Question about RDI

[Saker]

I know RnB (and a few others?) are following this program and I wondered if you mind if I asked some questions. I do feel that it could help my Ds2 who does not have an autism diagnosis but does seem to have some autistic features. However I am unsure about how to start it up. Can you get enough information from the DVD and the book to carry out the program or do you think it isn't worth it unless you can go to the States and attend a workshop etc. Obviously a trip abroad etc is a major step to take so I would like to test the water a bit first. I have the book from the library but I am finding it hard to follow. Did you feel you could get enough details from the DVD?

Hi Saker we have attempted to follow the RDI program for the last few months (having watched the DVD and ordered three books from the Connections Centre). We are fortunate enough to have an RDI consultant who works with Dr.Gustein here at the moment (jointly with RnB). We personally struggeled with assessing dd to know which stage to start on, this is crucial, as all the stages are like building blocks, as you can't really start one until the previous have been mastered.

We already feel that the cost has been more than worth it, and now know exactly which of the deficits are the strongest in dd, as well as at least four other co occurrent disorders we need to address.

We feel a lot more confident with all the principals of RDI and how to actually carryout the activities etc

This is the first time a professional has ever spent so long with dd (even with a dx) and he has been able to disentangle many of her behaviours and so we know exactly which areas to work on and how.

this is very interesting, i hope more people tackling the rDi method respond!!

Monica

It sounds really good. How did you get the consultant? Do they come over regularly? How much time do you feel you need to spend to be beneficial?

Sorry for all the questions but I really feel that this could be worth doing but Dh is dubious and it obviously requires a commitment from everyone to be successful.

Thanks

RnB and her Dh went to Montreal in June to a 4 day parents workshop by Dr Gustein and met the consultant there. Since then we argreed for him to come to do the RDA (along with one other family also at the workshop) This is the first time he been to the UK, although he has set up the program in other countries. There has only ever been one other RDI consultant who has visited this country.

There are only 65 accredited consultants worldwide, so we feel extremely fortunate.

We are even more excited about the program now than we were before!! I would suggest you watch the dvd with DH. You have to have either watched the dvd or attended a parent workshop before the consultant will agree to start with you.

There is so much more positive stuff to share but he has not long left the house and we are with him again at 10am so feeling very drained/exhilirated. I have an indepth knowledge of ABA (work as a therapist) but just feel certain this program will do so much for dd and any child on the spectrum.

I am arranging for him to meet four other families on Monday to discuss the possibility of another UK visit in the future.

Sorry, in reply to the how long do you need to spend bit? Most of the activities can be lifestyle, so no need to pay therapists, once you have understood the principals and what stages you are working on the program can be worked on during playing games/painting/cooking/baking/cleaning/shopping/going for walks/mealtimes/rough and tumble play etc etc etc in fact every normal aspect of family life can be an excercise/activity once you understand the framework.

Thanks ever so much Monica for your useful replies. I'm glad it's working well for you. Part of the reason why we hesitate is because DS2 is not diagnosed as on the spectrum and I think he probably isn't. Plus he has a lot of dyspraxic type symptons which might make it harder for him to do some of the physical parts of the games etc. But from what I have read it looks like this program could apply to any child with some social communication difficulties. I talked to Dh a bit about it some more last night and he seems happy to get the dvd so I think we'll do that and see how we go.

Wouldnt it be great if the persons who took the course in N.America would come on and give us a question and answer period?? RNB for example who attended Montreal??

I am sure there would be a LOT of interest. I have gleaned bits and pieces but am the sort of person who needs a few "examples" in real life to get the gist. From there, i am sure that i could get going with it. I suppose i should buy the book and video too! (that would help!)

Have a look at the RDI UK group loads of parents doing RDI and more who have been to a parent workshop. There is a chat section where you could ask away

Thanks Monica

I didn't realise that existed! You have been so helpful as I can see you are busy.

I hope you had a good day with the consultant again.

Hi Monica, can I ask a genuine question.... you may or may not know that I speak to a lot of "new" parents, mostly locally but sometimes further afield. My "thing" is ABA but I always try to tell people about anything else that might be of interest. Can RDI work as a stand-alone early intervention? If so, can you teach matching, copying, receptive language etc? You talk about it being a "lifestyle" thing and using it during normal activites, but when we started out we couldn't do any of those activities until we'd done a year or two of ABA. I promise I'm not tryinig to catch you out or anything, I really want to know so I can pass on info. I know Sharon B-A very well, who was one if not the first RDI parent in the UK so I can always ask her but thought I'd take advantage of this thread.

bump

Sorry to take so long to get back to you on this, had last day with consultant today and my head is still spinning!

Saker I haven't done an ABA programme with my dd, but have worked part time, (currently only one morning) as an ABA therapist for about the last 18 months. I have used some of the ABA behavioural approaches with dd under the guidance of the ABA consultant I work with. However I do have a rough idea of the annual cost of ABA if being self funded and the RDI assessment and set up of the programme has cost us less than 10% of that.

Davros my experience of ABA is very different to a family who have run a programme and it being so much a part of their lives, also I am only just starting out on "my RDI journey" so am certainly no expert on either interventions So from that perspective my reply to your answer would be yes I do think RDI could be done on it's own to treat autism, but ABA is good at teaching skills like matching/imitating/categories/features/functions etc. RDI would then be able to teach the child to use those skills in a social situation.

The RDI consultant (who has done ABA/teach etc)was asked the same question today by a mum who had run ABA for several years, he described ABA as being more useful to treat a co occurent disorder such as learning difficulties, he feels ABA is about improving the childs intelligence at whatever level, and not about addressing the autism. The danger of teaching skills is that the child is storing the information but not recalling on it to use in a social interaction.

Eg dd has stored many facial expressions/emotions that have been taught rotely but does not know how to generalise them enough into real life social interactions.

I can also see how for some families it would be really hard to "let go" of ABA. I think it very much depends also on how holisitc the ABA programme is, and at the end of the day a parent has to choose the intervention that they feel is right for them and their child.

monica, thank you for that, i have been trying to phrase that in my head for days. And you hit the nail on the head. That is what i have been thinking. I didnt know i was thinking it until you explained it so well!

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Hi rnb, i want to buy the dvd but RDI web site says its not pal only ntsc, ie. for U.S. and Canada, etc. Did you buy the dvd? Has anyone bought the dvd in the UK? Does it work with your dvd player? Can you play it on your computer and convert it to a dvd here?

Is it worth the money for the dvd or is the book better? I notice there is a 25 dollar discount right now on the dvd

many thanks

Thanks for the info as well RnB. I hope it all went well with the therapist for you. I have splashed out on the dvd and we will watch that and see how we get on. MMDDWW it says that it is compatible on all pcs but not necessarily all dvd players, but I will let you know when it arrives what it works on. I borrowed the book from the library but I think it would be helpful to see real examples of how to do the exercises etc.

Be warned though the p&p was $50!

I think they are also selling off their videos cheaper?

the dvd works on our player, but I haven't finished watching yet.

2 day/4 day parent workshops are being scheduled in the uk for next year. I have no idea how much it'll cost but suspect I will be hitting the deck with "how much?" Am tempted- and if I have any concerns about ds3 will be there.

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thanks people. By the way the book can be bought at amazon.com. They sell a number of them. I think i will get the one for "young children". there is a deal where you can buy both books for £35.00 the one for young children and adolescents.

I personally think that children with autism need a range of approaches depending on their individual profile. I would never advocate ABA as THE answer to autism but a combination of behaviourial methods, special time type sessions, speech and language, TEACCH, PECS, Hanen etc etc... I think a focus on communication is absolutely key. The absolute ideal, in my opinion, would be specialist early years settings with a range of professionals and differentiated approaches depending on the child's individual needs. I'm wary of approaches that talk about curing autism or talk about stimming in a negative way.