Re: ABA is not a bad thing; just part of the whole answer for kids - Marcia

[Guest guest]

Hi Marcia,

Your story sounds SO familiar! I am almost finished with my 3rd book

(1st for adults). It's title: Autism or Asperger's Syndrome? One

Mother's Journey in Search of Truth.

To help you write, produce, publish, promote, etc... YOUR book I can

offer you a tremendous gift! Come to this meeting on February 21st:

http://www.CIPABooks.com (for FREE!)

I am the membership chair and will be more than happy to provide a guest

pass for you. Simply RSVP by noon on the 18th so our head count is

accurate. *Don't register online because the site will want to charge you.

Also - I'd love to have you attend (and maybe share your story if you

would like to) my program, details follow.

FREE program: /Autism Awareness: From Suspicion to Success/,/ /presented

by award winning author, Rhonda Spellman.

Wednesday, February 25 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Southeast Christian Church

9650 Jordan Road, , CO.

Sign up right here: http://www.sechristian.org/Connect/SoutheastU.aspx

<http://www.sechristian.org/Connect/SoutheastU.aspx>

Rhonda

www.AutismWithRhonda.com

Marcia Hinds wrote:

>

> 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

>

>