Anyone wanting to know what ABA is like..

[sickofsocalledexperts]

I have written two very personal accounts of what ABA was like for my autistic boy - helping him to talk and behave well, where other methods like TEACCH and traditional speech therapy had failed. Mumsnet towers have allowed me to publish them on my sickofsocalledexperts blog.

If you want to know a bit about ABA from a mum's point of view then do have a look via the blogs tab at the top of mumsnet.

I am really rubbish at doing those link things, but if anyone can help me to do a here thing, so people can click straight to the articles??

Also, it's the second post on my blog as am crap at that too!

ABA experts - am a bit confused about you saying PECS training is ABA?
Do they say that or are you saying it is based on the same principles as ABA?
I am doing PECS so a lot of it is 'first and then' - is this what we would do on ABA but more intensive or slightly differently? What I have found with my DS is that once he has done the task he has often forgotten about the 'then bit' (reward). A lot of it is about distraction with him. Also, I very rarely use the 'first then' board as he seems to understand, most of the term, the verbal statement/instruction etc.

PECs is based on ABA principles, for sure, but it's far from the whole ABA story. The main bits (for me) of ABA for my autistic boy were understanding that we need to harness his motivation to talk (otherwise he won't bother) and encouraging the good behaviours but ignoring and redirecting the bad behaviours. ABA is a way of encouraging the behaviours you want (including speech) and discouraging those you don't (eg stims, aggression). I'm no expert, but that's my lay understanding. It can b e used as a technique to teach pretty much anything, at any age. It works for husbands too!. Rewards are certainly part of it, but not the whole thing. Hope that helps a little?

thanks for reading my articles justabout!

First and then boards aren't PECS - generally.

There are 'make a deal' boards. Perhaps that is what you mean? They are PECS.

PECS often gets confused with visual supports, because they are visual supports I suppose

But it is more than that. It isn't using PECS that I would recommend for getting a good grounding in ABA, it is actually attending the Pyramid run course, even if you have got to grips with PECS iyswim.

Hello ABA experts and thanks Sickof for the really interesting articles - you are so right, makes so much more sense written by a Mum who's 'lived it'.

I've been following this and the other mammoth ABA thread for a few days now and have been fascinated by the insights and fired up to start looking into ABA for my DD.

My DD is 3.3 and has a rare chromosome disorder with MLD (well we hope only MLD), GDD and significant S&L delay. My question is would ABA be something worth pursuing for her instead of what we are doing which is PECS, Visual Timetable, SALT activities.

I've seen posts that say ABA isn't just for children with ASD and I've googled and found a couple of references to ABA for children with Downs (altho one was from a Mum disappointed in the experience of 2 years' of ABA for her child). Just wondering if any of the ABA experts on here are aware of it being used successfully for non-ASD children, particularly to help with S&L delay where there is MLD too.

My DD doesn't have behavioural issues as such tho finds it hard to concentrate and attend to tasks. She doesn't choose not to talk, she just hasn't mastered it yet.

Any experience, advice really appreciated.

messmonster It's kind of like this. You assess a child for their demonstratable skills, then you make a list of skills they don't have, then you select the most basic ones, break them down and get the child to practise them over and over until they have got them. Then you assess them again and do the same.

You work hard to make the practise fun and rewarding and enjoyable so that they are motivated to practise.

I don't know a single child or person for whom this wouldn't work.

The skill is in how to make it rewarding and fun for the child, and in keeping it fast paced enough to get optimal success with minimal boredom or refusal.

Thanks Starlight - makes sense. I posted because I'd got the impression (wrongly) that it might be more about children who have the ability to perform the tasks but who cannot/will not because of sensory/behavioural/social issues. I will investigate more and see what ABA provision there is in my area (appreciate it will be private!).

Many thanks

Yes ABA could be great for MLD - in fact a pal of mine who has a child with MLD has used ABA recently to completely stunning effect. Her boy had been two years in mainstream, with an LSA, and had not spoken/read/written. No progress had been made, zero, in fact they school wanted to turf him out to an SLD school. With his mum learning ABA and working with him at home, and a few hours with an experienced ABA supervisor per week, he is now talking in sentences and not far behind his peers academically. It is as if ABA opened a door, giving him the motivation to learn rather than just crossing fingers and hoping (as school had appeared to do for 2 years). In some ways, without the autism, ABA can work even faster. Good luck!

At the top (2nd post) of this thread, Willowthecat has linked to my blog, for those who want to know more about how ABA worked in practice for me

Sickof, that link no longer works. Apparently MN has changed how their blogs work.