WAS supplementation/NOW behavioral help.

[Guest guest]

We have a master's level CBA and a Behavior assistant who could easily be a

BCaBA if she had gone on for the schooling instead of having kids. Both have

years of experience and take their jobs and reputations very seriously. The CBA

usually comes up with the plan and the BA implements it. I used to implement it

also but jamie got too big for me and I couldn't handle it anymore.

Both of these ladies are willing to put in the time...whatever it takes. If it

takes all day to extinguish a behavior, they'll do it. I've been on the other

end of cancelled appointments when they have been unable to leave another

client's house because they were at a crucial point and absolutely could not let

the child " win " . So I understood.

They have never used force with however they will not allow themselves to

be bitten, headbutted, scratched, kicked etc. so they do use appropriate

blocking. I'm certain they are free to do alot more here than they would be in

a classroom setting. They previously had not worked with DS kids so they did get

a bit of a surprize when they discovered 's flexibility. I mean if

hits or scratches and you block her from doing so by holding her arm, you next

get another arm, a headbutt and both feet all in the same area. They actually

both love new challenges like this. It's kind of a point of honor with these

two.

In any case with they have had to hold her hitting arms and hold her at a

distance so they don't get headbutted....They do not hold her hard...only enough

pressure to prevent her moving toward them. I've tried this and as long as

you're prepared to go the distance..it works. The very second lets up

pushing herself forward toward them they loosen their grip further, wait to see

how she responds, let loose a bit more then let go and have her continue the

task she was rebelling against. NO exceptions. She will only have to do one tiny

thing withOUT a fight to be let go back to her videos. If she starts to fight

again it starts all over. It's exhausting and I've cried thru some of it...but

within 3 sessions we usually see success.

There are also other techniques they use such as having do some boring

task hand over hand till she becomes compliant (like putting blocks in a bucket

or something). I stress that this stuff is for compliance training and hardly

ever used anymore.....Tho I'm sure she'll test out our new hire. These " big

guns " were only brought out to address threatening behaviors like SIBs and wild

aggression. I think it's more of an art form than a science.

Getting jamie to sit in a chair was handled totally differently....first of all

she did all her work while standing up for awhile (why should she have to sit in

a chair anyway?). Then she was very slowly slowly slowly " enticed " to sit in the

chair for a split second at first....working gradually up to 10 minutes or so.

We use timers and take data...I don't know what to tell you; I thought this was

how CBAs were supposed to work. I can't even imagine someone with a quickie

behavioral course under their belt even attempting stuff like this. We're

training someone now who has no experience...just a quick 20 hour BA

certification and I don't know how it will go but she will not be left alone

with and she will be videotaped, critiqued etc. This was a life or death

situation for us.

Did I answer any questions?? Probably not.

Sherry

PS these two gals, especially our CBA are like walking wounded, battle trained

vets...they love to brag about who got hit harder or puked on more often or had

more blood drawn. Our CBA refers to her job as " The Dark Side " and we're always

trying to lure regular therapists or PCAs etc. over to the dark side. It's not a

job for the faint of heart...and forcing yourself to show absolutely no emotion

while you're being pummelled is no easy task as most of us know.

I had a person who had a child with ASD who took some 'training classes'

thru the state to come to our home (the only time I have permitted in home

therapy) for behavior management. HEr 'method' was to force him by moving

him to do what she had decided he was to do - as in sit in a chair. She

would say it, demo it, then say it again, then physically move him. I took

this for about 2 weeks (3 visits) and then ended it. Force is not the

answer for my kid.

>

> Miss Sherry,

> What does your behavioral therapist do?? Some moms around here have had

> that (for their kids , that is) and have suggested it for Wes from Kennedy

> Krieger Institute which is near me......they say 'Oh so and so came to our

> home and they were so good " but when I asked " have you seen improvements? "

> they shrug and say well, ....well...not so much....So I am reluctant to

> consult another " expert " who cannot do anything to help us....also Sherry I

> think there is a difference between " professional people in the field " and

> " experts " .....I don't know of any experts...........

> hey I don't care about having answers yesterday.....but today would be

> nice!!=-)

> Annie

>