ABA Therapy for ADHD in Dubai

ABA therapy for ADHD at ABLE UK is practical, strengths-based behaviour therapy that helps children with ADHD focus, plan, manage big feelings and follow through on everyday tasks. It combines one-to-one sessions with coaching for parents, set at a pace that works for your child. Sessions run at our Dubai Healthcare City and JLT clinics, in English or Arabic.

This page is part of our Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) service. It explains how ABA-based behaviour therapy fits into ADHD care, what a programme looks like and how to get started.

What ABA therapy for ADHD involves

Applied behaviour analysis looks at what happens before and after a behaviour, then uses that understanding to teach new skills. For a child with ADHD, this means working out when attention drifts, when impulses take over and what helps, then building routines, cues and rewards that make success more likely.

ABA therapy does not try to change who your child is. Many children with ADHD are curious, creative and full of energy. Our aim is to give them tools that let those strengths show, at home, at school and with friends.

Where behaviour therapy fits in ADHD care

Behaviour therapy is a recognised part of ADHD care. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that for children under 6, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parent training in behaviour management as the first line of treatment, before medication is tried. For school-age children, it recommends combining medication with behaviour therapy. You can read the CDC summary of ADHD treatment.

ABLE UK does not prescribe medication. If your child is under the care of a paediatrician or psychiatrist, our ABA team works alongside that care and, with your consent, shares progress so everyone is working towards the same goals.

Areas an ABA programme for ADHD can support

Attention and task completion

We break tasks into short, achievable steps, use visual timers and checklists, and build in movement breaks. Over time, children learn to start tasks, stay with them a little longer and finish what they begin, whether that is homework, getting dressed or tidying up.

Impulse and emotion regulation

Waiting, taking turns and coping with “no” can be hard for a child with ADHD. Therapists teach practical skills such as pausing before acting, asking for a break and using a calm-down plan, and practise them in games and real situations until they become easier.

Organisation and routines

Predictable routines reduce the number of decisions a child has to hold in mind. We help families design morning, homework and bedtime routines that are visual, simple and realistic, then adjust them as your child becomes more independent. Our blog explains more about creating structured routines through ABA therapy.

Confidence and self-esteem

Children with ADHD often hear more corrections than praise. Every programme deliberately builds in success and specific, positive feedback, so your child experiences what it feels like to get things right.

Parent coaching in behaviour management

Parent coaching is at the heart of ABA therapy for ADHD. The CDC describes parent training in behaviour management as teaching parents skills and strategies that use positive reinforcement, structure and consistent discipline, along with positive ways to interact and communicate with their child. Read more in the CDC guide to behaviour therapy for ADHD.

At ABLE UK, coaching is practical and tailored to your family. You will learn how to give instructions your child can follow, set up reward systems that motivate, respond calmly to difficult moments and keep routines consistent, with time to practise and review what is working.

Supporting your child at school

Many of the challenges parents notice first appear in the classroom. With your consent, our team can share strategies with your child’s teachers and learning support staff, such as seating, movement breaks, visual prompts and ways to break down classwork, so your child gets consistent support across settings. Our article on using ABA skills in everyday life explains why this consistency matters.

How we build your child’s ABA programme for ADHD

1. Parent consultation. We listen to your concerns, your child’s strengths, and what is happening at home and at school.
2. Assessment. A behaviour analyst observes your child and looks at when attention, impulses and emotions are hardest to manage, and what helps. If your child has not been assessed for ADHD, we can discuss our psychological evaluation service.
3. Individual programme. We agree a small number of practical goals with you, each with a clear way to measure progress.
4. Sessions and parent coaching. One-to-one sessions build skills directly, while coaching helps you use the same strategies at home.
5. Review and adapt. Progress is reviewed regularly and shared with you, and goals are updated as your child grows.

What a typical ABA session for ADHD looks like

Sessions are active and varied. A therapist might use a visual timer for a short focused task, follow it with a movement game, then practise waiting for a turn during a board game your child enjoys. Rewards are chosen with your child, so they feel motivating rather than imposed. For older children, sessions often focus on planning homework, organising belongings and managing frustration.

Honest answers: what ABA therapy can and cannot do for ADHD

ABA-based behaviour therapy teaches skills and strategies. It does not change the underlying way a child’s brain manages attention, and it is not a replacement for medical assessment or medication where a doctor has recommended it. Progress depends on consistent practice at home and school, which is why parent coaching is built into every programme. What families often notice first are small, practical changes, such as smoother mornings, fewer conflicts over homework or a child who can ask for a break instead of melting down.

ADHD alongside autism and other needs

ADHD often occurs alongside other differences, such as autism, speech and language difficulties or sensory processing differences. Because ABLE UK brings several disciplines together, your child’s behaviour analyst can work with our speech and language therapists and occupational therapists on shared goals. If your child is also autistic, our page on ABA therapy for autism explains our affirming approach. When behaviour feels hard to understand, our article on turning challenging behaviours into progress may help.

Your ABA team

ABA programmes at ABLE UK are delivered by an experienced team whose training includes:

• Sarah Amin: MSc Applied Psychology, BCaBA, QBA, IBA, ADOS-2 certified
• Ciby Koshy: IBA, QASP-S, DHA licensed, 11 years at ABLE UK
• Marife Romero Parong: BA Psychology, QABA ABAT, RBT, more than 10 years at ABLE UK
• Dennis Mangundayao: BSc Clinical Psychology, RBT, QABA ABAT, DIR/Floortime trained
• Mervin Valmonte Javier: BSc Nursing, RBT, QASP-S

You can read more about each clinician on our team page.

ABA therapy for ADHD in Dubai Healthcare City and JLT

ABLE UK has supported children and families in Dubai since 2014, drawing on more than 25 years of clinical heritage in the UK. ABA sessions and parent coaching are available in English and Arabic at both of our clinics:

• Dubai Healthcare City: 2nd Floor, Building 33, Dubai Healthcare City
• Jumeirah Lake Towers: 1605, 16th Floor, Fortune Executive Tower, Cluster T, JLT

To book an initial ABA consultation, call 04 552 0351, message us on WhatsApp at +971 52 774 5062 or use our contact form.

Frequently asked questions about ABA therapy for ADHD

More from our ABA service: Applied Behaviour Analysis overview · Autism Spectrum Disorder · Developmental Delays · Communication and Social Skills · Behaviour Support and Regulation · School Readiness and Adaptive Skills