Re: Six years ABA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/11/00 6:04:27 AM Central Daylight Time,

R.Hawkins@... writes:

> I'd just like to hear from those who have been

> there for the LONG haul and hear of your experiences and I guess,

> confirmation that it's worth the long struggle - not that I am even

> thinking of giving up!!

> Robyn

Hi Robyn,

My son will soon start his seventh year of ABA home therapy. When we

began he was just 3YO. He had no expressive or expressive language. He was

like a potted plant. If you put him somewhere and returned an hour later,

he'd be in the same place you left him. His only voluntary activity was

visual stim: he would flip pages in a book or twirl a string in front of his

eyes.

Today he is 9YO and attends 2nd grade in our neighborhood public school.

He is nonverbal and requires extensive (and expensive) supports to

participate in regular classroom activities. He is in the regular ed program

70% and has special ed/OT/ PT/SLP during the balance of his school day. This

year he has added reg ed gym to his day although he has an aide and is often

doing parallel activities rather than actual participation. Next year he

will attend the reg ed art class with the school OT who will support his

participation. He is at grade level except in math in academics.

His after school home program is just now switching from DTT to a Verbal

Behavior approach. He uses a computer that converts text that he creates

using the keyboard to speech. He is a good speller but he has a hard time

coming up with the word he wants. I think and hope that we can help him

improve his command of language.

The activity schedules have also been a good ABA programming choice for

Colin. He is now doing 2 different ones that each last 30-45 minutes. We

have him set a timer to regulate the length of favorite activities so he will

then move on to different one. His 12YO sister reports that she has seen him

set the timer and then change activities even when no doing a schedule so he

evidentially likes the way this works for him.

I hope I can keep discovering methods of working with Colin to improve

his functioning in areas of difficulty. Last summer I was running dry on

ways to work on language. Then I began hearing about VBT on the lists. So

thanks to all who have shared their kids progress with the rest of us.

, Mom to Colin, 9YO dxw/ autism & CP

[Guest guest]

Well, we've been in this for almost 5 years and I can tell you that we just

continue to see huge improvements, some times one step at a time, some time

all at once. I won't tell you that it is easy...the challenges of funding,

maintaining a team, the difficulty of watching your child struggle to

overcome( a pain and joy like no other), the constant need to keep educating

yourself and the physical exhaustion. But I can tell you that it is worth

it...I recently heard a talk on long term recovery for children who are able

to stay in programs... it was by a mother whose child has just continued to

improve and all the things she is seeing now that she is 10 that she never

thought she would see...she believe that if the parents can hang in there(

which she of all people knows it is hard to do), there can be an independent

life for those who take longer..

my heart is with you, love,kat

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I can't speak for ABA since I have only had my son in a ABA

class for 6 months and now understanding ABA at the time, I think it was not

done very well. He is not in an ABA class at present. I can speak for the

PICS. We started at two and I credit it with him learning to speak

and being potty trained by 4. We continue to use it

in school and home. He does not even need the pictures anymore,

just the words, but when we introduce something new, like social

stories, we use pictures. has some understanding of

what people are feeling. He will say to me that I look sad or mad.

I feel strongly that social stories using PICS has help. Barbara

>R.Hawkins@... writes:

>

>> I'd just like to hear from those who have been

>> there for the LONG haul and hear of your experiences and I guess,

>> confirmation that it's worth the long struggle - not that I am even

>> thinking of giving up!!

>> Robyn

>Hi Robyn,

> My son will soon start his seventh year of ABA home therapy. When we

>began he was just 3YO. He had no expressive or expressive language. He

was

>like a potted plant. If you put him somewhere and returned an hour later,

>he'd be in the same place you left him. His only voluntary activity was

>visual stim: he would flip pages in a book or twirl a string in front of

his

>eyes.

> Today he is 9YO and attends 2nd grade in our neighborhood public

school.

>He is nonverbal and requires extensive (and expensive) supports to

>participate in regular classroom activities. He is in the regular ed

program

>70% and has special ed/OT/ PT/SLP during the balance of his school day.

This

>year he has added reg ed gym to his day although he has an aide and is

often

>doing parallel activities rather than actual participation. Next year he

>will attend the reg ed art class with the school OT who will support his

>participation. He is at grade level except in math in academics.

> His after school home program is just now switching from DTT to a

Verbal

>Behavior approach. He uses a computer that converts text that he creates

>using the keyboard to speech. He is a good speller but he has a hard time

>coming up with the word he wants. I think and hope that we can help him

>improve his command of language.

> The activity schedules have also been a good ABA programming choice for

>Colin. He is now doing 2 different ones that each last 30-45 minutes. We

>have him set a timer to regulate the length of favorite activities so he

will

>then move on to different one. His 12YO sister reports that she has seen

him

>set the timer and then change activities even when no doing a schedule so

he

>evidentially likes the way this works for him.

> I hope I can keep discovering methods of working with Colin to improve

>his functioning in areas of difficulty. Last summer I was running dry on

>ways to work on language. Then I began hearing about VBT on the lists. So

>thanks to all who have shared their kids progress with the rest of us.

> , Mom to Colin, 9YO dxw/ autism & CP

>

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>1/3011/2/_/659983/_/955462470/

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>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

We've been doing some form of ABA now for about six years give or take,

sometimes part time, sometimes through an ABA school and sometimes full

time and it's exhausting. However, living with a kid with moderate to

severe autism is exhausting and this has given us hope, and my son many

skills. This time around, we see sudden bursts of acquistion, plateau, and

the movement, but it is being retained and used. I also think that this

time we are going to see actual evidence of being able to use a lot of what

he is learning independently. We are starting our independent activity

schedule and will be putting a lot of energy into this. We see skills

building on skills, and all of a sudden Isaac is sequencing natural

activities together that we have not taught. They may not seem like much,

but for us to see him go open a cupboard, get out a cup, and then hand it

to us, and without us saying anything to open the fridge and look for

something to drink is amazing. He never had the initiative, motor

planning/sequencing skills before, and now he's applying all the little

isolated skills into the bigger picture. We will continue to adjust, modify

and adapt when needed, but I see some form of ABA, DTT and NET in our lives

for a long time to come. And not because I expect independence or a typical

or even very high functioning child, but because with this work we say a

more enabled, active, happy one.

Jennie

[Guest guest]

My two sons have been doing ABA for 5 yrs. While both boys have a long way

to go I know, without a doubt they would not be where they are today if it

had not been for ABA. I would not have known what to do myself if I had not

learned about ABA. They continue to improve and the field of ABA just keeps

getting better. If only I had kown the things I know now when I started.

There was a time when I didn't think my youngest son would ever be able to

get anything receptively or communicate. He now signs spontaneously for his

most important wants after only working on sign for 21/2 months. (after

switching to S/P). So keep doing the ABA and you will not have anything to

regret after years have passed. All the best. Pam

[Guest guest]

Robyn,

When we started ABA I was in it for nothing less than full " recovery " . I

didn't know how I was going to run his programs, because I felt like I was

the last person to be doing so. Unfortunately, there was no one else to do it

(Tulsa).

If you had asked me 6 years ago if I'd be doing this in 6 yrs. I would have

reiterated " you've got the wrong person " . My son's progress has been slow but

steady. He is far from recovered, but has come such a tremendous way! Every

time I felt that I couldn't go on I had to because the alternative was so

bleak.

I know this is the only way for my son to progress so I continue. I won't be

amazed if in 6 years I'm still doing ABA to some degree. It's just our way of

life now. I have to do this. I couldn't live with myself if I failed him.

Hang in there! Annie

[Guest guest]

annie,

How old is your son now? Do you still do it in your home or do you do it at his

school? I was

just wondering because my JJ is 12 and did not have a chance to do it untill he

was 9 and now

they are doing some of it at his school. Thanks, Lois

MEraheb@... wrote:

> Robyn,

> When we started ABA I was in it for nothing less than full " recovery " . I

> didn't know how I was going to run his programs, because I felt like I was

> the last person to be doing so. Unfortunately, there was no one else to do it

> (Tulsa).

> If you had asked me 6 years ago if I'd be doing this in 6 yrs. I would have

> reiterated " you've got the wrong person " . My son's progress has been slow but

> steady. He is far from recovered, but has come such a tremendous way! Every

> time I felt that I couldn't go on I had to because the alternative was so

> bleak.

> I know this is the only way for my son to progress so I continue. I won't be

> amazed if in 6 years I'm still doing ABA to some degree. It's just our way of

> life now. I have to do this. I couldn't live with myself if I failed him.

> Hang in there! Annie

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> eGroups eLerts

> It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free!

> 1/3079/2/_/659983/_/955498965/

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

We are beginning our sixth year and when I look back at old videos, I know we

are doing the right thing and until something better comes along, we can do

nothing less that continue the refine the only thing that has consistently

helped my child learn. God bless,

[Guest guest]

Lois,

My son is 9.5yo now. We started ABA when he was 3.1 yo. He started regular

preschool when he was 18 mo ( about 8 hrs. wk). He's been in inclusion

situations ever since. We practiced " school " on his days off and brought in

school mates to help. Today he is in a regular ed second grade Montessori

classroom

with an ABA trained aide (I do 20 of the 35 hrs. at school). He is keeping up

academically for the most part. In addition to his 2nd grade Montessori goals

we

do DTT and NET right in the classroom with peer tutors. It's an awesome setup

but needs 200% of my involvement to work. In addition, he usually gets 6 hrs.

off DTT and NET at home on the weekends and takes swimming lessons in a

regular class of 4 kids w/o an aide. On his down time he does a combination

choice board-activity schedule that helps him stay approprite (which he does

spontaneously). It's set up in a way where he is required to mand for

materials and/or permission to do an activity

( " Is it OK if I go for a bike ride now? " ) I'm very happy with his program and

the progress he has made. Adding VB and NET 6 mo. ago has helped

tremendously. (especially the manding) I only wish we had consultants/

professionals and trained tutors to help. It's always all been up to me.His

future looked really bleak 6 years ago.

Today he has so many tools and his future looks a lot sunnier! If there's any

way I can help out let me know. Annie

[Guest guest]

Annie,

Your sons program sounds great! If you have any programs that could help me out

that would be

great!!! I will send you postage to send it to me. JJ can say small sentences.

He tends to try

to get by with saying only 2 word sentences if he can think he can get away

with it. But he

likes to " chit chat " alot too. I guess you would call it vocal stimming. He

loves to swim,

skate, and bike ride. His aids are very nice. He has 2 of them but they need

help with programs.

Anything you could send me would be great! Thanks a lot! Lois

MEraheb@... wrote:

> Lois,

> My son is 9.5yo now. We started ABA when he was 3.1 yo. He started regular

> preschool when he was 18 mo ( about 8 hrs. wk). He's been in inclusion

> situations ever since. We practiced " school " on his days off and brought in

> school mates to help. Today he is in a regular ed second grade Montessori

> classroom

> with an ABA trained aide (I do 20 of the 35 hrs. at school). He is keeping up

> academically for the most part. In addition to his 2nd grade Montessori goals

> we

> do DTT and NET right in the classroom with peer tutors. It's an awesome setup

> but needs 200% of my involvement to work. In addition, he usually gets 6 hrs.

> off DTT and NET at home on the weekends and takes swimming lessons in a

> regular class of 4 kids w/o an aide. On his down time he does a combination

> choice board-activity schedule that helps him stay approprite (which he does

> spontaneously). It's set up in a way where he is required to mand for

> materials and/or permission to do an activity

> ( " Is it OK if I go for a bike ride now? " ) I'm very happy with his program and

> the progress he has made. Adding VB and NET 6 mo. ago has helped

> tremendously. (especially the manding) I only wish we had consultants/

> professionals and trained tutors to help. It's always all been up to me.His

> future looked really bleak 6 years ago.

> Today he has so many tools and his future looks a lot sunnier! If there's any

> way I can help out let me know. Annie

>

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