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Caravel Autism Health – Bettendorf

4.7 (9 Reviews)

Providing diagnostic evaluations and personalized ABA therapy for children as young as 12 months in Bettendorf, IA.

Services: Diagnostics Evaluation, ABA Therapy

Address: 4505 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf, IA 52722

New Parents: 563-363-6267

General Inquiries: 563-649-4206

Hours: Mon – Fri: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM

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We accept most insurance providers

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Personalized ABA Therapy for Children with Autism in Bettendorf, IA

Our clinics offer one-to-one therapy and peer interaction in a welcoming, child-friendly environment designed especially for children on the autism spectrum. We have ample space for children to engage in activities that promote exercise as well as opportunities to improve communication and social skills.

Caravel Autism Health, a leader in the field, is devoted to helping families navigate the challenges of childhood autism. Our team of clinical experts specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children on the autism spectrum. Caravel’s research-based and data-driven programs are designed to provide better outcomes that help children with autism reshape their development and embrace new ways of interacting with the world.

Learn More About Caravel

Diagnostics Evaluation

Our clinicians provide a comprehensive evaluation to understand your child’s development. This formal assessment confirms whether autism is present and lays the foundation for therapy, school accommodations, and insurance coverage.

ABA Therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the gold standard in autism care. At Caravel, therapy is individualized, assent-based, and engaging. We focus on building communication, social, and daily living skills, while adapting goals as your child grows.

Caregiver Collaboration

Parents are partners in progress. We equip families with practical tools, hands-on training, and regular updates so progress continues at home and in the community.

Inside Our Bettendorf Center

Take a look inside our clinic. Our centers are designed especially for children on the autism spectrum, with therapy rooms, play areas, and spaces that encourage communication, social growth, and confidence.

Our Expert Team in Bettendorf

At Caravel Autism Health, families are supported by a compassionate team of specialists dedicated to helping children with autism grow and thrive. Our clinicians, therapists, and care coordinators work closely with parents to create individualized ABA therapy plans, provide ongoing guidance, and celebrate every milestone together.

Kristin has been working in the special needs field since 2012. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health science from Bradley University in 2014 and earned her master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Ball State University in 2020. Kristin is also a certified massage therapist. Her experience before coming to Caravel includes serving as an aide at a special recreation camp, working as a personal aide for individual families with special needs children, and serving as an RBT for three years while completing her BCBA certification. Kristin sees the acquisition of any skill as a way of attaining independence for her clients. She especially enjoys working on feeding goals with learners to expand not only their food options but also to expand their willingness to try new things and their ability to bond with family.

Kelly has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2018. Along with her bachelor’s degree, she has earned two master’s degrees in special education: one from Bradley University in 2016 and another from Ball State University in 2019. Kelly began her career as an special education teacher, which gives her special insight into teaching school readiness skills and transitioning children to less restrictive environments with same-aged peers. A BCBA since 2021, she has worked with children in various settings—school, homes, and centers—focusing on functional communication as well as daily living skills like potty training. Kelly is passionate about supporting children as they grow and thrive, and she finds great joy in witnessing how their achievements positively affect everyone around them—parents, grandparents, teachers, and beyond.

Alexis has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) since 2022 when she started as a behavior technician with Caravel. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in child, adult, and family services from Iowa State University in 2021 and then worked with children in before- and after-school programs and as a PACE enrichment intern. While earning her master’s degree in ABA from Ball State University, Alexis grew with Caravel, becoming a senior intern, senior therapist, and following her certification, a BCBA. She loves seeing the growth in clients and families through assessments, individualized therapy, and parent training. Supporting the interests and development of others in this field is also a particular passion.

Not Sure Where to Begin? We’ll Guide You.

Early intervention can change a child’s future. Caravel helps families take the first steps, from recognizing early signs to completing a quick screener and connecting with the team who will support your child’s journey.

LEARN ABOUT AUTISM & THE EARLY SIGNS

Understand common early indicators such as limited eye contact, delayed speech, or repetitive behaviors.

TAKE THE CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENER

A quick tool to help you decide if a diagnostic evaluation may be needed.

MEET YOUR CHILD’S TEAM

Behind every child’s progress is a dedicated team of clinicians, therapists, and support staff who guide families every step of the way.

What Our Families Have to Say

Our daughter attended ABA therapy at Caravel, and the growth we’ve seen in her is amazing. We truly appreciate everything their staff has done, the people are knowledgeable, they set goals and use a very data-driven method to holistically improve home, school, and social skills. We’d love to especially thank Janey and Kristin for their hard work and dedication to our kids, we cannot thank them enough

— Emily U.

We can’t thank Caravel enough for all of the support, time, and patience they had poured into our kiddo while she was with them. She grew leaps and bounds over the 9 months there and I cannot believe it! They helped us with information and things we could do to help our daughter at home! Special thanks to Alexis, Kristin, & Kirklynns favorite “teacher” Noah for loving our girl, never letting her feel like she didn’t belong and to always make sure she knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it! <3

— Cierrah B.

This place is more than exceptional. Their diligence and care to the development of your little ones is above the cut. If your child needs any sort of assistance in autistic development this is the place to go. You will not be disappointed.

— Andrew R.

I honestly don’t know where to start. The staff that are here are AWESOME. People have their own opinion on ABA Therapy. I will be the first to say that it definitely depends on the child and the staff. My child benefited from ABA with the help of his team.

My son went to Caravel for a year I believe it was. He started when he was 2 and he just turned 3 this past November. He is non verbal. He just recently stopped going because I put him in Pre K. He is 3 yrs old and he hit a stand still and I felt putting him in Pre K was the next step. Every child is different and learn at their own pace. My baby is very smart and catches on to things very quickly. I just felt him being in a school setting and environment, he would progress even more. During his time at Caravel he learned a lot. Before he started he wasn’t aware of his surroundings. Didn’t acknowledge there were other people that existed. Didn’t play with other kids. Didn’t know how. He didn’t know his colors, didn’t have any social skills. He even learned how to transition. My baby can sort his colors, loves doing puzzles, and he loves people. Loves trying to play with other kids. He is still learning how to play but he acknowledges other kids, runs next to them and really tries to interacts with them. He moved from the Davenport location to the Bettendorf location. We thought it was going to be really bad for him but he adjusted so well. It took a few weeks but he adjusted and he was fine. Transitioning from Caravel to Pre K he did so well too. We love his teacher and classroom. He was napping the first day at Pre K. He is progressing so well there. I’m glad I made the decision to put him ABA therapy and now Pre K

Caravel prepared my son for school. They set him up for success. I am really grateful for Kristin, Alexis and the team. Having weekly meetings were very helpful. We talked about his progress every week and how he was doing overall. That is what also helped me with making the section for him to transition into Pre K. The staff there are very helpful and listens to your concerns. The ability to text and communicate was awesome too. I was able to check on him and that soothed me on the days I would worry about him. They are very accommodating and works with your schedule. Kristen and Alexis knows the children and goes above and beyond to help the children to learn and cope with the things they need help with coping. I could go on and on about them and how much they helped my son. But I will end it here because I’m getting a little teary eyed. Really though, I enjoyed our time together and the success they set my son up for. He is doing awesome and I recommend Caravel for ABA for anybody that is looking for a great, caring place for their little one.

Thank you Ms. Kristin, Ms. Alexis and the team for everything!

— Ieashea A.

Life-Changing 6 Month Experience with Caravel Autism Services

Our experience with Caravel Autism Services has been nothing short of transformational. Our son James was diagnosed with level 2 autism at age 4, and we started with Caravel to help him build the skills necessary for a successful transition into Kindergarten. The changes we’ve seen in James since then have been beyond what we could have hoped for.

Before Caravel, James was bright but intensely rigid, making family life difficult as he struggled with flexibility and daily transitions. Within weeks of starting at Caravel’s Davenport clinic (later transferring to the Bettendorf location closer to our home), we noticed real, measurable changes in his behavior and mindset. He developed courage to try new things, and his intellectual curiosity flourished. Caravel’s data-driven, personalized ABA approach unlocked his potential, supporting his interests, and using his strengths to build critical skills.

The Caravel team worked thoughtfully to integrate James’s passions into therapy. For example, he began to show early reading and math skills, so the team encouraged these interests, which led to deeper engagement and a love of learning. His fascination with numbers grew, as did his vocabulary around complex topics like science. But most importantly, Caravel helped him gain emotional control and resilience. We witnessed him learning to handle frustration, express emotions appropriately, and accept instruction, all major breakthroughs that have improved his daily life and relationships.

Caravel also provided critical support for us as working parents. They were incredibly flexible during a complex transition involving public preschool and additional therapy services, collaborating with us to build a detailed, visual schedule for James that he could easily follow. Weekly meetings with Erin, our senior RBT, were invaluable—they kept us informed, equipped us with tools for home, and gave us confidence as we worked alongside his IEP team to prepare him for school.

Thanks to Caravel, James has had a seamless start to Kindergarten. His IEP team recently reported that he’s already achieved his communication goals, and he’s thriving to the point that his aide is no longer essential. Our family even took our first big trip last summer, which went beautifully—a milestone we couldn’t have imagined a year ago.

Caravel’s team, especially Erin and Kristin, treated James like their own and were truly committed to his success. We’ve come away from this experience with a toolkit that will serve us for years, and we can’t thank them enough. If you’re considering ABA therapy, I can’t recommend Caravel enough. It has changed our lives.

— Irene B.

Frequently Asked Questions

Give us a call at 920-239-5474 or complete this form: https://caravelautism.com/contact-us/

Prior to beginning therapy, a diagnostic evaluation is required. Additional testing is based on individual need and is only used if the testing will help us to design a program or therapy. In general, testing is used to help diagnose disorders and determine levels of intellectual functioning, language ability or adaptive skills. Caravel provides diagnostic evaluations or if you have one from another professional source, that can usually also be used. Testing can also be helpful to chart the effectiveness of therapy.

An evaluation and any diagnostic testing will be billed to insurance (and/or Medicaid where permissible). Testing may be a part of the initial assessment or follow-up assessment. Please check with your insurance company. Typically, your family would be responsible for a potential deductible and/or co-pay. In some states, if you have Medicaid there would be no charge for the assessment beyond what is reimbursed by Medicaid. Any questions regarding financial responsibility may be discussed prior to an appointment with our billing staff. If testing would pose a financial hardship for the family, this should be discussed with billing. We work with parents/guardians to meet the needs of their individual case. Expenses can be spread over time.

Therapy typically takes place in a local Caravel clinic. Under limited and clinically appropriate circumstances, we recommend that some children receive therapy in a home-based setting.

ABA therapy programs are wide-ranging and covers all areas in which your child needs to be successful. Goals are created and broken down into small steps. The steps are then organized into a logical order and taught one small step at a time. Areas may include communication, behavioral, functional and social skills.

Research shows that the greater the amount of hours, the better the outcome for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with an autism characteristically do not learn naturally throughout their days like typically developing children do. Learning is a full-time job for children that typically occurs without being noticed. Children with an autism need to be taught to learn. This means many hours of practicing these skills. Parent/guardian training and involvement is also an essential part of a successful ABA program. Tools and techniques of ABA should be incorporated into daily life. The amount of ABA therapy needed will depend on a variety of factors to be determined in the diagnostic evaluation.

Parent/guardians are trained to do individual therapy with their child. We recommend that parent/guardians engage their child in a few hours of therapy a week to be familiar with what their child is learning. Parent/guardians are encouraged to join team meetings and training provided by clinic staff or outside professionals.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is data-driven, so your clinical team will consistently record data and write session notes during each therapy session, documenting your child’s responses using our proprietary computerized data system.

Our clinicians often work closely with other professionals because we realize that different experts can add valuable insight into treatment. If suggestions can be added to a therapy plan without crossing ethical or professional boundaries, we will bring these suggestions into therapy.

Caravel Autism Health – Bettendorf

We accept most insurance providers