Chips as reinforcers for ABA

[Guest guest]

We are three weeks into the diet, and have seen such a positive

reaction in our 33 month old AS son that the symptoms of autism had

almost gone away! As a type 1 diabetic I am also following the diet,

so I know he feels better and that he is getting enough food. The

problem is he attends a school for kids with spectrum disorders where

they use ABA (Lovaas) therapy and where he grew accustomed to getting

potato chips as a reinforcer. The teachers are not thrilled about the

diet and complain that he is unhappy since we took the chips away

(duh!) and seems to have regressed. This is the opposite of what we

see at home, where he is a dream.

However, this week he seems to have regressed into autistic behaviours

and I suspect he is picking up bits of chip from the floor. Is it

possible that these (5? 10? 20?)little pieces of chip, ingested

everyday could bring back the old Harry of three weeks ago? Or are

these steps back par for the course?