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Replies to '01/17 Extreme Disorders'
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January 17, 2006, 3:56 pm PST
 Quote From: elna1234 In regards to your post: ABA agencies run on the spectrum, much like ASD. Unfortunately, parents who have done ABA and don't agree with it have a skewed view. A well run ABA program runs on the priciples of positive reinforcement and having fun. I will and can never teach a child who is sad and frustrated and upset. What is so wonderful about ABA is that it breaks things down. For example, the "art" of conversation has many many sub-components: eye contact, non verbal gestures, prgamatics, staying on topic, segwaying, answering questions, switching topics, making statements, small talk, etc... ABA can break down all those sub components so that children with autism are successful.. i would never just throw a child into a peer group situation and expect them to read emotional cues, answer questions, look at the person who is talking etc...before they get there we work systematically to strenghten those weak skills and make them successful so that these children have confidence in themselves when they are confronted with peer situations. For the younger ones, it may seem redundent when we ask them to do things over and over again, but it all has a purpose. If you think of really small infants: they absolutely love repetition. Teletubbies repeats their little segways (when the camera shoots into the tummy). So really good therapists can make something like reduncy seem super duper fun by powerfully reinforcing the act, not keeping the child in the chair for long and having lots of fun! I am truly amazed at all the wonderful, varied children i have worked with over the past 6 years. It is a blessing to see these children learn how much fun it is to be around people, to enjoy sharing toys with other kids or talking about Bionicles to other children, to go to b-day parties and engage in all the activies (we even teach kids all that is envolved in going to a b-day--balloons, cake, opening presents, waiting etc...IF they need it of course.). Elna ABA Lead therapist I do understand that it works for some people. But for a person has grown up with a brother with Aspergers it never have worked with him. I have worked with some children who have been going through ABA. Like I said before I just don't believe in it. My brother has all those social skills that you said and it was without ABA. It was teaching him tolerance in the sounds and sights. My brother enjoyed his early intervention that he had and wouldn't have tolerated ABA. Through the past few years that I have worked at a school with small children with disablities I have seen ABA and it didn't work for them at all they became very fustrated to were they acted out by hitting and screaming and biting. So like I said it may work for some but it's not for all and there are many different alterantives. And that's what people need to know. |
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