Children's Center for Development & Behavior

Behavioral Language Acquisition Model (BLAM) ®

The Behavioral Language Acquisition Model (BLAM)® is a form of intensive ABA that addresses rapid learning of language/communication skills in children diagnosed with speech delays, general developmental disorders (PDD-NOS) , Autism, Apraxia and delays stemming from medical issues and syndromes (Down’s, Fragile X, Angleman’s, etc.). The model is extremely effective for children of all ages and ranges of severity from mild to severe.

Program goals
BLAM® is a new verbal behavior model, based on Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior although it is much different than the ABLLS-based model. While BLAM® does address acquisition of expressing needs and wants, following instructions and joint attention, the primary focus is on:

First, rapidly expanding receptive to expressive vocabulary evenly across all major parts of speech.
Second, building proper syntax from simple multi-word phrases to full sentences.
Third, acquisition of pre-conversational to conversational skills and generalization and spontaneity.

Later phases of our model, shift to pragmatic usage of language/communication skills in peer group settings and preparation for typical school and classroom settings.

In addition to focus on language/communication skills, BLAM® also addresses cognitive development, academic skills, self-help and independent living skills. Furthermore, BLAM®is an INTERDISCIPLANARY PROGRAM that incorporates goals and supervisions by our Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapy team.

Weekly Supervision is the key to optimal progress

All programs and meticulously collected data are formally supervised at least once per week by either Doctoral and master’s level senior Board Certified Behavior Analysts. While supervision by our senior clinicians takes place daily, during weekly formal supervisions, the therapist and child’s performance is observed, data is reviewed and discussed, then the program goals and procedures are modified to assure there is continuous and constant progression towards short and long-term goals. These weekly changes are documented and reviewed with parents along with suggestions for home-based activities/goals to support and generalize key skills for that week.

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Documented Progress

A standardized developmental assessment is provided before starting with the actual therapy. The assessment tool, the Psycho-Educational Profile Revised (PEP-R) identifies your child’s developmental age equivalence in seven different domains of development, including: perception, imitation, all motor areas, cognitive performance/receptive language and cognitive verbal domains. This assessment serves as a baseline prior to receiving therapy and then the assessment is re-administered every six months to continuously monitor growth and development using a standardized tool.

42 Children whose ages ranged from two to five years, diagnosed with a variety of developmental issues were examined using a standardized developmental assessment tool, prior to and after recieving BLAM® therapy. The outcome data revealed a mean doubling to tripling in months of development in all language related domains (i.e., imitation, perception, cognitive performance and verbal) over the amount of intervention time, e.g., over six months development in three months of treatment and over 12 months development after six months of treatment.