One of the Kids

07/08/2025

This summer at our Cedar Park location was packed with sweet treats, new experiences, and tons of fun!

Our kiddos rolled up their sleeves in the OOTKS garden, getting their hands dirty while learning to follow directions, care for plants, and explore nature through sensory play.

We also brought haircut day to the clinic, giving our kids the chance to work on adaptive hygiene skills in a safe, familiar space. They did AMAZING!

And of course, what’s summer without ice cream? Between a snow cone truck visit and a field trip to a local shop, our kids got to practice real-world skills like waiting, ordering, transitioning, and making independent choices, all while having a blast with their peers.

Every one of these moments was filled with joy and growth. We’re so proud of everything our Cedar Park crew accomplished this summer and we’re already excited for what’s next!

14/07/2025

In Part 2 of our “Understanding Assessments” series, BCBA Abby Sanchez breaks down the ABLLS-R, a widely used tool that goes beyond communication and targets essential life skills like dressing, reading, and classroom routines.

Learn how this assessment helps create individualized, practical goals, and when it might not be the best fit.

Curious about how we tailor your child’s therapy plan? This post is a great place to start! Read more: https://www.ootks.com/post/understanding-assessments-a-breakdown-for-caregivers-1

Part 2 – What is the ABLLS-R? In the last post, we discussed the VBMAPP and how individualized goals can be created when assessing a client’s skills with the VBMAPP. In this post, we will be taking a closer look at the ABLLS-R. We will discuss what the ABLLS-R is and its components. We will also...

07/07/2025

Happy Independence Day from One of the Kids! This year’s Fourth of July celebration was extra special as we also marked five incredible years of learning, growing, and playing together. Our clinics came alive with creative activities, sweet treats, and plenty of splashes as we combined 4th of July with meaningful skill-building.

From water tables and kiddie pools to a giant inflatable water slide, the day was bursting with excitement! But beneath all the fun, our children were busy practicing important skills like waiting patiently, taking turns, sharing joy, and cheering each other on, all core elements of our social skill-building approach.

Our kids got hands-on with tie-dye fun, designing their own vibrant OOTKS t-shirts. Every shirt was as unique and colorful as the amazing children we serve, because just like our clients, no two are exactly alike.

As we celebrate this milestone, we want to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported our journey over the past five years. Watching our children thrive and seeing our clinic grow into a place of compassion, inclusion, and integrity has been nothing short of inspiring.

Here’s to continued growth, meaningful moments, and plenty more reasons to celebrate together!

28/05/2025

Today was a very special day at South Austin as we hosted One of the Kid’s very first Field Day filled with laughter, games, water play, and iced treats! A HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to our incredible BCBA, Erin Ramirez, for planning this event, creating lasting memories for our learners, and bringing a new tradition to OOTKS!

At One of the Kids, we recognize meaningful social opportunities are essential to our children’s development. Events like Field Day are more than just fun; they are designed to intentionally pair peer interaction with highly reinforcing activities, which is a core principle of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Our goal is to make social engagement enjoyable and intrinsically valuable for every child.

Throughout the day, children participated in sack races, parachute games, and a three-legged race. While these activities brought smiles and laughter, they also served a therapeutic purpose by creating positive associations with peer interaction. By integrating collaboration into exciting and new experiences, we help children build motivation and skills for developing lasting friendships.

Whether it was racing across the playground with a partner or sharing a popsicle in the shade, our children experienced the joy and connection that come from shared moments. We are so proud of how each child participated and look forward to creating even more opportunities for learning through play and social connection!

09/05/2025

Ever wonder how your child’s ABA goals are chosen? In our newest post, BCBA Abby Sanchez breaks down one of the most commonly used assessments in ABA: the VB-MAPP. Learn how this tool helps us understand where your child is developmentally, what’s getting in the way of progress, and how we set meaningful goals that grow with them.

Check it out here: https://www.ootks.com/post/understanding-assessments-a-breakdown-for-caregivers

Part 1 – What is the VB-MAPP? As parents, one of the biggest questions you might have when your child begins ABA therapy is: How do we know what they should be working on? That’s where assessments come in. Assessments help Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) figure out where your child is ...

24/04/2025

South Austin has recently seen some of our amazing staff promoted! Let’s take a moment to celebrate these fantastic therapists.

Olivia is our newest Lead RBT! Olivia’s favorite part about working with our incredible children is helping them learn independence and gain autonomy over themselves. In addition to stepping into this leadership role, Olivia also plays a key part in creating and implementing our fun and engaging “specials” activities.

Kathy was recently promoted to Senior RBT! Kathy is a phenomenal therapist with an amazing sense of humor, she always brings laughter and joy to the clinic. Her favorite part about OOTKS is being one of the kids. She’s learned so much from them about patience, kindness, and how every small win leads to the greatest success.

Another new Senior RBT is Emily! Emily is an adaptable, patient, and dedicated therapist who is passionate about data collection and delivering consistent, high-quality therapy to her clients. With her growth mindset, she is always eager to learn, improve, and implement new strategies to best support her clients.

Our Academy Teacher Ms. Rachel was also promoted to Senior RBT! She is an invaluable member of OOTKS. Her favorite part about teaching our children is seeing the progress and growth they make when they receive the support and encouragement they need!

A huge congratulations and heartfelt thank you to Olivia, Kathy, and Emily for your dedication, hard work, and passion. We are so lucky to have you on our team!

22/04/2025

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to communication, especially for our learners! In our latest blog post, BCBA Abby Sanchez dives into common myths about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and why these tools are essential, not optional, for so many children.

Whether it's no-tech, low-tech, or high-tech, AAC empowers our clients to express themselves in ways that work best for them.

Read more about it here:

Before we dive into the myths surrounding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), let’s first understand what AAC is and why it’s important. AAC is typically categorized into three types: no tech, low tech, and high tech. 1. No-tech AAC includes body language, facial expressions, and s...

02/04/2025

Happy Autism Awareness Day from the OOTKS family!

Today, we celebrate the incredible and diverse community that we serve. This day is a powerful reminder of the importance of awareness, acceptance, and advocacy. By spreading knowledge about Autism, ABA, and the many supports available, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and families! Take a look below to see what advocacy means to our amazing staff!

19/03/2025

Our PHENOMENAL partners, CoLlab Pediatric Therapies, LLC are hiring for our Cedar Park location!

One of the Kids is a learning clinic that offers a balanced approach to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) through compassionate and experienced staff, beautiful facilities designed with our learners' sensory well-being, and quality services. We offer 1:1 ABA therapy, onsite collaboration with speech a...

18/03/2025

Check out our latest blog post from one of our very own BCBAs, Ms. Maria Sanchez! At OOTKS, we prioritize a child's voice in therapy. Our latest blog dives into assent and assent withdrawal—what they mean, how to recognize them, and why they’re essential in compassionate ABA. Learn how we empower our clients to communicate their needs and preferences effectively.

Read more here:

Assent and Assent Withdrawal: Definitions and ApplicationsAssent-based practices have gained significant attention in recent years. Some professionals have even coined the term “Compassionate ABA,” which has led others outside of the field to question whether ABA is, in fact, compassionate. Over...

11/03/2025

Last week, our Cedar Park clinic had the incredible opportunity to experience hands-on learning, thanks to Laura Morgan-Rinehart, a Dental Hygienist from Pediatric Dental Professionals! Our children learned about proper brushing, flossing, and the impact of diet on dental health through an engaging and interactive presentation.

The team from Pediatric Dental Professionals did an amazing job capturing our young learners' attention, using puppets, prompts, and hands-on practice to make the experience fun and accessible. This opportunity allowed our students to engage with what can sometimes be a challenging experience in a positive and enjoyable way.

At our clinic, we believe that incorporating real-world learning into ABA therapy helps our students develop essential life skills and successfully generalize new information. A huge thank you to Pediatric Dental Professionals for creating such a meaningful and reinforcing experience for our learners!

14/02/2025

Happy Valentine's Day to all of our wonderful families and staff! Today we are celebrating the love, friendship and joy that fill our center- thanks to our incredible kids and the amazing team that supports them.

Valentine's Day is a great reminder of the power of kindness and importance of social connection for our children. This week our kiddos enjoyed Valentines themed crafts, exchanging cards with their peers, and practicing valuable social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, and expressing appreciation. Moments like these help build friendships between our children, and further reinforce the importance and joy that comes out of social interactions.

Just as our clients grow through meaningful interactions, our staff thrives in a caring, supportive environment. From RBTs jumping in to help with group activities to BCBAs guiding their teams through tough programs—every act of kindness shapes our community. Shoutout to our culture committees for spreading the love with fun events like crafting nights, sweet surprises, and team dinners!

At OOTKS, we believe that when our kids feel included and our team feels valued, the whole community shines. Thank you to our staff, clients, and families for making OOTKS a place filled with kindness, joy, and heart.