HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, March 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The education surrounding the developmental disability known as Autism, has gained considerable traction over the past two decades. Additionally, the treatment of Autism has also evolved. Having already won several awards on a local and national level, our guest has successfully been meeting an unmet demand regarding Autism treatment. “I want to help innocent kids that deserve a chance,” she declares. This is the inspirational story of Nichole Daher.

Nichole Daher is the founder and CEO of Success on the Spectrum. Placing quality of service above profit, Success on the Spectrum is the first official franchise of Autism treatment facilities in the United States. Established in 2015, it offers multiple services to children of all ages on the Autism spectrum, to help them develop independent skills, and to help them integrate into modern society. Whether the Autistic child is severe, moderate, or high-functioning, verbal or non-verbal, Nichole notes that “we customize the treatment plan based on what they need individually.”

“Autism, in the simplest way that I can explain it is, a brain abnormality, either physical or metabolic that is genetically linked,” defines Nichole. “We don’t know what triggers it. It causes a deficit in social skills, a deficit in communication skills, and either restrictive or repetitive behavior.”

Success on the Spectrum offers the signature therapy known as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). “It uses the science of psychology to teach a child new skills to reduce negative behavior,” explains Nichole. “Specifically, it’s a rewards-based program. It teaches the brain to associate the desired behavior with a reward. So, the child is more likely to repeat that behavior again.”

“An example would be, if a child were having a tantrum for attention, the parent would stop what they are doing to attend to the child,” adds Nichole. “The child would then repeat that behavior over again, as a learned response to get their parent’s attention. What we will do with Applied Behavior Analysis is teach the child a new way to ask for attention, such as pressing a button, talking if they are verbal, or tapping a shoulder, as a more appropriate method to ask for attention. In the clinic, we will respond to the appropriate method, and ignore them when they have a tantrum. It’s teaching the child what to do and what NOT to do.”

Applied Behavior Analysis used to have a bad reputation, because when it was first established, it was very black-and-white. It would often neglect the emotional needs of the child. For instance, if a child screams for hours without any type of response, it could traumatize them. Nichole’s brand of ABA therapy is more trauma informed, with every single staff member going through trauma informed training. “We are addressing the behavior, as well as the emotional needs of the child,” summarizes Nichole.

In addition to Applied Behavior Analysis, Nichole and Success on the Spectrum offers additional services. Speech therapy, in addition to helping a child acquire verbal language skills. also helps children with Autism to swallow food properly. Children with Autism often have food issues related to consistency with texture. A common stereotype is that children with Autism consume ONLY chicken nuggets. This goes beyond chicken nuggets and often applies to junk food as a whole, because of the consistency with texture. Healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables can often cause discomfort as the texture can vary. “Sometimes it’s squishy and sometimes it’s crunchy,” observes Nichole. “They hate change, and also hate to not have their expectations met.”

“Occupational therapy is more about teaching life skills, but at an age-appropriate level,” explains Nichole. “For instance, we teach a child to dress themselves. As part of that, it focuses on the fine motor function it takes – such as to open and close a zipper, button a button, or tie a shoelace. It also includes brushing your teeth and holding an ink pen and being able to write.”

Social Skills Group Classes goes beyond the subconscious approach of Applied Behavior Analysis and focuses on intentional interactions. This includes how to have a conversation, how to make eye contact, and how to make friends. It’s customized for the age of the child.

Success on the Spectrum strongly encourages parent involvement in the process. “In conjunction with the therapy and instruction for kids, we also provide parent training,” notes Nichole. “What we teach parents is to ignore the child’s negative behavior and reward the good behavior. It has been scientifically proven. We are also the only ABA center that has a parent viewing room, where we allow parents to sit in and watch the therapy being done. It not only gains the trust of a nervous parent, but it creates an environment of accountability for the staff. We also use the videos for training – both for the staff and the parents. This is to help both the staff and parents provide consistent instruction across multiple environments. Children make more progress that way.”

In 2014, Nichole married a man whose daughter had severe Autism. She was non-verbal and wouldn’t make eye contact, among other serious Autism-related concerns. The upside was that she was already in ABA therapy and doing very well. Her diagnosis had changed from severe to mild. Nichole was motivated to be a good mother, and also did the parent training, subsequently learning a lot. When her daughter turned seven, the facility “graduated” her – in essence kicking her out as she was getting older. ABA facilities often serve the very young and stop at around age six or seven, focusing only on early intervention. After searching for a facility that offers ABA therapy for older children, she unfortunately discovered that there weren’t that many, and those that existed had VERY long waiting lists.

“I created Success on the Spectrum for my daughter,” notes Nichole. “I found joy in not only helping my daughter, but also in helping other kids like her. As time went on, the little center that I opened up filled very quickly. I started feeling guilty that I was starting to have a waiting list. I opened up a second center and THAT got full. I quickly realized that this problem was bigger than me – bigger than what I could fix. There was no franchise in existence, so I opened up the first Autism franchise. Most of the franchisees are Autism parents. In addition, the business model is quality-forward.”

Success on the Spectrum currently has thirty-five open franchises nationwide but has sold sixty territories. By the end of 2024, about twenty more locations will open. Looking to the future, she encourages more franchises as there is a growing need to be met regarding Autism services. “This business can offer profit and purpose,” declares Nichole.

“If you are a parent of a child with Autism, Applied Behavior Analysis is the right thing for your child,” concludes Nichole. “Get them the help that they need. They won’t grow out of Autism. The school system is not as equipped as we are. Do NOT feel shame or judgement from other people for seeking help for your child.”

Close Up Radio will feature Nichole Daher in an interview with Jim Masters on Tuesday March 19th at 12pm Eastern

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio

If you have any questions for our guest, please call (347) 996-3389

For more information, please visit https://successonthespectrum.com/ and her YouTube Channel

To learn about franchising opportunities, please visit https://sosfranchising.com/

Lou Ceparano
Close Up Television & Radio
+1 631-850-3314
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