Profiting from Autism

[blondietink]

When my son was young it was not an option here, so that is why I have never used it and never will. People need to get a grip here ... ABA is not the only treatment for people with Autism. I still stand by my statement that in the part of NYS that I live in, it is not heavily used on people with Autism. I worked with Developmentally Disabled people for over 12 years and also have read about every therapy that is suggested for people with Autism (and have tried many of them) so it's not like I don't know anything about the disability. I have also lived with Autism in my house for over 16 years. We are getting along fine without ABA. No one therapy works for every person with Autism. Please allow people to have opinions about ABA that are different than yours.

 

[bookwormde]

Well it is funny because for the most part everyone on this thread is very close in their opinion. Everyone agrees that ABA may be helpful in some cases, but it is only a portion of a comprehensive therapy structure for our children.

While it is true that there are measurable changes from ABA in a significant percentage of the population. The real issue that what was measure was very specific behavior in very specific environments and secondary effects of the therapy were not well documented or controlled. Also long-term efficacies are only recognized anecdotally like many other therapies. Also generalization in non-similar environments and for similar behavior has been documented as being poor.

This information is also dated because there is at least 1 other therapy, which has show to be effective in a very small study, and is in the process of set in a larger study. This therapy also showed significantly better anecdotal information as to extension into the general variable environment.

I think the real problem is that many uninformed schools and clinicians use ABA as a primary therapy in place of a much broader program, which is what out children need.

Anyone have any significant disagreement with this? It is really worth reading the actual studies and much of the “myth” that has been created by some broad, unqualified statements made about ABA.

bookwormde

 

[blondietink]

Well it is funny because for the most part everyone on this thread is very close in their opinion. Everyone agrees that ABA may be helpful in some cases, but it is only a portion of a comprehensive therapy structure for our children.

While it is true that there are measurable changes from ABA in a significant percentage of the population. The real issue that what was measure was very specific behavior in very specific environments and secondary effects of the therapy were not well documented or controlled. Also long-term efficacies are only recognized anecdotally like many other therapies. Also generalization in non-similar environments and for similar behavior has been documented as being poor.

This information is also dated because there is at least 1 other therapy, which has show to be effective in a very small study, and is in the process of set in a larger study. This therapy also showed significantly better anecdotal information as to extension into the general variable environment.

I think the real problem is that many uninformed schools and clinicians use ABA as a primary therapy in place of a much broader program, which is what out children need.

Anyone have any significant disagreement with this? It is really worth reading the actual studies and much of the “myth” that has been created by some broad, unqualified statements made about ABA.

bookwormde

Thank you!

 

[disneydeb]

Do you remember being pregnant and having every women in the world tell you about childbirth and raising a child? it's kinda the same mentality as that, so i do what i did when i was pregnant, just smile and thank everyone for their advise, because everyone thinks that their advise is the best,filter thru it , and then do what i want to do, if theirs some piece of advise thats appealling to you and your not sure about it, you can always run it by the doctor. you know your child best. hope this helps

 

[buzz for boys]

I have a son with aspergers but I live in the UK and im amazed at all the posts on this thread - we have nothing here thats offered to help the child there is limited talk on a gluten free diet but nothing else !!!
I guess im now posed with the question - is that because USA is far more advanced with ASD trials? or is it just that people are desperate for their child to be better and people are cashing in on their vulnerability???
Just thought id say that I have the highest Consultant In UK in charge of my sons care and she says the best "cure" for ASD is acceptance of the diagnosis and to love the child you have instead of hoping for a magic wand to change him.
Just another point of view from across the pond !! (wont stop me researching all the things on this thread though !!!)

 

[mikkiwikki]

Anyone have any significant disagreement with this? It is really worth reading the actual studies and much of the “myth” that has been created by some broad, unqualified statements made about ABA.

bookwormde

YES - however if I post the details Im sure Ill get "points" .
So Ill just say YES I disagree. Tata -

 

[mikkiwikki]

Wow, no offense but that is a very incorrect statement. ABA is currently the only empirically validated treatment for autism! This is why it's one of the only therapies for autism that some public schools will agree to pay for or incorporate into their public educational programs for children with autism.

Your own state department actually reports:

"The New York State Department of Health Clinical Practice Guideline states, "It is recommended that principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and behavior intervention strategies be included as an important element of any intervention program for young children with autism." The Surgeon General of the USA reached a similar conclusion."

Agreed wholeheartedly.
Watch out for the backlash on making this statement tho!

Here is some reading for those interested nontheless.
http://www.asatonline.org/forum/articles/time/letter5.htm

 

[mikkiwikki]

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