When Progress Looks Different
When families think about progress, they may picture a child learning a new word, completing a task independently, or reaching a goal that everyone has been working toward. Those milestones matter. But progress doesn’t always look like a big breakthrough.
Sometimes progress is quieter.
A child asks for help instead of becoming frustrated. A difficult transition takes a little less time. A child tolerates a new food, waits for a turn, stays with an activity a little longer, or finds a new way to communicate what they need.
These changes may seem small from the outside. For a child and their family, they can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.
Progress Doesn’t Always Look the Same
Every child is different, so progress will look different from one child to another.
For one child, progress might mean using a communication system to request something they want. For another, it might mean getting through the morning routine with less support. Another child may be working on playing with siblings, participating in school activities, or becoming more independent with daily routines.
There isn’t one definition of progress that applies to every child.
That’s why treatment goals should be connected to the individual child, their needs, their abilities, and the things that are meaningful in their everyday life.
A Small Skill Can Make a Big Difference
Consider a child who is learning to ask for a break.
At first, they may need significant support to communicate when something feels overwhelming. Over time, they may learn to use a word, gesture, picture, or communication device to let someone know they need a break.
The skill itself may seem simple.
But being able to communicate a need can mean less frustration, more independence, and a greater ability to participate in situations that were previously difficult.
The same can be true for everyday skills such as dressing, eating, toileting, transitioning between activities, completing schoolwork, or participating in community activities.
Sometimes a small step toward independence can have a much larger impact on everyday life.
Progress Isn’t Always Linear
Learning doesn’t always happen in a straight line.
A child may demonstrate a skill one day and need more support the next. They may use a skill successfully in therapy but have difficulty using it at home or school. Changes in routines, environments, expectations, communication demands, or other circumstances can affect how a child responds.
A difficult day doesn’t erase the progress that came before it.
Instead, it gives us information.
It may show us that a skill needs more practice, that the environment needs to be adjusted, or that the child needs additional support to use the skill in a different setting.
Families See Progress That Others May Miss
Professionals may work with a child for a few hours each week. Families see what happens before school, during meals, at bedtime, with siblings, on weekends, and in the community.
They may notice that a child is becoming more independent with a routine. They may notice that a difficult situation isn’t quite as difficult anymore. They may see a new communication attempt that hasn’t happened during therapy yet.
That information matters.
When families share these observations, the BCBA and treatment team can better understand how skills are developing outside of therapy and where additional support may be needed.
Progress doesn’t only happen during a therapy session.
Looking Beyond the Big Milestones
It is natural to focus on the next goal. But it is also important to recognize the steps that happen along the way.
A child trying something new is progress.
A child communicating instead of becoming frustrated is progress.
A child needing less support than before is progress.
A child using a skill in a new environment is progress.
These moments help us understand whether the skills being taught are actually making a meaningful difference in the child’s life.
At Colors of Hope, we believe progress should be understood in the context of the whole child—not just a list of completed goals.
Because sometimes the change that looks small to someone else is a very big step for a child and their family.