We start ABA in 35 mins!

[Jimjams]

Just killing time before I go and pick up our tutor. Very excited about it.

Have found a brilliant training manual - help us learn I would recommend it - even if you have an established programme it provides a really helpful manual for training new tutors. If you don't have an extablished programme, or if you just want to incorporate ABA into your home then its great as well. I've been surprised to find out that we've already been using some techniques without knowing it.

How did it go??

I'm not surprised you have been using some ABA techniques at all!! Anyone like you who thinks a lot about how to help their child learn and spends a lot of time troubleshooting probably probably does. How exciting Jimjams, DO post after the session and tell us how it went. Just off to look at your link, sounds excellent, I can feel my Carer's Allowance being spent already!

How did it go? We're all expecting a full report.

Brilliant! I am amazed at how fast paced and exciting an ABA session is. I thought it would be a bit plodding iykwim. Our tutor is excellent- very clearly knows exactly what she is doing.

He was quite non-compliant (as I expected him to be- he's pretty good at demand avoidance until he has confidence- which usually comes pretty quickly.) Our therapy room is lovely and it's worked really well having everything down there. He liked the tutor- I could tell as he started playing a running away game with her. (annoying but it means he likes her). I left the room after an hour or so and I think that helped. He's quite stimmy at the moment. We've identified reinforcers. His eye contact away from the table was pretty good (no eye contact is his favourite way of demand avoidance). All in all very exciting. I'm looking forward to the confidence coming as I'm sure he'll start to do well then.

Great news Jimjams, I'm so pleased it went well as I think a lot of people get put off ABA by misinformation and by seeing bad therapy!!! I was thinking about what you said about already using some of the principles and I a lot of it is intuitive "special" parenting, but its great to have a tried and tested path of what to do if X happens, what to try next and why, identifying pre-skills for other skills etc etc. Just having it all set out, rather than making it up yoursefl as you go along. I found that one of the best things and it really gave me some security and confidence, especially a I didn't have to do it all myself Are you going to video any of it? We used to, partly as evidence for LEA etc, also as training tool for our therapists and so we could see what was going on. However, we hardly ever watched it as it would have taken too long, but we could if we wanted and we kept a tape every few months. The only person I've ever sacked was because of wathcing her on video when she took 45 minutes fiddling with the file and sorting out data and ignored our son!

Great Jimjams! I'm so pleased it went well! ABA has done amazing things for my son - I'm sure it will for yours too

I was searching the net the other day and found a brilliant book (title escapes me...JKP ofcourse!) which didn't mention ABA in the title....and it went on to describe alot of things i have been 'developing' over the last year or so....and then when i read it was based on the ABA programme i was 'thrilled' as i felt before that it was not relevant to my 'aspie' son...so had not bothered thinking anymore about it- however i realise now that it will help. I like the sound of the manual jimjams mentioned.

it's a bit like PECs...i understand their primary use is to help autistic children commumnicate - however in my case i have addapted them to 'help me communicate' to my boys schedules/change to routines etc....

MrsF, I think this is where a lot of people make a mistake about ABA, they think its only for the most severely autistic with the worst behavioural problems. This is completely wrong, it is simply a teaching (being the key word) method and in the USA is very much less associated with autism. When you start to learn about it you realise just how close to standard parenting "strategies" it is, its just organised into a recognised discipline.
Jimjams, had a look at the DIY ABA set of books I've got, look here
Hope your're still feeling positive

I'm so pleased for you, Jimjams. It sounds like you're off to a good start.

Still positive. I must admit I had a lot of misinformation about ABA. I didn't realise that the time spent at the table was so short (interspersed all the time with play), I thought the child would have to sit there for hours on end following commands. Our tutor was good- ds1 had to give the reponse asked for (even if prompted) but had lots of play time as well. He really seemed to enjoy it- a little smile on his face. And at least we are doing something useful! I do feel like we will be making progress towards copying and the language and speech. Language (receptive let alone expressive would make such a difference!)

I made our tutor's wages on ebay this week