading means we slowly reduce the help we give until the child can do the skill independently. This is key—because we don’t want children to become dependent on our help. Fading teaches independence, one step at a time.

Let’s look at an example (keep in mind this is a very simplified version, as developing these skills requires time, many hours of therapy, and, above all, consistency):

  1. You start with the instruction: “What do you want?” Then add a verbal prompt, such as: “You can say I want the ball.”
  2. Next, you give only the instruction: “What do you want?”
  3. Finally, you simply show the ball and wait quietly, giving your child time to ask for it on their own.

Each step lowers the level of support and helps your child become more independent in communication.
You don’t need to be a therapist to use these strategies at home. Start by offering just enough support—like guiding your child’s hand or pointing to a picture—to help them succeed. As they gain confidence, gradually step back so they can do more on their own. Be patient and consistent, and try to resist the urge to jump in too quickly. With time and practice, your child will grow more independent and capable.
Prompting and fading are powerful tools we use every day in ABA therapy. At ABS, we partner with families to ensure you feel confident applying these strategies at home. We’re proud to be part of your journey!

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