The other day some of us were standing outside the classroom waiting for our kiddos, when a question was brought up…..what is ABA Therapy?
ABA Therapy or Applied Behavior Analysis is a form of therapy used in treating kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and other Special Needs Kiddos. It is a way of teaching children through repetition, positive reinforcement and patience.
I tried ABA last year with Mr. Toes through The Miami Children’s Hospital (see my original blog post about it here). It was a dismal failure. I attribute our failure to the fact that it was only for 1 hour a week, after a full day of school and the fact that I did not follow through at home (I should state clearly that I am a useless, pushover when it comes to Mr. Toes…..seriously, I am a complete mush when it comes to Mr. Toes). Needless to say, our first time experience with ABA Therapy was an absolute disaster!
However……it can and does work for a lot of children and families. A great ABA Therapist, a committed parent and a child with a modicum of cooperation can accomplish great things.
There are a few websites that you should take a look at if you are at all interested in ABA Therapy.
- http://www.appliedbehavioralstrategies.com
- http://www.iloveaba.com (Tameika Meadows, BCBA)
- http://www.rethinkautism.com (they occasionally have free webinars, so check back often)
The 3 sites I just listed are by no means all that is out there on the internet. The 3 mentioned are however, sites that I frequent for reliable information. I feel comfortable in recommending these sites to you. You will find something of use from all of them. My only caveat to this particular therapy is that it needs to be frequent and you need to be absolutely consistent, otherwise it will be a total waste. If you have the time and follow through — go for it!
**(whenever I list a website, I will always hyperlink it for you to save you the trouble of having to do a search for the correct site)
**##** (the websites recommended here are not the only sources on the web….you should thoroughly investigate any and all therapies and the actual therapist before you make any decisions for your child….only do what feels right for you and your family)
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