ABA & Your Family
ABA (applied behavior analysis) is defined as the science in which the analysis of behavior are applied systematically to improve socially significant behavior, and in which experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for change in behavior. Basically ABA is finding out why your child does something and then tailoring a program on increasing good behavior and decreasing bad behavior. There is no cure for autism, there is only treatments.
Any parents I talk to I stress that ABA works, it works for Neuro-typical kids, it works for special needs kids. It works when I try to use it on my Mom to get her to listen to me, it works!
There are a few things I think are important to know about ABA:
1. Not all ABA companies are created equally-
We moved onto a newer and better company, Avita Nova! The supervisor that I had adored had moved here and now I knew the questions I needed to ask to get the services for my kids that I knew they deserved.
- If we needed them could the therapists go on outings with us?
- Can the therapists eat with us when we run food programs so that our kids see them making a good impression?
- Is there a play group with other kids in their age groups?
- How often does the supervisor check in?
- Are the therapists required to provide their own positive reinforcers, supplemented by us, such as games, stickers and toys?
- How often do they change the program?
- Are the therapists allowed to be alone with kids?
- What is the stance of the company on punishment?
- Does my insurance cover the cost?
- Is my co payment per day or per session? As sometimes you can have several sessions in one day.
- Will the company work with the insurance company or is it my responsibility?
- If the therapist doesn't work out can we request a new one?
- What education do the therapists have?
- Is their a background check on therapists?
- Do the therapist believe in pairing? (pairing is when the therapist spends a certain amount of time bonding with the kids, they don't run programs just play getting to know the kids.)
When Liam was first diagnosed with Autism I saw an advertisement on Facebook for a summer camp. We had never been in any therapy whatsoever and I was excited to meet other parents and kids that were going through the same thing we were going through. The company (Trumpet Behavioral Health) started off wonderfully; they had a play group with other kids in Liam's age group. They came to our house. They had camps for summer, spring and winter breaks. The supervisor was very much on top of our therapists but then our supervisor left and everything went downhill. We started losing therapists, we didn't see our new supervisor at all and it just seemed like they cared more about making money than us. I was so sad when we left because they had started to become part of our family. We left behind some amazing people.
2. School ABA is different than home/office ABA-
It took us a very long time to get ABA into Liam's classroom. I fought tooth and nail for over a year to get them to offer it to him. Liam was having accidents in the classroom, he was hitting and biting teachers and other students, he was screaming and crying on a daily basis and he was hiding under desks in an effort to escape the teacher and aides. No matter how much ABA he was provided at home it didn't matter because with ABA it's about immediate response to behaviors. We couldn't immediately respond to the behavior in the classroom because the therapist wasn't in the classroom.
Liam now receives 5 hours of ABA in the classroom every week. The teacher decides when Liam needs the time most. Is he having a hard time with other kids at recess, is he having a hard time sitting still for math, or is at the end of the day when he's tired that he needs time with his ABA therapist?
The district can provide ABA services in the classroom if you or they feel it's necessary. If you feel it is necessary and they do not provide it start keeping records on everything. Talk to your teacher and make them understand how important ABA is to you and your child. Most special needs teachers use ABA in their classrooms already! (token boards?!) Most districts (including San Mateo) have an Autism specialist on staff.
3. ABA works best when it's started early
You know how you have always wanted to learn Italian? You have taken class after class but your accent is still not great? Yet your friend whose parents are linguists knows 6 different languages and speaks them fluently with a perfect accent! It's all about getting to their brains while they are still forming. Our children will always be different but we can give them the tools to succeed, and the faster we give them those tools the more time they will have to put them to good use.
I also want to stress that if you do not start early it doesn't mean that your child will not learn. It just makes it easier if they are young.
4. ABA will not turn your child into a parrot or robot, and in fact your child can have fun!
When our children are learning to read they memorize. When our children are learning to do their times tables they memorize the problems. When children learn they do sound robotic until they are able to make choices on their own. If ABA is implemented correctly they will not sound robotic or like a parrot. They won't repeat back what they are told but will make healthy choices on their own.
Children are not made to sit for hours at a table. They get up, they play pretend, they have sessions during play groups. In fact we have had sessions in the pool before! We have made oatmeal cookies, we have painted pictures and built blanket forts.
If you have any questions of your own please feel free to leave them in the comments section below!
*All opinions are my own. Although Trumpet did not work for us, it doesn't mean they won't work for you.
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