ABA Therapy?

[MossyBee]

Hi,

I've been active here for the last 6 months or so researching behaviour and trying to analyse my 3 year old. I thought it was time to join, so here i am!

So some background, my son was diagnosed with a heart condition from the age of 8 months. Enlarged right side of the heart. Thankfully that period is more or less over now (touch wood). However, over the last 18 months we've been seeing signs of ASD. I know we shouldn't read much into it, but the banging doors, spinning, climbing everything, no speech, looking from the corner of his eyes, etc etc, not sleeping at night, screaming at night, etc etc is really getting to us and its having an effect on mine and my wife's life.

The NHS won't say it yet, until our neurology appointment next month, but we suspect ASD and looking at all the options NHS offer, to be blunt, there isn't much.

Me and my wife have talked about stem cell therapy, flying out to Ukraine and paying someone 10k, which am not keen on. Its not about the money here, but when i read more and more on it, there is no scientific proof that this is actually any good.

The other option i am keen on is to employ an ABA tutor for 2 to 3 hours a day.

Has anyone actually been through any of these processes and if so what was the outcome?

Thanks

I guess with the early experience your son has had with being unwell and the impact this has in your response to him, this will have impacted developmentally and needs taking into consideration. You say his speech isn't there yet, so he probably has no other ways to communicate than through his behaviour so this could be behind the behaviours.

Is the neurlogy appointment doing the autism assessment?

The first thing you need is a thorough autism assessment, where they will meet with you and your son but also gain feedback of how he is in nursery if there. In my area we have an autism team. Have a read about the triad of impairment, this will give you a clearer idea of what to look for.

What are you hoping an ABA tutor would achieve? Much of autism is understanding the context to difficulties, and once this is known having a different way of managing him.. initially by you as a family, not by an external person.

ABA is the usual early intervention therapy in America, its costly here though unless you can get it funded or happen to live close enough to a state special school that uses ABA e.g. Treetops in Thurrock - OP if you do a search then you will see previous posters experiences of ABA.