Your child’s crying got louder this week. The hitting came back, or one request now arrives twenty times in a row. If that started soon after a new ABA plan began, you may be seeing an extinction burst. I want you to hear this first: it is a known, temporary pattern, and it does not automatically mean therapy is failing.
An extinction burst is a short-term jump in how often, how loudly, or how long a behavior happens right after the payoff that kept it going stops. Below, I’ll walk you through what it looks like, what the research says, and what helps at home.
What Is an Extinction Burst in ABA Therapy?
Every behavior serves a purpose, such as getting attention, escaping a task, or reaching a favorite item. When we change how those payoffs work, a child often pushes harder before settling into something new. Extinction is one tool within ABA, and behavioral approaches have the most evidence behind them of any autism treatment category, according to the CDC.
What it looks like at home
Parents describe it in different ways, but the signs tend to overlap:
- Crying or screaming that is louder or longer than usual
- A familiar behavior showing up more often
- An old behavior returning after weeks of quiet
- New behaviors, like dropping to the floor, appearing alongside the usual one
One preschooler I worked with used to scream to get out of puzzle time. Once we stopped letting the scream end the task, the screaming doubled for several sessions. His parents were understandably worried. His team was not, because the spike told us we had found what the screaming was for. It faded as he learned to ask for a break instead.
Why it happens
Your child has learned that a behavior works. When it suddenly stops working, trying harder is a logical next move. Think of pressing an elevator button again and again when it seems stuck.
The ABC principles we use look at what happens before, during, and after a behavior, which helps us pinpoint the payoff. UNC’s AFIRM resources note that bursts tend to appear soon after extinction begins and often suggest the team identified the behavior’s function correctly.
How Common Is an Extinction Burst, and How Long Does It Last?
The research is more nuanced than most parents are told. Bursts do happen, but not in every case, and they tend to be temporary.
What studies show
A widely cited review of 113 data sets found bursting in 24% of cases. It appeared in 12% of cases when extinction was paired with other procedures, such as reinforcing a replacement behavior, compared with 36% when extinction was used alone.
That is why we rarely rely on extinction by itself. Teaching a better option alongside it lowers the odds of a burst and can soften it.
How long it tends to last
There is no universal clock. In my experience, a burst usually peaks early and eases as your child gets needs met through a new route. If you are just starting services, our notes on the first ABA session explain why early behavior is information for the team, not a forecast.
If the spike keeps climbing instead of easing, that tells us to review the plan. Waiting it out is the wrong response in that case.
What to Do During an Extinction Burst
Your response in these moments shapes what comes next. The goal is calm, predictable follow-through while your child learns a better way to communicate.
Stay consistent, especially at the peak
Giving in at the loudest moment can teach your child that louder works. Over time, that can make the behavior stronger. If your resolve is slipping, that is normal, and it is a good reason to call your BCBA rather than improvise.
Teach and reward a replacement skill
Every burst needs an easier, better option nearby. We teach children to ask for a break, request help, or use a card or device, and we honor those requests quickly.
If refusals are your biggest struggle, our post on task avoidance may help. If objects are flying, read about throwing when upset.
Put safety first
Not every behavior is a candidate for extinction. If a behavior involves hitting, biting, or self-injury, your BCBA may add safeguards or choose a different strategy altogether. Please never test this on your own with a dangerous behavior.
When to Call Your BCBA
Reach out to your team the same day if you notice any of these:
- Risk of injury to your child or others
- A spike that keeps building instead of easing
- The behavior spreading to school, daycare, or a relative’s house
- Caregivers who cannot follow the plan the same way each time
Behavior can also return later when a new skill is rewarded less often too quickly. One review of schedule thinning found this pattern in 19 of 25 applications, which is why we thin reinforcement gradually and watch the data. We also plan for generalization in ABA so new skills hold up in every setting.
Where Families Can Find Support
A burst is easier to handle with a team beside you. At Little Champs ABA, we build services around your child’s routine and your family’s schedule.
A family we worked with near Denver kept a simple tally sheet on the fridge during a burst. It showed their BCBA the spike peaking and then easing, and it gave the parents something steady to hold onto.
Families across Colorado can reach us in places like Aurora and Colorado Springs. In Utah, you can visit our Cottonwood Heights center or connect with us in Salt Lake City and Park City. We also serve Georgia, including Atlanta and Alpharetta, and families in Virginia.
Our services include:
- Center-based ABA therapy
- ABA therapy at home
- ABA therapy in school
- ABA therapy in daycare
- ABA therapy for teenagers
- Telehealth ABA
Want to talk through what you are seeing? Contact our team or call 385-494-3500, and we will help you build a plan you feel confident following.
FAQs
Does an extinction burst mean ABA is not working?
No. A burst often appears early and can show the team identified what the behavior was for. It does not occur in every case, and when it does, it is temporary. If it keeps building, we review the plan.
How long does an extinction burst last?
There is no fixed timeline. It commonly peaks early and eases as your child learns a replacement skill. If the behavior is not easing, tell your BCBA so the plan can be adjusted.
Should I give in to stop the behavior?
Giving in at the peak can teach your child that louder works. Follow the plan, reward the replacement skill, and call your BCBA if anyone’s safety is at risk.
Staying Steady Through an Extinction Burst
The weeks after a plan changes are often the hardest, and an extinction burst can make them feel endless. Keep a simple log, keep your responses predictable, and celebrate every time your child uses the new skill, even clumsily.
You do not have to hold the line alone. Your BCBA can adjust the plan, and our team is here whenever you want a second set of eyes.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Treatment and intervention for autism spectrum disorder. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/treatment/index.html
- Morin, K. L., & AFIRM Team. (2024). Extinction. UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/Extinction-Brief-Packet-Morin-AFIRM-Team-Updated-2024-1.pdf
- Lerman, D. C., & Iwata, B. A. (1995). Prevalence of the extinction burst and its attenuation during treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28(1), 93–94. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1279794
- Fisher, W. W., Greer, B. D., Shahan, T. A., & Norris, H. M. (2023). Basic and applied research on extinction bursts. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 56(1), 4–28. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9868065
- Briggs, A. M., Fisher, W. W., Greer, B. D., & Kimball, R. T. (2018). Prevalence of resurgence of destructive behavior when thinning reinforcement schedules during functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51(3), 620–633. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6041172
- Nist, A. N., & Shahan, T. A. (2021). The extinction burst: Impact of reinforcement time and level of analysis on measured prevalence. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 116(2), 131–148. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34472626/