Do You Hate ABA?

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My two-year-old started ABA a few months ago, so this is a topic quite near to my heart. Of course, I have questions about the methods. I don't want my kid to turn into a ABA robot, programmed to respond in certain "acceptable" ways on demand. That said, he's been in the program for about 10 weeks, and can already make choices by pointing, turn and listen when his name is called, and he has improved a little bit at making transitions from one object or activity to the next. Are things like these hurting him in any way? Should I instead have continued basically without any real way of communicating with him? Overall I think it has been quite helpful so far, but I am worried about how long these results will last. Once they stop focusing on pointing or responding to his name, will these skills regress?

I do want to clear up a misconception that I believe is a bit unfair. Therapists for people on the spectrum seem to have a reputation as being in it for the money, to make a quick buck. They are looked at somewhat as the enemy, and often thought of as doing more harm than good, and having an overall uncaring attitude. In my experience, this characterization couldn't be more wrong. I may have just gotten lucky, but every therapist, every employee of the therapy companies we have worked with, and there have been many, very clearly have the desire to help and make a difference people's lives as their #1 goal. Many are very young, and perhaps have an ultimate goal of becoming a doctor or something like this, but everyone we have come in contact with really enjoys what they do and cares deeply for the people they work with and the tasks they are trying to accomplish.

I personally wouldn't have chosen ABA for my son if it wasn't the chosen Medicaid therapy. I would have opted for the Early Denver Model or Floortime. My son is such a playful and happy kid, I just think these would fit him much better, and I'm trying to learn how to implement these at home.

I'm really interested in a study the University of Washington is doing. We were called to participate, but we would have needed to end all of his other therapies, and we really like his current team and are seeing results, so we decided to continue on our current path. Anyways, UW is conducting a study that has three groups: ABA, Early Denver Model, anddiscrete trials. Of these groups, half the kids in each group will get 3 hours of therapy per day, the other half will get five hours per day, I believe for one year. All kids must be under age three by the time they start. They are calling it the Tadpole study if anybody is interested in following it. We're really in the age of autism awareness, and I think studies like these popping up everywhere are really going to be able potentially improve the quality of life for a lot of people. The curtain is being unveiled. Can you imagine how much we are going to know about autism ten years from now? I'm pretty optimistic. Thanks for your time and efforts!

I haven't had the therapy, myself----and, can only respond with the knowledge, gained, from being an Aspie, and what I've read about it.....

I feel it has pros and cons. I feel that, in SOME ways, if parents would just do their job with disciplining their child / teaching their child responsibility for their actions, etc., ABA wouldn't be needed----BUT, in regard to a parent with a severely autistic child, I can TOTALLY understand their being stretched, beyond belief, with all the worries, anxieties, extra work, etc.

PRO: Kids learn the needed social / behavioral skills, etc., through repetition----and, I feel that's the BEST way / the way MOST, learn.

I think a con is when parents use ABA, like so many other "tools" (ie. pre-school, pre-K----pre, pre, pre), to, seemingly get a break from the child, get the kid out of their hair, or whatever----BUT, parents DO have to work, etc.

I feel that some of these counselors can be more of a hindrance, than a help, because they seem to want to lump ALL children into some category----categories that they have read-about in a book----and, as I always say: "Life ain't IN a book!" When a counselor OBSERVES and LISTENS, and then uses what they've read / learned, then the chances are better, that they'll be of-help; but, too many of them don't do that, and only make a "clinical" diagnosis, as opposed to a "gut-feeling" diagnosis (well though-out / analyzed diagnosis, in addition to, as I said, what they've learned).

As a side note: I don't believe in the practice of people saying "Yes, ma'am" / "Yes, sir", or, for instance, "Little Man", to a child. I believe that that can give a child a swelled head, and then they might expect EVERYBODY to be giving them something, for whatever they do. I feel a child needs to be taught that they need to EARN respect----and, they don't just RECEIVE it, for showing-up to a counseling session, for instance. Also, then when they go home and Mommy and Daddy don't say those things, they could end-up resenting Mommy and Daddy----thinking, "My COUNSELOR thinks I'm the greatness thing, walking, why don't YOU?".

Why would I hate the ABA? The American Basketball Association didn't do anything to me. The red, white and blue basketballs were cool. Wish they wouldn't have folded. They did give the NBA the San Antonio Spurs who have had a good run of it, though.

Utah had the Stars for a while in the ABA. A forerunner to the Jazz, I guess.