Re: Tough transition from EI -

[Guest guest]

Thank you, , for your honest response and your suggestions. I will

suggest that we take a few weeks to get to know each other.

I will have a look at the Verbal Behavior Approach. I am not someone who easily

adheres to a behaviorist model. As an educator, that approach is really

unappealing to me. But I have read a bit about ABA for autistic children and I

realize that there are exceptions. My daughter is not autistic, however.

I agree that my daughter needs to communicate in order to get what she wants. We

work on this at home. If she does not initiate it, I ask my daughter to look at

me and ask with a sign, and she 'll give me a sign (or I help her to do it). But

I don't pretend not to know what she's wanting for several minutes while she

gets agitated and loses the ability to motor plan an action. I just think that's

cruel. I think our new slp does not know my daughter and therefore does not know

what to expect from her.

Thanks again,

Meg

>

> First off, I can tell you that it is very difficult to come into someone's

home and immediately impress them with your therapy services. I have

experienced this personally as a therapy assistant. It is likely that she feels

you may find her time wasteful if she starts sessions by playing and getting to

know your daughter rather than jumping right in with quality therapy techniques.

Of course she would be mistaken, but maybe someone has made her feel

uncomfortable in the past and she just needs you to communicate what you want

her to do.

>

> Not only is it a transition for your daughter, but you as well. I think it

would be good if you suggested a social outing, such as a trip to the park or a

hike so she can get to know your family casually first. I always felt like we

had to treat teachers and therapists like family because they are so important

to us. Because they are working for you, you have the ability to make them a

great asset by communicating what you expect and letting them know you

appreciate them.

>

> The withholding technique is called PRT (pivotal response training) and is a

method of teaching them they must communicate in some way in order to get what

they want. If she had to ask 5 times, that seems a bit much. You could suggest

that first there is just an exchange, such as your daughter gives her a penny

and she gives your daughter the item. After awhile of getting things easily,

your daughter will warm up to her and probably be ready to do something else to

get what she wants. She could do a simple sign for the item, say the first

sound of the letter the item starts with, etc. If the item is too hard to say

and expectations are too high, it's not going to work (hence, asking 5 times).

>

> A REALLY good book for this (I've been ranting and raving about it on here) is

The Verbal Behavior Approach by Lynch Barbera. I have some training in ABA

and I really like how the book is laid out, it makes it so easy for a parent or

therapist to know what to do in order to teach language.

>

> Don't worry, transitions are hard for everyone at first. Just go with the

flow, tell her what you need her to do, and give it some time. If there is a

personality conflict or she just seems totally incompetent, see if you can try

someone else. Good luck!

>