ABA and School - too much?

[dietcokegirl]

We have decided to start ABA with DS1 (3.10, ASC). However, he is due to start school in Sept and slightly nervous that it will be too much for him. Or maybe too much for me?! We are planning to do 20 hours per week ABA.

I am thinking of asking if he can start school just a couple of mornings per week for the first term and then maybe increase to 3 mornings after half-term. Does this sound reasonable? The school have already said they are willing to be flexible with attendance in the first year.

Any thoughts anyone?

Hello I am hoping to do a similar thing if I can organise ABA for afternoons. Did you set up program yourself and did you get funding from anywhere? I don't think it is too much. Too little has certainly not worked for my DS

I did half ABA and half school at this age and no, it wasn't too much. Let's face it, school at this age is basically just playtime, so it's not like they are sat doing algebra at school. I thought it was a great mix - school for social and play-based learning, ABA for intensive one-to-learning everything the child needs to catch up to school levels. I wish many more autistic kids could get this combo from an early age, tbh.

I did 15-20 hours a week ABA plus 2/3 (and then more as she got older) mornings at pre-school from when we started ABA.

dd1 was fine with it.

as sickof says - "school" is playbased, and our ABA home stuff was very natural and play based too (well, as much as dd1 would play back then, but it was her idea of playing - going thorugh lots of flashcards, extending her verbalisations etc - she loved it!)

ah thanks, just need to get my head round him starting school - argghh! I keep forgetting it is reception and, like you say, still very play based.

Did you do ABA at home? Just wondering if it is better done in another setting to start off with as opposed to home?

Mompa we are funding it ourselves in the short-term and may try to get in on a statement in the future. We may also recruit a nanny/mothers help and train that person up to do the ABA.

DS1 already does a few days at nursery and its an hour longer than a school day so am hoping he will manage reasonably well in a school environment. If there is no pressure to go full-time in reception then will start with a couple of mornings and build up.

What about ABA during school/nursery time?

Yeah the plan is to introduce it into school but that will be a few months into the ABA programme...

DS goes to nursery 3 x 2.5 hours per week and will start school in sept on same basis. I think its a great mix. He actually would not be able to access much of the learning at school eg listening to news time or assembly would be pointless as he could not understand the language being used. So in effect it would be 'deadtime'. So he will go for the play / social side but not the academic he will learn far more of whats appropriate for his level in ABA. I completely trust my ABA team to tell me when he's ready for more school, but I am not prepared to waste valuable hours of him being at school and literally just sitting on a carpet while it all goes over his head.

Much better to start with a limited attendance and make that really positive and build up from a position of strength than try too much and have it be a negative experience.

Agnesdipesto - can I pm you please?

dietcokegirl,

I'm assuming that you know your ds is not legally obliged to attend school until after Christmas? It is not up to the HT or their descretion, you simply say that they will start in Jan and they have to reserve your child a place if he has it allocated.

After that it is a negotionation between you and the school, but before that they have no say.

Just wanted to make sure you realised.

yes dietcokegirl thats fine

Thanks Star, yeah I did know about the start date, he doesn't HAVE to start this school year due to his b/day but we would like him to (for various reasons).

Do you know how it would work if the statement stated DS1 requires full-time 1:1 and then he only goes very part-time for say, six months? Is it up to the school to decide how they use the money and only recruit if they need to, eg when he is there full-time? Hope this makes sense!