It's great you're looking into ABA and ESDM! Recent studies show both therapies can lead to significant improvements in autistic children, including gains in cognition, language, and social skills.

One study (PMC12116431) found that after 6 months, ESDM showed greater gains in social-receptive skills, while ABA improved gross motor skills more. Both enhanced language and social interaction. A 2024 study (pediatrics.jmir.org/2024/1/e62878/) found that intermediate ABA treatment hours optimized gains, challenging the idea that more is always better.

Combining ESDM with TEACCH also showed greater cognitive gains than ESDM alone (frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1669476/full). It seems the best approach is to personalize therapy to match individual symptoms and needs.