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ABA report - help

44 replies

inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 20:14

I was really annoyed today. I got the ABA report through that I am paying for but it was emailed at the same time it was sent to school, OT and SLT giving me no time to comment or discuss inaccuracies/concerns with the therapist. I don't find this acceptable do you?

The therapist came in fora second visit last week on a day that DS did not want to go into class. He does this every so often. He gets into a panic about everyone looking at him. He wanted to work outside and arrangements are made for this. He always go back into class the next day. I think part of this is that there are no arrangements to support him in class when he is there, e.g. by allowing breaks.

On the day the therapist came in, his TA was not around - we found out half an hour after drop off that she had a hospital appointment. She had told the receptionist last week but not thought to tell DS. I basically TA'd for him for most of the morning and he was fine. Then the ABA guy decided he wanted to see him in class. I knew this would distress him but I didn't want to look like the indulgent mum so I let everyone try and persuade him without success. I intervened and got him as far as the end of the corridor. He got really distressed about working outside the class as he didn't want people to see him. He wanted to work at another table a few feet away. His teacher said no and he got more distressed than I have ever seen him and although he sat at the table he refused to work. The ABA guy was telling him to do as he was told and do as his teacher asked. He said to me 'I see what the teacher/TA mean about non-compliance' which I got a bit annoyed about as this was a pointlessly engineered confrontation.

I withdrew from the situation with DS in tears. I just thought people would blame me for the upset because I was there. I let him down. Big mistake. He ended up massively distressed and doing a half day. He ended up out of class for two days. Why did I not just tell them all to stop and move him myself?

His TA has been whinging about how he'll never go back if he is indulged. I told her to have faith and today he did. Good as gold. The head agreed with me entirely. He said ask the ABA guy to deal with him rather than teacher and TA.

Instead, the report is circulated to one and all before it is even circulated to me.

The report mentions all the behaviour he saw but gives it no context at all. It was as if DS was just sitting there for a regular lesson outside class and that he decided to throw a wobbly.

It talks of not using the term 'anxiety' and how he will need to do a functional analysis to decide if the bahvioour is anxiety - how can you do that?? and why would it make any difference if it was behaviour you needed to change?

Despite not wanting to use labels, he then talks of tantrums and non-compliance and then all the petty problems teacher and TA have with his issues about sitting on chairs in assembly etc. Stuff that was agreed with the EP and SENCO months ago. It's like teacher and TA just used this as an excuse for a good old moan and he just listened to them.

I feel really let down. There's no bloody way I am paying for an intervention to get him to line up or sit on a chair. This is a child who was out of school last year and who didn't speak to anyone. He has come a long way. I wanted the intervention to skill him with social skills and help him deal with change not criticise him and make him sit on a chair.

I was going to email the multi-disciplinary group with a response but I don't want to be too angry. All the therapists involved are therapists we are paying for so it is not gone to the LA.

Would anyone read it for me? Star, Agnes, sickof, Moonie?

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Dev9aug · 31/01/2013 20:26

I don't find this acceptable do you? not at all, I would be pretty pissed at him and he would know about it.

On top of that, I agree that it is piss poor to label the behaviours you mentioned as 'tantrums', 'non-compliance', it just gives ammo/excuse to idiots who can't get through to children, something I have struggled with in our programme as well in the past.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 20:31

Thanks Dev. I was really surprised by this. It seemed really slanted. It was all about insightful comments by staff. No mention of lengthy discussions with me.

Even the head thinks the staff are out of their depth and need more training!

The destructive confrontation he witnessed should have demonstrated their lack of ability to handle it. Yet, instead, he seemed just to blame DS for not doing as he was told.

He has some really good suggestions but I feel undermined, especially by his circulation to all and sundry. He even told me last week he would send a report to me first.

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babiki · 31/01/2013 21:34

I would be fuming too, from the same reasons - sending the report to other people first and also the language he is using, our tutor would not use those terms. It does not sound as if he 'clicked' with your child much and I do think that is important. There are other tutors around - maybe he is good with other kids in other situations, but it looks as it's not working out for you and your ds..

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 21:48

Oh God. It is just money down the drain.

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WilsonFrickett · 31/01/2013 21:55

Inappropriately, I don't want to send you over the edge ((pats hair in soothing fashion)) but did you find this ABA person or the LA? Are you comfortable with their credentials? Because even the language they're using sounds off to me. And circulating the report sounds like they have an agenda. Sorry if I'm way off beam but this just feels all wrong. For eg my ABA tutor only sees us occasionally at home and I once asked about engineering a situation where she could see some of DS more challenging behaviours and she put me right back in my box. I just can't see someone like her standing by when I child was put in a distressing situation.

Again sorry if I'm off beam x

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 21:58

Now we found them. Excellent credentials but let the screaming happen right in front of him.

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AgnesDiPesto · 31/01/2013 22:00

Yes email me I'll read it

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Dev9aug · 31/01/2013 22:08

I don't know how you feel about your ABA guy say if he hadnt sent this report, but it is not uncommon for consultants to push children beyond their limits to see what they are dealing with and come up with a program.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 22:17

That's the problem Dev. People say different things about what is appropriate for consultants.

If he was going to do that, he should have said so but he didn't engineer it so much as let it all go wrong. Then judge him for it.

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bialystockandbloom · 31/01/2013 22:19

Where did you find him, and is he qualified to be sole supervisor/consultant?

I'd be bloody pissed off too about sending the report to everyone too.

Re the 'functional analysis' - tbf you do have to undertand the function of a behaviour in order to successfully approach and change it. I guess he just needs to work out if ds's behaviour was based in anxiety about change, or demand avoidance, or attention-seeking, or sensory etc. You would do this by taking ABC data.

And, to play devil's advocate, the fundamentals of ABA teaching are that the first thing to do is to gain 'instructional control' with a child - ie that before any teaching of social skills, language, play, whatever, the child has to want to engage and start the process. And that's done through the pairing process - the ideal outcome being pretty quickly that the tutor has paired himself with such positive things (attention, fun, rewards, etc) that the child wants to be with them rather than not be with them. Until you have this, you're basically bribing or forcing them to do what you want.

I am hesitant to say this, as obviously much of what you describe is pretty poor, but it wouldn't be a negative thing to me that he saw him at his most "non-compliant".

I sometimes wish, actually, that ds would have a 'worse' day when we have our ABA workshops, but our consultant and supervisor are so good and are so much fun for ds, he behaves impeccably and I'm always left wishing they could see him on an 'off' day Hmm

But anyway the point is that if you think this tutor/supervisor (whatever he is) is not working for you, not recognising or addressing the real difficulties, look elsewhere. There are lots of us who can recommend others I'm sure Smile

There might be an underlying difficulty with all this though if the TA is not on board with all this (which irrc she's not?) - she's the one who has to act as day-to-day tutor for ds and the ABA supervisor should be giving her proper training and she must be willing to learn if she's not just going to see this as a license to discipline him.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 22:29

Thanks that is really helpful. I understand what you mean but I still don't understand how you can actually distinguish between anxiety and routines based on anxiety. This occurred when DS was simply asking to sit on a table so people couldn't see him. It's not like he got off with work or got a great for it.

He has worked as a consultant in an well known organisation.

But DS wouldn't even speak to him as he left. And the licence to discipline is exactly what I am worried about.

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Dev9aug · 31/01/2013 22:48

I understand what you mean but I still don't understand how you can actually distinguish between anxiety and routines based on anxiety.

You know IA I need to write this down as the points you make are very useful, this is exactly what I would like to know, hopefully I will get some answers soon.

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bialystockandbloom · 31/01/2013 22:56

Well I suppose routines are always built up as a way to deal with anxiety, so either way, it's a case of a) working out what is causing the anxiety/routine, then b) taking positive steps to address it.

You'd have to take data over the course of weeks to get to the bottom of it. So whether it's because he finds the work too abstract (eg is it during specific lessons? I have realised with ds in Y1 that much of literacy is taught using abstract concepts dependant on chidlren's innate skills of inference - so hard for ds!) or is it the noise of the classroom? Or has he learnt that if he behaves like this he gets lots of 1-1 attention? (sounds harsh but hopefully ykwim).

Only by observing and taking data over time can you really see what's going on.
And the bottom line remains: whatever is the cause of the anxiety is the thing to be dealt with.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 23:05

Thanks. 1:1 attention is a possibility but then the need for the 1:1 could be because the pace in the class is too difficult or he s just tired of it. But it happens so occasionally and the next day he bounces back.

I always think - why not ask him? Is this not possible in ABA? DS is generally dead straight and will say.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 23:07

Taking data over works with this TA is not going to happen really is it? It will hardly be objective.

This is what moondog meant the other day isn't it.

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Dev9aug · 31/01/2013 23:12

Yes, it will be the TA implementing the program.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 23:16

He has sent data collecting sheets too before programme is drawn up. There is no way TA can do that.

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bialystockandbloom · 31/01/2013 23:22

Why can't the TA do that? Our TA does. What's the arrangement/statement you have? If the school are agreeing to follow the strategic programme of support and intervention from your ABA supervisor, why can't the TA do that?

Don't see why you couldn't ask ds straight out tbh! Though it might not be totally helpful - I know my ds would say soemthing truthful and factual but not that illuminating! But yes, good idea - why not ask your tutor what he thinks of that?

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inappropriatelyemployed · 31/01/2013 23:26

Supervisor was supposed to speak to him but then it went pear shaped.

Our TA is the one who thinks he is naughty anyway and her idea of compliance is based on those of a Victorian with high standards of courtesy.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 01/02/2013 04:44

My concern is also - what are the strategies to be used to work on something.

All I saw on Monday was 'do as you are told'.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 01/02/2013 07:55

Also, how does deciding if the behaviour is motivated by anxiety or anything else change how you address this.

My real worry, from Monday is, that his perception seemed to be 'he needs to do what he is told' and that will just lead to forced confrontation

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PipinJo · 01/02/2013 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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inappropriatelyemployed · 01/02/2013 09:35

'If avoidance, then ignore and repeat demand.'

This is what I am concerned about. DS shows little emotion and is high functioning. He uses the term anxiety to describe the odd day when he can't go into class. It is the odd day. He uses it sparingly and I trust what he says.

He still has to do his work. He don't upset anyone and he goes in to class again when settled without an issue.

The therapist who doesn't know him saw all this in action as he came on one of the rare days he is out of the class. Yet the implication seemed to be that DS was just picking and choosing what he wanted to do. Based on what? Not observable behaviour but teacher./TA comments.

He didn't know what to do to change the situation after DS was just forced into a corner which created confrontation. So it was all pointless.

I just don't feel confident that a therapist can unpick whether this genuine anxiety, demand avoidance or routine and the wrong decision could have catastrophic effects.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 01/02/2013 09:58

IE, I honestly haven't a clue what is going on here. However, I do know quite a bit about the context and culture of ABA, so with that in mind could the following be happening?

The Consultant is used to parents treating him like some kind of saviour, and having blind faith, not due to his ability necessarily, but due to their desperation and there really being little in the way of alternative. So, he is used to not having to prove himself to parents.

The Consultant is used to schools/LAs having a negative view of ABA and going on the defensive, digging their heals in and generally refusing to cooperate or confide.

He has judged the situation to be as above and therefore written a report as a sop to the school, rather than to you to ensure his 'way in' for your ds, and possibly also his future employment?

I'm not saying this is what happened, but it does seem to be all a bit of a muddle somehow.

ABA has changed my life. I am hoping to study it. I am a huge advocate. But my motivation is not JUST really about being interested in it. It is because there is such crap out there in the name of ABA. And still, often, (and probably because there is little alternative) it is better than what is on offer. It's like these flippin legal firms. They're crap because they can be, and it is hard to fight a case that you'll still probably lose due to their failure, without them.

I want to scream for you. Not many people take things to the end of each road like you do. When you do, all you seem to be finding are more and more potholes. I'm truly sorry.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 01/02/2013 10:06

'He has sent data collecting sheets too before programme is drawn up. There is no way TA can do that.'

Why?

'He needs to do as he's told'

Yes. Of course he does. But the success of ABA is in the fact that he WANTS to do as he's told, like my NT dd WANTS to do what she is told in school, broadly, - it makes her feel happy. No-one beats her into miserable submission/compliance. I would not expect anyone to feel that was appropriate for my ds either, just because he isn't motivated by the same things.

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