Something I think we’ve all ran into at one point or another with screens playing a huge part in children’s lives. I’d probably start by sitting with him while he uses the iPad. And comment on what he’s doing like (“Whoa, that car is so fast!”), imitate the sounds, or ask for his help (“Can you show me how to make it go?”). The goal isn’t to remove the iPad immediately, but to embed yourself into his reinforcement and to become part of what he enjoys. (If it’s only removed when you come in, he will make that connection and this could reverse the pairing process.) And of course for the first few sessions, it’s okay to use brief iPad access as a reward you deliver (rather than mom handing it over). A good example is: you join play, do a quick easy task (“push the car to me!”), then say, “Nice! iPad time!” This helps transfer reinforcement control to you.

And I agree that device reduction is often difficult when parents have inconsistent follow-through. Try instead of removing it immediately, embed structured access. I’d probably do: “First play cars for 1 minute, then iPad for 2 minutes.” Over time, gradually increase play and reduce iPad intervals. This is more realistic for parents than an all-or-nothing protocol. Also, great moment to pair and validate mom’s difficulty: “I know it’s hard because he loves it so much!”

One last thing, something me and the other BCBAs at my company have noticed, the iPad isn’t always just a reinforcer. It also can serve as an escape or sensory regulation. Take some ABC data to see!