Re: ABA and PRT infor

[Guest guest]

Hi,I respectfully disagree. I think that when your child is young, 40 hours of ABA (or similar) is ideal. Not always attainable (the most we ever did was 20-30), but always the ultimate goal.As your child gets older, other activities become more important, I think.In my mind, socialization is paramount. Speech and occupational therapies are important.Once your child is school-aged, if he/she is included, there will be lots of homework, especially in upper elementary school years (we won't even talk about middle and high school). Homework is extremely important.My son, age 14 now, who is neither high nor low functioning but somewhere in between, gradually transitioned from 20+ hours ABA when he was pre-school (and even then, he did Baudhuin for a half day and a typical pre-school with a shadow for a half-day) to a mix of ABA and therapies and social outlets, to where he is today, with most of his

non-school time during the week centered around homework, but still doing speech and OT and other activities when we can. Weekends we try to do sports (less and less now, unfortunately) and social-type activities (more and more). By social-type activities, I mean anything where there are other kids around. (For example, last weekend on Saturday we went to the Provider Fair at Signature Grand and on Sunday we did the Broward ASA Bowling event. The weekend before we did the Broward Children's Center Party on Saturday and the Chabad of Parkland Friendship Circle picnic on Sunday. This weekend we'll be at the Coral Springs Special Pops Saturday Social Group and on Sunday at the Miami ASA beach party.) FYI, All these events (except the Coral Springs group, which doesn't advertise) were circulated on this listserv over the past few weeks.My point, as I step down at last off my soapbox, is that I believe our kids outgrow a

full-time ABA program.What do the rest of you think?SFM wrote: you were on the right track for ABA..40 hours is ideal, 20 minimum. Tough on their schedules. My son only has 4

hours a day to eat, bathe and play! B From: zell <phony_engineer>Subject: ABA and PRT inforTo: sList Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 4:23 AM Hi, does anyone know just how many hours a day an ASD child should be in ABA and PRT therapy? I have a 7 yo who's been on an intensive program 30 hrs a week for the last year and the results are debatable. Sure she's made progress in a lot of areas, but we've

decided to end this because of the other stuff she was missing out on - exercise, socialization, friends, playdates - stuff that every 7 yo should do. Thanks Jazel