ABA /VBprogramme for DS with development delay

[TinySocks]

Hello. My DS, who is 2.9 years old, has a global development delay. I have been reading many of your threads over the last few months and found plenty of useful information.
I started running an ABA/VB programme for DS at home six weeks ago. I would really like to know from other families who are using ABA for their non-autistic children.
Have you had good results? Is there any element of the therapy that should vary if the child is non-autistic? I have so many questions! Thanks.

Try www.autism-programs.com. It's the website of Growing Minds, who supervise our ABA/VB programme (DS2 is autistic). They have a public forum where you could ask this question - I'm pretty sure they would be able to give advice about GDD. I can't think of anyone offhand on this board who does ABA with a non-autistic child, but that doesn't mean there aren't any!

I think it's great you've started so early - wish we had! I'm sure you'll see good results . I think the beauty of these programme is that they can be adapted to fit an individual child and build on his/her particular motivations.
Good luck!

I have been doing VB (ABA) with my 4 year old autistic son for 2 years and it is fabulous! It's not just teaching him to talk, but also to count, to ride a bike, to wash his hands, to dress himself, to use a scooter, to walk around town and shops with no tantrums, to eat properly at a table, to stop being aggressive - the list goes on! I can highly recommend it!

I know someone well who has done ABA for years with her non-ASD (but LD and other disabilities) son. I think one of the biggest differences may be the choice of Reinforcers as this boy is MUCH more likely to do something because he wants parent/adult approval or just to join in. The social interest is very different and the willingness to do things. DS can do many things... but won't a lot of the time, he just can't see the point.

Thank you so much for coming back to me. It is reassuring to know that you all think so highly of this programme.
I have already seen benefits in the short time we have been doing it.
I am doing most of the therapy myself with only one additional tutor (who is learning just like me). A supervisor comes along every six weeks.
I am finding it hard at times and I just think I need know that someone else has succeeded. I find my supervisor to be a very forceful person, she doesn't really accept my points of view. I realise that she is the expert in the matter, but I was wondering if this is normal.
Are your supervisors very strong as well?
DH thinks we should change to a different person. I am not sure what the exact role of the supervisor should be, should the parent have a say in the programme too?
I wish I could talk to someone.

I don't think your Supervisor should treat you like that or make you feel like that. The really good ones will listen to all povs and then make a decision and explain it. You should trust the Supervisor but not if you feel uncomfortable about what they are doing, how they do or don't explain it and how they treat you. I worked very much in partnership with our Supervisor and it worked really well. We had one before her who I didn't like at all, nor did DH, and we were right. Miserable cow!! What options do you have if you do want to change though? Frying pan..... fire etc.

I think she is knowledgeable and I also think she is mostly correct in the goals set up for the program. But I really don't like the way she treats me. She really does put me down.
The problem is that I am not in the UK, she is travelling to us, so I'd have to search for someone else from here, which is not easy. I think I will give her one more chance and then decide.
I have a little bit of an undiscreet question, how much does a supervisor charge per day normally? And how much support should he/she give you on a weekly basis? (sorry to be so upfront but I have noone else to ask, thanks!)

Hi TinySocks, we've been running an ABA programme for our DS (autistic) for a year now and it's been absolutely brilliant for him. Without it, I don't think I would have even considered sending him to a ms school, but he's now going to start at the local primary in January and I'm rather confident he will thrive there!

Our supervisor charges £85 per hour, and she holds a 3-hour workshop every 3 weeks. She is fantastic though, very enthusiastic and hard-working. Telephone and e-mail support between workshops is free.

What you write about your supervisor doesn't sound good. As a behavioural analysist she of all people should know that that's NOT the best way of getting the most out of a parent! Delivering the therapy yourself is really tough and she should be motivating you, not putting you down.

Homsa,
thank you so much for letting me know yours costs. I wasn't sure I should ask but it is good to have some comparison. I am going to make some calculations to see if I am getting ripped off.

You are spot on about the motivation. This is really tough, and I just feel to unmotivated, I was really motivated the first few weeks (her first visit was fine), but this second visit was so awful. I am going to buy a box of chocolates to see if I can get myself back on track for DS's sake.

I really want this to work for my DS. He is such a wonderful little boy, I want to do the best for him.

Homsa, I hope you don't mind me asking yet more questions!! But, does she actually work directly with your DS when she has her workshop, or does she only observe the tutor/s and provide feedback? Just wants to have an idea on how your workshops are structured.

Thank you so much!

sphil, thank you for the growing minds website. They mention they can provide distance support (after providing training). This sounds interesting, but I wonder if it could ever work.
Is anyone on mumsnet using the Growing Minds distance support? I am interested to know if it is something worth considering.

My supervisor only charges £25 per hour, but I know that if I had a consultant it would be £100 per hour so maybe what you have is closer to a consultant. She should not make you feel bad, but I have to admit that sometimes my supervisor is a bit tactless, and I'm left thinking all I'm doing is rubbish, but when I think about it a few days later he is always right, dammit! I think a lot of us kick against some of the techniques of VB at first, but even if they seem cruel it's kinder in the end to eradicate bad behaviour before they get into the school system - some huge percentage of ASD kids get expelled every year from ms schools due to bad/aggressive behaviour. And yes, my supervisor does also do one session with Johnny a week - I think yours sounds more like a consultant, who wouldn't. Where do you live, I know some tutors with hours free. Keep at it - it is so hard, but you are so doing the right thing!

At the workshops, we split all the current programmes up between the tutors, then everyone demonstrates the programmes they've been assigned. The supervisor gives feedback on technique etc., but she also works with DS directly to demonstrate how things should be done. Also when she's introducing a new programme she'll usually give a demonstration. Even though she only comes every 3 weeks she's got a brilliant rapport with DS and he loves working with her.

I think there's a huge difference though between telling a parent what will and won't work (which you might not always believe, or agree with), and making you feel that all you're doing is wrong.

mccreadymum, my supervisor is not a consultant, in fact she only just moved from being a tutor to a supervisor. 25 an hour sounds very reasonable, I think my supervisor is charging too much (I am not in the UK). Can I ask, does your supervisor work for an organisation or is he independant?

I agree with Homsa, I am open minded and I honestly do not mind being told how to do things. And I totally understand the ABA stand on behaviour. But the point is that she does not treat me like a partner. She just underminds me. She doesn't let me complete my sentences. Just writing about it is making me feel silly for continuing working with her, I am afraid of getting someone worst if I let her go.

I am going to give her one more chance, and if it doesn't work I think I will probably ask if someone here on mumsnet can recommend another person. (watch this space).

tinysocks, my supervisors is independent and does not work for any organisation. maybe yours is charging too much, is it because it's non-UK I wonder? She does sounds a right old bossy boots though, which is no good if you are the customer!

Tinysocks - we do the Growing Minds distance training but I went on a residential course they ran in the UK first. They don't usually accept people on the distance training unless they've been running an ABA or Son-Rise programme for a while OR they've been on their week-long intensive training programme (in Florida). It's worth talking to them though - they are very laid back and you won't get a hard sell approach. They are expensive, but not as much as they might be if the exchange rate wasn't as favorable atm! And I think their fees compare quite well with UK providers.

Tinysocks, how did your Supervisor move from being a Tutor? Did she just decide one day to "crown" herself Supervisor? I have seen this happen a few times and its never any good unfortunately. We are all intrigued, where are you in the world? There must be someone else available, they are all over the world..... maybe we can help?

sphil, thanks for letting me know, I don't think they will agree to give me distance support then, becuase I haven't been doing it for long. But maybe in the future.

Davros, my supervisor works for a reputable consultant. As I said, I do think she knows her subject, it is her attitude that really upsets me. And comparing notes with Homsa and mccreadymum, she should be a bit more hands on than she actually is.

I don't actually want to disclose which country I am in only because I am worried Mrs. Supervisor may be a mumsnetter and may identify me. But believe me, there is only one person here who has done a course but has no real experience, so for now, I think my only alternative is to get someone from the UK.
DS is crying... got to go. Thanks for the replies,