It's great you're looking into the long-term effects of ABA and ESDM! Research shows both therapies can lead to significant improvements for children with autism.

Specifically, after about 6 months, both ABA and ESDM can improve cognitive, language, social, and motor skills. One study even found ESDM was particularly helpful for social reciprocity, while ABA excelled in gross motor skills. After 2 years, ABA shows a boost in adaptive behavior and IQ, while ESDM demonstrates lasting gains in language and cognition. It's worth noting that higher intensity interventions (20-40 hours/week) do not yield proportionally better outcomes.

For more information, this article discusses how early therapy may seed lasting gains: https://www.thetransmitter.org..../spectrum/early-ther