It's great you're looking into ABA and ESDM therapies! Research shows both can lead to significant improvements for children with autism, though they have different strengths.

After 6 months, both therapies improve cognitive abilities, language, social skills, motor skills, and behavior. ESDM shows greater improvement in social reciprocity, while ABA leads to greater gains in gross motor skills.

In the long term, children receiving ESDM maintained social and behavioral gains even two years after treatment ended. Studies show ESDM can lead to notable cognitive improvements, with one study showing an average IQ increase of 17.6 points. ABA is effective in adaptive behavior and cognitive ability, with early intensive ABA showing a mean difference of 14.13 points in IQ after two years.

It's important to consider each child's specific needs when choosing a therapy!