ABA vs Floortime vs other techniques

[mumgoingcrazy]

I wasn't sure whether to start a new thread or tag it onto the active ABA thread going at the moment.

I'm very new to these techniques, DD2 is 17 months old and the only dx we have is dev delay. She is making good progress but we do have a lot of catching up to do. About a month ago I started the 'floortime' technique which is proving to be successful (although tiring). Her eye contact and interaction and come on leaps and bounds already. With weekly Physio/OT/SALT and Portage her dev is also coming along nicely.

My question really is firstly what is ABA and how does it compare to floortime, or what are the differences? Also, what other techniques are there if any? I have no idea if they are totally different and used to different problems or whether they compliment eachother. I just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing by DD2. Thanks xx

From what you have all said, I think maybe floortime isn't the right technique for us. I'm leaning towards ABA or RDI I think. DD2's only dx at the moment is GDD, having said that her language is up to speed for a 17 month old. She is closing the gap and really it's her interaction we need to work on and wonder if ABA/RDI is the way to go now.

I will also watch the Youtube video too!

Thanks. xx

The videos will probably give you an idea of how RDI works. Just bear in mind with the youtube videos that each parent and child are working on specific objectives designed for them and the stage of the programme they are at. In isolation these objectives may not be much use for another child, as they may not have mastered the stages before that. Plus they may not be perfect examples of how to do it since RDI is a big learning process for the parents as well and part of the purpose of videoing is for the consultant to advise parents on how to do things.

Hey all,

We used to do Verbal Behaviour (ABA) but now do RDI with DS (He's 3 1/2 non verbal dx autism) and use a consultant. We wish we'd started before! It's great for kids with no language so don't let that put you off.
Because our income is less than 45 k per year we have funding from Caudwell Children's charity. We also have funding from them for biomed (testing and treatment) so, if I have another boy I'm going to call him John, after Caudwell.....(wink)

j
x

It's taken me ages to get into the swing of things with floortime, so am a bit apprehensive to start again with another technique, having said that from what you helpful mums have said floortime might not be quite right for her.

Need to research this more.

DD2 is 17 months, tactile defensive and possibly auditory processing issues too. Her dx at the mo is GDD but are awaiting tests results in case there is anything else to it. Her language is now good for her age, her cognitive is only slightly delayed. Her motor skills are really letting her down and are very delayed. One of our biggest problems with her is has lack of eye contact and interaction, although this has improved greatly the last month or so.

So with all this information, can anyone recommend a technique that you think would be suitable for her???? No pressure!!!

ABA and RDI are both a significant commitment : I know less about ABA but as I understand it you would need tutors to come and work with your DD2. With RDI they like you to watch the dvd (which unfortunately is long and rather out of date now) or attend a 2 or 4day workshop. These are brilliant but you would have to go to the US to do this. Then ideally you would sign up with a consultant. Again there are a few English ones but the majority are in the States. There are a few prepared to travel to UK which is what our does and we also talk to her regularly via Skype. A consultant is quite expensive but IMO it is difficult to get very far with RDI without one. Most consultants would be happy to assess a bit of video of your dd and let you know if they thought she was a suitable candidate for RDI. I'm not trying to put you off; I wish I had started RDI at such a young age with Ds2 and I think you could make great progress. But it is a big financial and time commitment. If you would like to borrow the DVD, I can lend it to you (I think I haven't lent it to anyone else at the moment.)

If you choose an ABA route, I think PEACH (?someone help me out here) is a good place to start. I'm not sure how easy it is to get funded if you don't have an autism diagnosis but I think there are mums on here who have done so. Hopefully someone else can advise you here.

Thanks Saker, the more I read about these techniques the more I think maybe floortime isn't the right one for DD2. I really feel DD2 being only 17 months is definately to our advantage and I can chop and change now.

I would love to have a look at the DVD please. I think it'd be a great help.

I don't know if DD2 is ASD or not, and I think it's too early to tell. The only indication is the lack of eye contact and interaction but this has improved a lot recently. She is now pointing at things and communicating a lot more. I just don't know, I guess time will tell.

Thanks again

If you CAT me with your address I can send you the dvd. Be warned it is long - but if you watch it in small chunks it is possible to get through it!

I'm puzzled as to why you think Floortime isn't the right therapy for your DD when she's made such good progress on it? Don't get me wrong - I think ABA and RDI are great therapies too - but I wondered what had been said on here to put you off Floortime?

Floortime does have the advantage if your child is tactile defensive etc of incorporating sensory integration right into the programme.

It was something jimjams said:

"My own personal POV is that Floortime suits the less able and RDI suits the more able. Language wise. I know that you can do RDI without language but I think it is hard to progress through the levels unless language kicks in. Somewhere Gutstein does say on his website that if language doesn't kick in then you need to use something else to teach it (Floortime says the same).

Floortime is more OT based than RDI (which is another reason why I think it suits the less able and why ds1 desperately needs it!)".

I don't know, I'm really quite confused as to what to do. DD2 has a lot of therapy and is worked on every day, so really I don't know what has brought on this great progress. Portage is absolutely fantastic for us and it might be this. I just don't know.

Saker, what do you mean CAT you my address? How do I do that?

Just seen your latest post jimjams, which means maybe floortime is the one. AAARRGGGHHH! very confused!

It's fine for 17 month olds whether more or less able Sorry I was thinking of big strapping 9 year olds like my ds1- where Floortime definitely suits him more than RDI, but RDI would probably suit someone with AS more than Floortime.

imo of course!

There's lots of RDI stuff on Youtube.
I'm about to start using Floortime/RDI stuff with ABA consultant I am working with. She told me that RDI usually costs thousands (as they use specially trained people).Is that right?

Thanks jimjams. It's quite hard as we don't have a dx so we have no idea what's what, but so far the delay is due to being severely tactile defensive so all our therapy is very much based around sensory integration. Obviously the physio and SALT are trying to work on their specific areas but deciding which technique would compliment these is so hard.

The thousands does put me off a bit, esp as we've done floortime for free. I know money should be no object but re-mortgaging the house is pretty major!

yep RDI is thousands. Usually cheaper than ABA though as you don't employ tutors. Although I've never spent much on ABA (Growing Minds course and supervision was pricey, but I paid tutors with dps). I'm hoping to have a consultation & report with a Floortime consultant to get us going more effectively, then maybe occasional updates.

All this stuff can get very expensive!

Mumgoingcrazy - your name sums up so clearly how i felt when DS2 was pre-diagnosis and in the early stages of knowing he had autism. If you search the archives you'll probably find my lengthy posts about which therapy 'route' we should take and I spent ages trying to decide between floorime, RDI and ABA. Jimjams, Saker, Davros and others were also part of these discussions and offered great advice then (as now).

What I've come to realise (and I hope I'm not coming across as a 'wise old 'been-there-done-that' sort of person, because I'm certainly not) is that ANYTHING you do which involves intensive interaction is going to help your child. You can spend ages (as I did) dithering around deciding what to do, feeling totally panicked that what you choose might not be the right thing - or you can do as YOU are doing, which is to choose something that suits you, your child and your lifestyle and get on with it. I wish I'd done what you are doing, to be honest. You may find, as I have, that things change, and you change the balance of your work with your child to reflect those changes. Your child makes progress, and if you're using more than one approach and nurseries/schools/ therapists are having input as well, you never really know exactly what it is that's making a difference. But the most important thing is that something is!

Will stop rambling...

yes that's very true.

How can RDI cost thousands if you don't use tutors?

Am very into combining rigorous analytical methods with gentler ones. All the ABA friendly people I work with are real bohemian/hippy types which really throws those who think ABA is weird and regimented!

Very good point sphil, I do know I am extremely lucky to be getting all this help and for the problems to have been picked up at such a young age. This is definately to our advantage.

Maybe, as she is making such good progress I should stick with what we are doing (as something is obviously doing the trick) and stop trying to analyse it so much.

They were 'wise' words, not 'been there done that'!!

Totally agree with what Sphill says.

Dd has been on an ABA program for 4 years now (VB). Honestly, it doesn't matter. if I had done gone for Son-rise or Floortime or RDI we would still be where we are today. (Maybe a few minor progress details.)

What matters is that you start an intensive program asap (which you have already done). Settle into it. When you hit blocks then look around and see what something else has to offer.
Also, we started with 15 hours for the first year (money problems) and now do 30 hours. That's fine too. Don't worry about not doing 40 hours etc.

You pay quite a bit for supervision moondog. I think (and please saker correct me if I am way off) RDI is about 5 grand a year (at old exchange rates- will be more now). You might have to pay more for access to the website etc.

Yes I wish I had known when ds1 was little that you didn't have to do 30-40 hours. Our ABA has always been part time (we didn't start until ds1 was 5 and at school) and he's still made progress. I didn't do it earlier as we couldn't afford a full time programme and I had no idea you could do it part time.

No, no RDI isn't anywhere near as much as that. You start RDI with a 3day assessment which is what costs the money since you are paying for a consultant's time, then you can pay as much or as little as you like for supervision, depending how much more of the consultant's time you use. Most consultants offer packages that include a certain amount of time e.g phone calls every month or whatever you decide to agree to. Our consultant has her terms and fees posted on the internet here. We have benefited in the past from the good exchange rate against the dollar although that is currently less the case.

RDI is not cheap but it's nowhere near £5,000 a year.

Actually sorry looking at that link it no longer gives the price of packages etc. I don't like to disclose exactly what we are paying because I don't want to compromise our consultant since it may have changed (plus I can't remember exactly), but I think it would be nearer £2,000. If you use a US consultant you would have to pay some travel expenses, however you can usually find other UK families to share this. There are several consultants in the UK, especially if you are in the south east.

Oh interesting.
Good to hear it doesn't cost as much as all that.

Thank you sweetgrapes, I think you are right. All of our activities, esp Portage involve intensive interaction incl floortime. Maybe we're doing ok and as you said if I feel we've hit a block I'll start looking around again.

It's definately good to know, what's out there though and know what options we have.

DD2 played a little game with DD1 today, also whilst eating dinner DD2 was doing anything she could to get DD1's attention and when she got it giggled. This would never have happened a couple of months ago, and seeing my girls interacting like that was amazing. I admit I did shed a tear!