ABA therapy?

[Guest bookwormmama]

Has anyone ever heard of ABA therapy for kids with Asperger's? If so, where and how can I find it?

 

Thanks!

[Misty]

Yes, we are getting ready to start ABA therapy for my 6yo daughter with Asperger's. I found a wonderful social-based ABA program nearby. Since it's social-based, there are more higher-functioning kids there (Asperger's, PDD-NOS). I think when ABA first started, it was mainly for kids with classic autism and the focus was getting them to talk and do basic self-help skills, etc. But it has expanded to meet the needs of all kids on the spectrum. Asperger's kids do benefit from ABA if you can find the right program. The way I found this program is I called our insurance and asked them if there were any in our area that took our insurance. We are fortunate to have military insurance. They pay up to $36,000 a year for ABA and we only have to pay a $40 co-pay each month!

 

Not all Asperger kids will need ABA. I have three daughters with Asperger's and only one of them needs ABA. She is my only child with severe issues. The other two girls are just awkward, obsessive, anxious, rigid, sensitive, inattentive, and lack social language. My 6yo has major social issues (getting in people's faces, interrupting, shouting everything, talking excessively, saying rude things, etc.) and she also rages and gets violent when things don't go as expected. They are also going to work on some of her sensory issues, especially the picky eating. I'm really excited about that!

 

Hope this helps!

[Mom22ns]

There is a private school in our area that does ABA with aspies. They work with a full range of AS kids, but they specialize in aspies that just don't quite make it in ps. They do ABA, social groups, regular academics and then when the kids are ready put them back into ps. They are enormously successful (and expensive).

 

I don't know how you locate something near you, but it is being done and it can work.

[Ibbygirl]

Has anyone ever heard of ABA therapy for kids with Asperger's? If so, where and how can I find it?

 

Thanks!

 

Maybe you can call someone at CARD in your area to see if they can help you find someone who does ABA for Aspies? I did ABA with my son but he has full blown Autism.

 

http://www.centerforautism.com/About/CARD_Locations.asp

[chiguirre]

My hfa ds goes to a social skills class that uses ABA. They also offer 1 on 1 academic tutoring using ABA techniques. Lots of aspies and hfas attend these programs in conjunction with ps or hs. If you know other parents in your area or can find an autism support group, they'll probably know about programs in your area.

[Guest bmanjo2003]

I am an ABA therapist in Kansas. The pacific northwest has plenty of ABA therapists and some insurance companies cover ABA therapy. In fact, one military insurance types covers it.

 

There is confusion about what ABA is. Discrete trial teaching (Lovaas method) is often the most common type of ABA for kids with autism, however, the method of instruction is what is important. Therefore, social skills, positive behavior interventions, etc. are certainly a part of ABA therapy.

 

Try searching here for an ABA therapist:

 

http://www.bacb.com/consum_frame.html

 

If you need anything, please email me.

[Guest Tora]

We were the recipients of a tremendous ABA program - 35-40 hrs. in home a week - fully paid by our state. Alex flourished under the program. He seems to be an Aspie but he was originally deemed Autistic (yes, Asperger's is in the Autism spectrum but he was thought to be fully Autistic initially).

 

Read this blog for a short story of his journey (and the methods used - most importantly - the tremendous role his Mother had played).

 

http://2echild.blogspot.com/2010/05/strange-beginning.html

[cjbeach]

Ds receives 15 hours a week right now :)

[cjbeach]

My hfa ds goes to a social skills class that uses ABA. They also offer 1 on 1 academic tutoring using ABA techniques. Lots of aspies and hfas attend these programs in conjunction with ps or hs. If you know other parents in your area or can find an autism support group, they'll probably know about programs in your area.

Oh my goodness. Lucky you. I think I need to look into Houston!

[asta]

Yes, we are getting ready to start ABA therapy for my 6yo daughter with Asperger's. I found a wonderful social-based ABA program nearby. Since it's social-based, there are more higher-functioning kids there (Asperger's, PDD-NOS). I think when ABA first started, it was mainly for kids with classic autism and the focus was getting them to talk and do basic self-help skills, etc. But it has expanded to meet the needs of all kids on the spectrum. Asperger's kids do benefit from ABA if you can find the right program. The way I found this program is I called our insurance and asked them if there were any in our area that took our insurance. We are fortunate to have military insurance. They pay up to $36,000 a year for ABA and we only have to pay a $40 co-pay each month!

 

Not all Asperger kids will need ABA. I have three daughters with Asperger's and only one of them needs ABA. She is my only child with severe issues. The other two girls are just awkward, obsessive, anxious, rigid, sensitive, inattentive, and lack social language. My 6yo has major social issues (getting in people's faces, interrupting, shouting everything, talking excessively, saying rude things, etc.) and she also rages and gets violent when things don't go as expected. They are also going to work on some of her sensory issues, especially the picky eating. I'm really excited about that!

 

Hope this helps!

 

My boss went through ABA in the late 60s. He still has nightmares about it. I realize it has changed considerably. But I agree with this statement.

 

You know your child better than anyone. You know what makes him happy, what makes him frustrated, what makes him stim, etc. He is never going to be neurotypical. He is never going to think the way "normal society" thinks. He will think how he thinks. He will have to learn to manipulate communication, situations, and daily functioning from a completely different "chipset" (if you will) then a neurotypical child. If you, even for a millisecond, feel like a therapist is trying to teach your child *not* from an Asperger's point of view, but from a neurotypical point of view - run.

 

I may be slammed for this, but I can tell you, as an Aspie, being told to do something that is *physically impossible* is not only frustrating, it is insulting. Communication ≠ Talking. Communication = Getting one's point across. That may be sign language. It may be writing. It may be art. The idea that, if someone does not speak, they cannot communicate is a construct. No one expected Helen Keller to speak. She decided to. She just as easily could have decided not to, as she had learned to sign.

 

Most Aspies can learn to *pass* in society. This is different than becoming "normal". We learn to mimic the facial expressions of others (staring into a mirror practicing smiling, furrowing our brows, etc.). We learn to stare at noses or dots between eyebrows instead of eyes (eyes are extremely uncomfortable BTW). We learn to practice potential conversations before they ever happen. And permutations of those conversations. And more permutations. Theater classes help, A LOT.

 

I could ramble on this all day. I've rambled on other posts. It is a different view being on the inside looking out.

 

 

asta

[chiguirre]

Most Aspies can learn to *pass* in society. This is different than becoming "normal". We learn to mimic the facial expressions of others (staring into a mirror practicing smiling, furrowing our brows, etc.). We learn to stare at noses or dots between eyebrows instead of eyes (eyes are extremely uncomfortable BTW). We learn to practice potential conversations before they ever happen. And permutations of those conversations. And more permutations. Theater classes help, A LOT.

 

You know, a lot of what you describe is what the kids do in ds's social skills class. They practice looking at pictures of faces and deciding how the people feel. They play charades. They act out difficult situations. They practice conversation techniques. They practice complementing others. They work on dealing with frustration without losing their cool. And, of course, they make friends with kids who share their outlook. A NT parent could do some of this on their own with a lot of trial and error, but it would be a lot less efficient and probably pretty frustrating for both the parent and the child. A good social skills group can work on these skills in a fun and supportive environment. But there are other ways to do the same thing if you can't find a group or you object to ABA.

[asta]

You know, a lot of what you describe is what the kids do in ds's social skills class. They practice looking at pictures of faces and deciding how the people feel. They play charades. They act out difficult situations. They practice conversation techniques. They practice complementing others. They work on dealing with frustration without losing their cool. And, of course, they make friends with kids who share their outlook. A NT parent could do some of this on their own with a lot of trial and error, but it would be a lot less efficient and probably pretty frustrating for both the parent and the child. A good social skills group can work on these skills in a fun and supportive environment. But there are other ways to do the same thing if you can't find a group or you object to ABA.

 

Exactly.

 

 

a

[Purpledaizy]

Most Aspies can learn to *pass* in society. This is different than becoming "normal". We learn to mimic the facial expressions of others (staring into a mirror practicing smiling, furrowing our brows, etc.). We learn to stare at noses or dots between eyebrows instead of eyes (eyes are extremely uncomfortable BTW). We learn to practice potential conversations before they ever happen. And permutations of those conversations. And more permutations. Theater classes help, A LOT.

 

 

:iagree: I do this a lot with my ds. His intervention program was for preschoolers with disabilities and ABA was included in his IEP for his specific disability. We live in Ohio and were EXTREMELY fortunate he received this service. He graduated the program the summer before the economic collapse. The following September, ABA was dropped due to budget cuts. I am thankful everyday for what we received.