RE: [SPAM]Re: ABA is not a bad thing; just part of the whole answer for kids

[Guest guest]

Thank you Robyn. This is so helpful.

Martha

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Robyn

& Greg Coggins

Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:21 PM

Subject: [sPAM]Re: ABA is not a bad thing; just part of the whole

answer for kids

I wholeheartedly agree with Marcia. I may be putting words in Dr. G's mouth,

but I think it has more to do with " drills " than anything. He believes that

we should lower our expectations for our kids, especially in the area of

behavior. As he's said to me about my son's behavior, it's OK if he's angry

and frustrated, but it's not OK to lash out and hit, kick or bite. He feels

it's important that we communicate this message effectively and

consistently.

Regarding ABA, I still have a 14 hour per week program with my son, but

we've moved on to more life skills type of training. Luckily, I have only

two therapists and my lead is also his case manager, so we develop his

program together. Right now, we're using RPM to teach academic skills.

Strict ABA just doesn't cut it with Noah anymore; we've really had to think

outside the box. Unfortunately, Regional Center isn't the most flexible

agency; we are limited to research-based interventions, of which RPM is not.

But as Soma (the woman who developed RPM) says in her book, we can't afford

to wait for 20 years of research--we need a program that we can use now.

If ABA works for your child, I think it can be invaluable in helping them

" catch up " to their NT peers. You know what works best. Follow your

instincts!

All the best,

Robyn

> From: Marcia Hinds <hindssite@... <mailto:hindssite%40verizon.net>

>

> Subject: ABA is not a bad thing; just part of the whole answer for

kids

> marthawood@... <mailto:marthawood%40comcast.net> ,

<mailto:%40>

> Date: Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8:01 AM

> Martha stick with the ABA as long as it is being done

> correctly. Good ABA

> moves away from the Stimulus/Response model and onto good

> teaching when the

> kids are ready. My son is now recovered and we started

> with ABA. Today

> drives, has friends, and does all the things the

> doctors told me he

> would never do. now attends a university on a

> half-ride academic

> scholarship, studies Mechanical Engineering and has a 3.8

> GPA. He joined

> Sigma Chi Fraternity and has a ton of friends. (Who would

> have seen that one

> coming?)

>

>

>

> Dr. G is the best medically, however, he doesn't

> understand about ABA. In

> the past ABA was very negative and that is what Dr. G is

> probably objecting

> to. Although Dr G only wants the best for our kids, he

> hasn't lived this

> and doesn't understand that in order to get kids to

> learn like other kids

> you need compliance. Dr. G and I have argued about this

> for years.

>

>

>

> Good ABA is mostly ignoring the negative and reinforcing

> the positive. They

> can't learn if they can't follow directions or be

> treated like other kids.

> Along with ABA you need to use parts of any method that

> work or make sense;

> ABA, RDI, floortime, or whatever. Unfortunately there is

> not a simple

> solution where one thing is the answer. If it were easy,

> more kids would be

> recovered. You have to trust your gut and do what you know

> is best for your

> child. No one is as invested in this or will work as hard

> as you will to

> help your child.

>

>

>

> We survived the Autism diagnosis; but it wasn't easy

> and there were many

> times I thought we weren't going to make it. There is

> no magic pill to cure

> your child. Trust me, I searched everywhere for it. If

> you are expecting

> an easy fix, and what you are looking for is that magic

> bullet, you won't

> find it in a boot camp or anywhere. But there are lots of

> people promising

> immediate cures with their hands out ready to take your

> money. Our

> desperation makes us easy targets.

>

>

>

> Helping my kid recover is the hardest thing I have ever

> done. It took so

> much strength to be more stubborn than he was. If I had

> known in the

> beginning he would get better as a result of the years of

> hard work, I could

> have continued without all the tears, frustration, and

> hopelessness. But it

> was extremely difficult to keep working at this, not

> knowing if my family's

> sacrifices and efforts were actually accomplishing

> anything. It takes years

> for them to get better. I am now in the process of writing

> the book to help

> all of you, but need a publisher or agent to help me. If

> anyone has any

> connections, let me know.

>

>

>

> Hope this helps.

>

> Marcia Hinds

>

> 805 497-8202

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>