Children on the autism spectrum can find new things overwhelming. Therefore, mastering the long-term goal of tolerating new things may prove difficult for them. This may be due to sensory overload, anxiety, discomfort, or a combination of those things. Learning to tolerate new things is important for your child’s emotional and social development. New things will appear throughout their life, such as school trips, going to play with friends, or visiting distant relatives. Your child will also experience new foods, new toys, and new sounds throughout their life. Difficulty with tolerating new things can lead to estrangement from their peers, which can result in loneliness, anxiety, and depression. It can also lead to future health issues if they do not learn to tolerate doctor’s visits or different foods, for example. It is important to be patient with your child when introducing new things to them. Helping your child master the long-term goal of  tolerating new things may increase their social skills, reduce isolation from peers, and improve overall well-being (physical and psychological).

Below are some strategies that may help your child master the long-term goal of tolerating new things:

• Role-play. Role-playing is an opportunity to practice different situations your child may be exposed to when experiencing something new, such as a community outing, unfamiliar environment, or healthcare visit. Make sure to provide guidance and feedback during the role-play in order to help your child act appropriately in the given scenario. For example, you can role-play certain parts of a physical examination with your child. In this scenario, you are the doctor, Dr. Brown (though you can use the name of your child’s doctor), and your child is the patient. For this scenario, you will be pretending to tap on their knees to check their reflexes.

• -> You can say, “Hi, [your child’s name], I’m Dr. Brown. It’s nice to meet you!”
• -> An example of a response you may be looking for from your child is, “Hi, Dr. Brown.” If they respond appropriately, reward them in character by saying something like, “Wow, [your child’s name], you are so kind and polite! Good job!” If they do not respond appropriately, take the moment to gently guide them and teach them how to respond.
• -> After that, say to your child, “[Your child’s name], I am going to tap on your knees. I need you to sit still for a moment.”
• -> If your child sits still and lets you tap on their knees like a doctor would, reward them and praise them. You can also reward them with a sticker or their favorite snack. If they do not respond appropriately or get upset, wait until they are calm and try to explain that it is a necessary part of a physical examination, after which you can try again. You do not want this to be traumatic or distressing for your child, so be aware of your child’s emotional state and stop if necessary. It is ok to try again at another time if you need to.
• -> Repeat the role-playing as many times as you think is necessary. Be sure to reward your child every time they successfully make it through a scenario. Phase out rewards as your child masters the acceptable behaviors for the scenario. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behaviors to be supported solely by social reinforcement.
• -> When role-playing, if your child has difficulty imagining you as a different person, you can change your outfit. For example, you can wear a white button up shirt to invoke a doctor’s coat. Another option is to change your voice, such as making it higher or deeper. You can also change the environment you are doing the role-playing in if you wish, but you should not make the changes large enough that your child is distressed, uncomfortable, or in pain. Changing the environment for role-playing can be as simple as moving to a room you and your child do not usually spend much time together in.

• Watch videos. In order to prepare your child for the new experience, you can watch a video that may show a similar event, or the actual event that you are going to, if possible. Answer any questions your child may have and note what they find uncomfortable. You can use this knowledge to better prepare your child for this new experience. It may also be helpful to give them the power to pause the video when they want to.

• -> For example, if you are going to a local town fair that has videos of it from past years uploaded on YouTube, take the time to watch them with your child and point things out, such as people and activities.
• -> For healthcare visits, you can watch, for example, Take A Field Trip to the Doctor’s Office from KidVision Pre-K. The video goes through what a wellness checkup looks like and what your child will have to do, along with the people that they are likely to see and / or interact with (doctors, nurses, etc.).
• -> If you are visiting a family member that your child has not met yet and has not yet been to their house, you may want to ask your family member for a video of the house, as well as the family member and whoever else will be there introducing themselves.

• Discuss what is going to happen. Discuss with your child what they are going to experience. Include information about who is going, who you might see there, and things your child can or may need to do. Encourage them to ask you questions and answer them to the best of your ability. You can use visual images to demonstrate to your child what they will encounter and explain what each image shows. Make sure to answer any questions that your child may have and give them information so they know what to expect. For example, for a wellness visit to a doctor:

• -> Show your child an image of people walking through the office door into the waiting area and tell your child “We will go into the doctor’s office.”
• -> Show your child an image of a person checking in at a desk and tell them “We will give them your name so the doctor knows you are there.”
• -> Show your child an image of a person getting weighed on a scale and say “The nurse will weigh you.”
• -> Show your child an image of someone getting their blood-pressure taken and say “The nurse will take your blood pressure.”
• -> Show your child an image of a doctor examining a patient and tell your child “The doctor will examine your body, and that is okay because they are a doctor, and I will be there with you.”

• Additional resources:

For the parent:

How to Encourage Your Child to Try New Things | Big Life Journal

A Parent’s Guide To Help Kids Accept Change and Tolerate Uncertainty - Raising Kids With Purpose

Giving kids the confidence to try new things | CNN

For the child:

Jabari Jumps | a story about trying new things - YouTube

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood | It Can Be Hard to Try Something New! | PBS KIDS - YouTube

In order to help your child master the long-term goal of tolerating new things, you can work with your child on the short-term goals of tolerating community outings, tolerating unfamiliar environments, cooperating with physical examinations, tolerating medications, tolerating medical procedures, tolerating the dentist, or tolerating novel stimuli.

Tolerating Community Outings

For the short-term goal of tolerating community outings, you can choose a target such as tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute, tolerating a busy community outing for 5 minutes, tolerating a small community outing, tolerating a community outing outside of your locality, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what type of community outing and for what period of time you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute while working on the short-term goal of tolerating community outings. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. As you arrive at a community event with many people, stay with your parent and hold their hand.
2. Set a timer (e.g., on a phone) for 1 minute.
3. Start the timer and walk around the gathering for 1 minute.
4. When the timer goes off, exit the gathering.

• Step 2: An initial / specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as a picture of the busy community outing, such as a picture of a local block party, or a verbal SD (“Time to go somewhere busy!” or “Let’s practice going somewhere busy!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently. For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, if your child is able to complete the entire task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 2 min, 3 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to set the timer for one minute, then walk around until the timer goes off, followed by leaving).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute over a certain number of sessions. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating a busy community outing for 1 minute over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tolerating Unfamiliar Environments

For the short-term goal of tolerating unfamiliar environments, you can choose a target such as tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute, tolerating being in a new store for 5 minutes, tolerating a new park / playground, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what new location you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute while working on the short-term goal of tolerating unfamiliar environments. The task analysis for tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute will require you to select a store that is unfamiliar to your child but will not cause sensory issues or overwhelm them. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. Outside of a new store, set a timer for 1 minute.
2. Enter the store.
3. Walk around the store for 1 minute.
4. When the timer goes off, exit the store.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of a store, or a verbal SD (“Time to try a new store!” or “Let’s go to a new store!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently. For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, if your child is able to complete the entire task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 2 min, 3 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to set a timer for 1 minute, then walk around until the timer goes off).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute over a certain number of sessions. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating being in a new store for 1 minute over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Cooperating with Physical Examinations

For the short-term goal of cooperating with physical examinations, you can choose a target such as tolerating waiting for an appointment, tolerating taking off shoes, tolerating a stethoscope, tolerating a blood pressure cuff, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what part of a physical examination you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating a blood pressure cuff while working on the short-term goal of tolerating physical examinations. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. Sit down on a chair facing your parent.
2. Hold out your arm when asked.
3. Allow your parent to put a blood pressure cuff (or tie a scarf instead) on your arm.
4. Relax your arm.
5. Let the other person take your blood pressure (or pretend to take it).
6. Allow the other person to take off the blood pressure cuff (or scarf).

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as a picture of a blood pressure cuff, or a verbal SD (“Time to take our blood pressure!” or “Let’s use a blood pressure cuff!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 2 min, 5 min, 10 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating a blood pressure cuff), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to put a blood pressure cuff on, then have your blood pressure taken, followed by taking off the blood pressure cuff).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating a blood pressure cuff during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating a blood pressure cuff by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating a blood pressure cuff over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tolerating Medications

For the short-term goal of tolerating medications, you can choose a target such as tolerating liquid medications, tolerating chewable medications, tolerating pills, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what type of medication you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating liquid medications while working on the short-term goal of tolerating medications. The task analysis for tolerating liquid medications will require you to find a substitute liquid that has the same consistency as a liquid medicine. For example, you can use thickener to thicken a drink or a drink with a thicker consistency, such as Pedialyte. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. Sit or stand facing your parent.
2. Reach out and receive the fake liquid medicine.
3. Hold the fake liquid medicine.
4. Drink the fake liquid medicine.
5. Return the container that held the fake liquid medicine.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of medicine, or a verbal SD (“Time to practice taking medicine!” or “Let’s take some medicine!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 min, 2 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating liquid medications), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to hold the liquid medicine and then drink it).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating liquid medications during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating liquid medications by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating liquid medications over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tolerating Medical Procedures

For the short-term goal of tolerating medical procedures, you can choose a target such as tolerating a scan (e.g., an X-ray), tolerating a blood draw, tolerating changing into a medical gown, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what medical procedure you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating a scan while working on the short-term goal of tolerating medical procedures. The task analysis for tolerating a scan will require you to set up an area that mimics where your child would get a medical scan, such as an X-ray. This can include being in a smaller, darker room with limited lighting and with a table your child will need to stay on for a period of time. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. Enter the pretend scanning room.
2. When you are told to sit on the table, get help from your parent, climb and sit on the table.
3. When you are told to lay down, get help as needed from your parent and lay down on the table you were sitting on.
4. Observe the timer set for the scan, and continue to lie on the table.
5. When the timer goes off, wait for your parent to tell you to sit up, and then get up and sit on the table.
6. With help from your parent, get off the table.
7. Leave the pretend scanning room.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of someone getting a scan, or a verbal SD (“Time to practice getting a scan!” or “Let’s practice getting a medical scan!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating a scan), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to lay on the scanning table, then wait for the scan to be taken, followed by leaving the scanning room).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating a scan over a certain number of sessions. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating a scan by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating a scan over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tolerating the Dentist

For the short-term goal of tolerating the dentist, you can choose a target such as tolerating someone touching your teeth, tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time (i.e., 1 min, 2 min), tolerating someone else brushing your teeth, tolerating someone else flossing your teeth, etc.

• Step 1: Decide what part of a dentist visit you would like your child to learn to tolerate. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time (1 min) while working on the short-term goal of tolerating the dentist. The task analysis could be as follows:

1. Sit in a chair.
2. Set a timer for 1 minute.
3. Open your mouth as if at the dentist and start the timer.
4. Sit there with your mouth open for 1 minute.
5. When the timer goes off, relax your jaw and close your mouth.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as a picture of someone getting a dental procedure, or a verbal SD (“Time to open our mouth for 1 minute!” or “Let’s hold our mouth open for 1 minute!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently. For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Alternatively, if your child is able to complete task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time [1 min]), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to open your mouth for the dentist, then sit there for 1 minute with your mouth open, followed by resting your jaw and closing your mouth).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently. Decide if you want to utilize forwards or backwards chaining to teach the steps that your child may struggle to complete independently. Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time (1 min) during a session. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time (1 min) by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating sitting with your mouth open for an extended period of time (1 min) over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.

Tolerating Novel Stimuli

For the short-term goal of tolerating novel stimuli, you can choose a target such as tolerating novel stimuli for 1 minute, tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes, tolerating novel stimuli for 5 minutes, etc.

• Step 1: Decide for how long you would like your child to tolerate a novel stimulus. For example, you can choose the target of tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes while working on the short-term goal of tolerating novel stimuli. The task analysis for tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes could be as follows:

1. Sit in a comfortable position.
2. Set a timer for 2 minutes. 
3. Start the timer when your parent turns on soft music in a style new to you.
4. Listen to the new music for 2 minutes.
5. When the timer goes off, the new music also is turned off, and you excuse yourself and go play.

• Step 2: An initial/specific discriminative stimulus (SD) should be selected that will cue your child that the task will start. This SD can be a visual SD, such as an image of the word new, or a verbal SD (“Time to try something new!” or “Let’s do something new!”).
• Step 3: Collect baseline level data by providing the SD from Step 2 and allowing your child to attempt their part independently. The baseline level will vary according to your child and their specific abilities. Take data on which steps were accurately done independently (i.e., their part). For example, you can count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, if your child is able to complete their entire part of the task analysis independently, record how long it takes your child to complete it independently (e.g., 3 min, 5 min, 7 min, etc.).
• Step 4: To begin the trial to monitor progress towards meeting the target (i.e., the target of tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes), provide the SD from Step 2 and allow your child to attempt their part independently. When your child is successful, provide reinforcement. If the reinforcer for the behavior is a tangible item, such as a small snack or a token for a token board, ensure that it is provided with a great deal of verbal praise. Ideally, you want your child’s positive behavior to be supported solely by social reinforcement. If the behavior was not displayed, end the trial and provide the appropriate level of prompting on the following trial. For example, employ a model prompt to show your child what to do at the beginning of the following trial (e.g., model for your child how to start a timer, then listen to a tune that will not upset your child for 2 minutes, followed by turning off the music when the timer goes off).
• Step 5: Collect data on how your child makes progress. For example, count how many steps in a row (from the task analysis in Step 1) your child can complete independently (i.e., their part). Alternatively, you can track progress by recording how long it takes your child to complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1. Or, alternatively, you can track progress by counting the number of successful attempts at tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes over a certain number of sessions. 
• Step 6: Track how your child makes progress to meet the target of tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes by comparing with either a number threshold or a percentage threshold (necessary to meet the target). For example, you can record the number of successful attempts at tolerating novel stimuli for 2 minutes over a certain number of sessions, and compare that with the number threshold necessary to meet the target. Alternatively, you can record what percentage of times your child can complete their part in all the steps from the task analysis in Step 1, and compare that with the percentage threshold necessary to meet the target.