What are the ABA approaches to teaching young children with Aspergers...

[Earlytorise]

1. to initiate conversation more

1. to initiate playing different games more

1. to manage their stress/anxiety levels

My DS is 4 and starts P1 next week.

I thought ABA was quite popular on this forum. Am I failing to understand something about it's practice? (admittedly at present I don't know very much and was hoping to be enlightened)

Bump

I know there are a few ABA consultants who I've been told specialise at the more hf end, eg social skills. I think one name given to me was Risca Solomon or Charlotta Holenstein (sp?) who may both be at Skybound Therapies. One of the things that worked well with my very hf DSD was a sort-of "fake it till you make it" approach - ie give them some rote conversational gambits - "what TV programme do you like?" "What do you like to play" which they can rely on. Then gradually the friendship grows. But I am not sure about at 4, think there was a lot of explaining the social "rules" eg that friends don't always play together to the exclusion of others, be smiley not possessive

development can often (superficially at least) be fairly close to typical development

That's exactly it Polter that's why I thought I would be quite specific as to what I feel DS would benefit from ( points 1-3) and if there were any 'play' techniques that might be used within ABA for those purposes, so I guess I mean 'the use of behavioural analysis to improve learning and progress more generally'and more informally at home

From what I've seen on certain links and on Youtube it does seem quite 'intense' (for instance the table top activities) and something my DS would not be able to understand at all, I think he would be at the practictioner. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree and there are better therapies to this end?

I've seen ABA sessions with children who have aspergers but tbh it's not really ABA as such, just social skill groups. It works wonders for some kids as it literally breaks down what happens in many situations and how they can deal/respond to it.

My own dd(also 4) does not have aspergers and has never done any table top work as she's very able. Everything is taught to her through the "natural" environment, so lots and lots of play based work.

I've just remembered that in the aba sessions with the HF boys, they watched short clips of social situations and they spoke about what they understood from it, why the person reacted that way/how they would feel etc...

Thanks everyone for you input.

DS's language (and understanding) is excellent we just wonder why he doesn't seem to feel the need to communicate more. We do some of the things above so we'll just keep on keeping on to encourage him.

Polter I think 'll look into the scaling charts and more (play) ways we could 'teach' modelling good social skills Sammy the short clips of social situations is a very good idea

I'm really aware of trying not to stifle his natural development/ responses to things so really want to get this right, after all he is only 4. Thanks again