[Fwd: Fw: Donna with more ?'s :-)]Cathy Santopadre on S/P

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I saved these posts that were put up on the me-list after the Dateline

piece about Santopadre. Thought you all might be interested!

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Dear me-listers,

Here is more from Santopadre.

Donna :-)

----------

> From: SvcsInfo@...

> sdcarv@...

> Subject: Re: Donna with more ?'s :-)

> Date: Tuesday, January 05, 1999 5:14 AM

>

> Hi Donna,

> Again, I'm happy to help any way I can... and email is great because the

> phones aren't ringing at night (well, at least not as much!). I do have

a

> favor to ask of you...if anyone mentions that they are trying to reach us

> (Behavior Analysts, Inc., or our family), will you please let them know

that

> we have had an overwhelming response (200+ calls...and that was with a

voice

> mail message that said we were closed for the holidays!), and we are

taking

> steps to get back to everyone--it's just taking some time. We are a very

> small agency, and I am a department of one...and I need to take care of

the

> day-to-day client contacts too. I could dole out returning the calls to

some

> of our other staff, but I very much would like to contact everyone

personally

> and I really don't want to burden our staff and take them away from their

very

> special responsibilities--the children we serve.

>

> I would appreciate your letting people know if you come across anyone

saying,

> " I called them and no one called me back. " Thanks!!!

>

> To answer your questions...

>

> <<One of the dad's has asked if your program is considered ABA. I know

that

> you mentioned that it's not a traditional ABA program and for some reason

I am

> thinking that it is AVB but I don't even know the difference between the

two

> so I am hoping that you will educate us!:-)

>

> Yes, our methodology is most certainly applied behavior analysis. Our

system

> differs from many in several ways. On the surface is appears to be

similar,

> but the analysis and application has a number of subtle, but important

(my

> biased opinion only) differences.

>

> We utilize the " analysis of verbal behavior " as defined by B.F. Skinner.

Our

> expertise is in the development and acquisition of verbal

behavior--language.

> It is extremely difficult to explain but simply put, we analyze a child's

> verbal behavior to determine *how* it is being used. The behavioral

> classification of language includes some technical terms and some which

you

> are probably familiar with:

> Motor imitation

> Vocal imitation

> Mands = requests

> Tacts = labels

> Receptive

> RFFC = receptive by feature, function, and class

> Intraverbals = conversation (verbal behavior based on another's words)

>

> There are a few others that go into reading and writing too.

>

> Our system analyzes these verbal repertoires and focuses our language

training

> on the development of all of these verbal operants. Children with

language

> deficits show strengths and weaknesses in different areas--so each

child's

> program is developed based on his/her individual needs. Some children

have no

> verbal skills at all, some have some vocal abilities, some can ask for

the

> things they want/need, etc. We do not presume that because they can ask

for

> an item when they want one, that they can then label the item (which

actually

> utilizes the same verbal behavior to produce the word) when they see one.

I

> should also include that in true " verbal behavior " terms, verbal behavior

is

> not the same as vocal behavior. Verbal behavior can be using vocal

speech,

> signing, or even a picture system. Vocal behavior is the actual

production of

> speech or speech sounds.

>

> Another major aspect to our intervention is our style with which we

implement

> teaching. We utilize only positive behavior principles. We capture and

> contrive motivation in order to imbed language trials into all

interactions

> with a child throughout the day. We must constantly adjust our teaching

based

> on the child's motivation variables--capitalizing on " teachable " moments

at

> every turn. We begin our intervention with something we call " pairing. "

> Pairing simply means we pair ourselves with reinforcement in order to

become a

> conditioned reinforcer. Our goal with pairing is to have the child

associate

> our presence and interactions with " good things. " Basically, we want

him/her

> to think, " good things happen when this person is here. " Pairing is

extremely

> important during the initial stages of work with a child; however, it

> continues throughout the program...when formal teaching sessions are

involved

> (and in our STARS School classroom), pairing occurs at the beginning and

end

> of every teaching session. Our belief is that children learn best from

those

> with individuals whom they enjoy--we need to be that person in order to

> gradually increase our demands and shape the responding. Other aspects

> include a high ratio of positive reinforcement in order to maintain a

child's

> motivation and willingness to " go along " with instruction.

>

> There are a number of other strategies we use in our teaching that are

more

> refined and difficult to explain... I could go off in so many directions

> depending on different variables of the teaching process.

>

>

>

>

> One of the mom's asks " Did her husband understand the situation as well

as

> she did? "

> Yes and no. Ed did not understand autism as well as I did nor did he

> understand the actual teaching process. However, he did understand the

> overall philosophy and goal of *what* we were teaching, and he was very

> helpful in his consistency with and his learning to identify

> teachable moments and capitalizing on them. Dr. Jim visited once a

month, and

> Ed was with us for at least 90 percent of those visits--these visits were

when

> Dr. Jim would analyze 's progress, set the direction for what

skills

> we needed to continue to develop, skills to introduce, and problem

solving.

> He also provided our training and would monitor and coach our (mostly my)

> implementation.

>

> " Did he help her? " She goes on to explain that her husband kind of

leaves all

> the decision making about their son's education and therapies to her

making

> her feel like a single parent.

> Yes, immensely. However, to a casual observer it's likely they wouldn't

see

> it. Ed was a " behind-the-scenes " team member. really didn't

like

> anyone (especially Ed) except me, and she tolerated athon. We

decided

> that we all needed to do the " job " we did best! I did the majority of

the

> teaching, managing the program, supplies, ideas for creative learning,

and

> research. Ed attended to making sure the boys were able to continue to

> participant in sports, getaways with grandparents (my being alone with

> for several days at a time paved the way for incredible skill

> acquisition!); basically, pulling up the slack to ensure my attention

could

> focus on ; being my support when progress was shaky (I needed

> reinforcement to keep going); and making enough money so I wouldn't have

to

> return to work (I was supposed to return to a job from a leave of absence

on

> 's 2nd birthday). He was also the negotiator (he does this by

> trade)...he learned the IEP process (even took a professional mediator

course)

> and learned how to make the system work for (no, it wasn't

perfect;

> but it provided what we needed it to).

>

> Yes, I understand the single-parent feeling; however, it was really just

how

> things fit into our family's system. I tried to think of it as a team

> effort--the offensive line and the defensive line aren't in the game at

the

> same time; but they win the game as one.

>

> Did our relationship suffer... No, we are stronger than ever--but we did

have

> to view autism as our issue; and we had to continue to keep the lines of

> communication open. We went to support group meetings twice a month--one

in

> Sacramento and one in Marin county (both an hour away)--this was our

night

> out!!! And as strange as it may seem, we did enjoy it!

>

> Did my relationship with the boys suffer... yes, in some ways. I do feel

> there are aspects to their lives that I missed, and I'm sure it must have

a

> affect somehow. BUT the relationship they have with their father is

> fabulous!!!! And athon and his papa (grandfather) have a bond that

is so

> great!!! Neither Ed nor I knew our grandparents very well, and to give

> athon a childhood with his papa in his world nearly every day (he

took him

> to hockey practice, taught to play golf, etc.) is a gift we have given

our son

> that will be with him forever. In my view, the payoff here was grand!

>

> The key to so much of this is a positive attitude. Try to view each

situation

> as an opportunity for something (anything) positive. A positive outlook

can

> sometimes be the only thing on your side; learn how to make it work for

you!

>

>

> Donna, it's pretty late, and I hope this all makes some sense. Please

let me

> know if I need to clarify anything. There is a lot more to our

methodology;

> and if you need more details in order to share information with " your "

> parents, don't hesitate to ask. Perhaps, we could even talk live

again...I

> feel so awkward typing out the more technical responses because I am not

a

> clinician--just a parent--and I always feel that I'm leaving out

pertainent

> information.

>

> :-)

>

>

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[Guest guest]

lynette, this is weird. i am getting the little paper clip showing their is

an attachment, but i can not pull it up. i have read other attachments

since changing servers, but i do not know why it is doing this. when i hit

the paperclip to read the attachment, it only brings up your origional

message again. i am sorry. rhonda