gdata.io.handleScriptLoaded({"version":"1.0","encoding":"UTF-8","feed":{"xmlns":"http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom","xmlns$openSearch":"http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/","xmlns$gd":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005","xmlns$georss":"http://www.georss.org/georss","xmlns$thr":"http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0","xmlns$blogger":"http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008","id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657"},"updated":{"$t":"2023-12-19T05:27:29.957-05:00"},"category":[{"term":"Programs"},{"term":"interventions"},{"term":"Interviews"},{"term":"FAQ"},{"term":"Community/Public"},{"term":"Language/Communication"},{"term":"Telehealth"},{"term":"Autism"},{"term":"ABA Employment"},{"term":"Home Tips"},{"term":"ABA"},{"term":"Life skills"},{"term":"ABA Reform"},{"term":"I love ABA"},{"term":"Quote of The Day"},{"term":"TV/Movies"},{"term":"assessment"},{"term":"prompting"},{"term":"Guest Post"},{"term":"BCBA"},{"term":"audio/video post"},{"term":"Staff training"},{"term":"Featured"},{"term":"Feeding"},{"term":"behavior"},{"term":"Repetitive behaviors"},{"term":"Supervisor Tips"},{"term":"Therapy start up"},{"term":"Sensory Needs"},{"term":"Parent education"},{"term":"Ethics/Professionalism"},{"term":"Pairing"},{"term":"School/Educators"},{"term":"Social Skills"},{"term":"Play Skills"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"I Love ABA!"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"~Practical Tips ~Simple Strategies ~Free Resources"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/-/Parent+education?alt\u003djson-in-script"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/-/Parent+education?alt\u003djson-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http://www.iloveaba.com/search/label/Parent%20education"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/-/Parent+education/-/Parent+education?alt\u003djson-in-script\u0026start-index\u003d26\u0026max-results\u003d25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"https://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"145"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-7847861533460097806"},"published":{"$t":"2022-10-03T22:19:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-10-03T22:19:19.681-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ethics/Professionalism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Assessing the Quality of Intervention"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrEAoqFC8AnBlITiy6D1fbBKFriVkw51wR5Wvuvdb8OJeNOLJC3cLHHun4SQTe3-vqq-lQQ96uiM4UoSvDXsfZIHYKl5ppQVSj0zePtA1U-9W4lDAfQ4xO93NIdsNtOCCbaMtL1QFK1fBzn7DqMEL3JkgRgVkMmeGiaWUVkL243GYiysYGGOc0Fel1A/s4826/raquel-martinez-SQM0sS0htzw-unsplash.jpg\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"4826\" data-original-width\u003d\"3240\" height\u003d\"414\" src\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrEAoqFC8AnBlITiy6D1fbBKFriVkw51wR5Wvuvdb8OJeNOLJC3cLHHun4SQTe3-vqq-lQQ96uiM4UoSvDXsfZIHYKl5ppQVSj0zePtA1U-9W4lDAfQ4xO93NIdsNtOCCbaMtL1QFK1fBzn7DqMEL3JkgRgVkMmeGiaWUVkL243GYiysYGGOc0Fel1A/w294-h414/raquel-martinez-SQM0sS0htzw-unsplash.jpg\" width\u003d\"294\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSomething I do regularly as part of \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.tameikameadowsconsulting.com/offered-services\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eclinical consultation,\u003c/a\u003e\nis what I call \u003cb\u003eQuality Assurance.\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBasically, providing clinical guidance to a family or fellow\nprofessional who wants to know: “\u003ci\u003eIs this normal? Is this what ABA should look\nlike? What should I expect from services? Can I request that the provider\nstart/stop doing (blank)\u003c/i\u003e?”. \u003cspan style\u003d\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003eIssues can\nrange from the simple to the complex, such as answering questions like “\u003ci\u003eIs this\na good Behavior Plan\u003c/i\u003e?” to “\u003ci\u003eHow many hours a week of therapy does my child need? Does it have to be 40?\u003c/i\u003e”.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eDoing this regularly, I hear LOTS of crazy stories. Lots of\nsad stories. And lots of “Wait…..\u003cu\u003eWhat\u003c/u\u003e?!” stories. I love when I get to tell the\nclient everything looks great, and the intervention being provided is sound,\nethical, and evidence - based. But I don’t always get to say that \u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Segoe UI Emoji\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: \u0026quot;Segoe UI Emoji\u0026quot;;\"\u003e☹\u003c/span\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eOf course every scenario and situation is different, so its\nhard to summarize the main takeaways for ensuring you and your child are\nreceiving high-quality therapy services.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut.\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eThere are a few general points that I usually explain to\npeople during these consults, that I would love to openly share. I hope its helpful\nfor any who need it.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eFirst things first--- if you are wondering or questioning if\nyou are receiving high-quality services, or if intervention is “working”, then\nunfortunately I’d have to say….. probably not.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003ePeople who are accessing great special education, Speech\nservices, Occupational therapy, or ABA, generally don’t wonder if they are. The\nwondering and questioning is usually a sign that your “parent gut” is picking\nup on an issue. When you dig into it further, usually more issues or problems\nare revealed. So tip #1 is if you are currently skeptical or doubtful of the\nservices being provided, \u003cu\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: red;\"\u003eDO NOT\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/u\u003e ignore that. Don’t minimize it and don’t brush\nit off. Investigate further.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTip #2 is: Attitude matters. I talk to so many people who\nsay “Well he/she is an expert in their field, so who cares if they’re kind of\narrogant... condescending…rude…never returns phone calls…..mistreats me”. Nope.\nFull stop. It is not okay for a professional to treat you like trash, just\nbecause they are highly knowledgeable and in demand. Asking for qualifications\n+ basic human decency is not too big of an ask.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTip #3: As the parent or caregiver, you should expect to be\ninvolved in your child’s intervention process. Any school, therapist, or\nprovider, who is treating you like an unwanted green bean dish at the buffet is\nnot acting with your best interests in mind. It is not unusual to expect to\nhave treatment goals explained to you, in detail, minus the jargon, until you\nunderstand. It is not unreasonable to expect your questions to be answered, and\nyour feedback to be incorporated into treatment. This is your CHILD we are talking\nabout. Of COURSE you should expect to be treated respectfully and like a team member.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eTip #4: You should know the ethical obligations of the service\nprovider. If you are receiving ABA services, do you know what is considered unethical\nbehavior for a BCBA? What about for a RBT? No? Then how will you know if the\nteam is behaving unethically? I’ve spoken with families of children who exhibit\nhighly violent or dangerous behaviors, and there isn’t even a Behavior Plan in\nplace. That shouldn’t happen and is unethical treatment. If you don’t know what\nyou should be getting, its kinda hard to ask for it.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eLast tip: Look for progress. This is probably the #1 complaint\npeople have when I speak with them, is their child has been participating in\nXYZ treatment for ABC amount of time and nothing is better Nothing has improved.\nLanguage is still a huge area of deficit, no new skills are being demonstrated,\nbehavior at home is still awful and challenging, they still can’t go out to eat\nas a family, the child still isn’t toilet trained, etc. Now the specific amount\nof progress, I can’t tell you that part. It varies by individual. But you\nshould expect to SEE the intervention working. If your child was tantrumming\nfor 5 hours a day when services began, is it less now? If your child would only\neat 4 foods when services began, is it more now? Has the intervention helped\nany of the areas that are highest priority to you as the parent? No? Then why\ncontinue??\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eRegardless of the specific intervention, treatment, or\ntherapy, these basic tips should help answer many of those “parent gut”\nquestions that start whispering to you that something is wrong, even if you can’t\npinpoint specifically what is wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003eListen to that instinct, do more digging, ask more\nquestions, and reach out for clinical help or guidance when you need to!\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e*Recommended Resources:\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/ethics-codes/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEthical Guidelines for ABA Providers\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://inte.asha.org/Code-of-Ethics/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEthical Guidelines for Speech Pathologists\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-essentials/ethics?_ga\u003d2.9482485.1397308942.1664849046-1090437946.1664849046\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEthical Guidelines for Occupational Therapists\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://sites.ed.gov/idea/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eIEP/Special Education Law Resource\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://societyforpsychotherapy.org/informed-consent-in-clinical-practice-the-basics-and-beyond/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eInformed Consent in Therapy\u003c/a\u003e (\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003ewhen disabled adults or children are being treated, it is the parent who must give informed consent\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2017/11/the-parents-role-in-aba-therapy.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eParent Participation in Therapy\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.nea.org/resource-library/code-ethics-educators\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eCode of Ethics for Educators\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.parentcenterhub.org/disputes-landing/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eDisputing an IEP\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4433419/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eParent Involvement in the Therapeutic Process Improves Care\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/7847861533460097806/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/10/assessing-quality-of-intervention.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7847861533460097806"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7847861533460097806"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/10/assessing-quality-of-intervention.html","title":"Assessing the Quality of Intervention"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrEAoqFC8AnBlITiy6D1fbBKFriVkw51wR5Wvuvdb8OJeNOLJC3cLHHun4SQTe3-vqq-lQQ96uiM4UoSvDXsfZIHYKl5ppQVSj0zePtA1U-9W4lDAfQ4xO93NIdsNtOCCbaMtL1QFK1fBzn7DqMEL3JkgRgVkMmeGiaWUVkL243GYiysYGGOc0Fel1A/s72-w294-c-h414/raquel-martinez-SQM0sS0htzw-unsplash.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-466985567388457122"},"published":{"$t":"2022-07-30T07:25:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-07-30T07:25:59.851-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ethics/Professionalism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Parents/Caregivers: Interviewing ABA Providers "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99isLGaXZmT5XlW4m1pPt9C8qF5g9Iu97oN5sgqThIsHHtW8ZRtGvW6v80KEGa2w9yXc7l_OSmSDKZ4xV22QsF3jijQKhMDOnlB4ZDaFaU0kOsIK-8eD63lXg52A4fQ3EFHr99Yc-mHNCUKLQhWbeCuvQ7j2vuqlqQZY7H5TcrnYzdVvjo8uxYqjyIA/s5472/florian-schmetz-LPckxbrqE5w-unsplash.jpg\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"5472\" data-original-width\u003d\"3648\" height\u003d\"353\" src\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99isLGaXZmT5XlW4m1pPt9C8qF5g9Iu97oN5sgqThIsHHtW8ZRtGvW6v80KEGa2w9yXc7l_OSmSDKZ4xV22QsF3jijQKhMDOnlB4ZDaFaU0kOsIK-8eD63lXg52A4fQ3EFHr99Yc-mHNCUKLQhWbeCuvQ7j2vuqlqQZY7H5TcrnYzdVvjo8uxYqjyIA/w257-h353/florian-schmetz-LPckxbrqE5w-unsplash.jpg\" width\u003d\"257\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecently, there were many \u003ca href\u003d\"https://bhbusiness.com/2022/07/18/several-large-autism-service-providers-in-the-u-s-are-undergoing-a-wave-of-layoffs-and-closures/#:~:text\u003dSeveral%20large%20autism%20service%20providers,their%20staff%20by%20the%20hundreds.\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003epublicized\u003c/a\u003e and non-publicized mass closings in the ABA industry. This means many people lost their jobs. It also means many clients \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiejennings/2022/07/21/an-autism-therapy-company-abruptly-cuts-off-care-to-children-as-it-lays-off-staff/?sh\u003d7f2f203347a6\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eabruptly lost access to needed services\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince this happened, I've talked to parents from all over wanting to know how to recognize a private equity backed company or how to spot warning signs or clues of a low-quality provider.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt won't always be possible to see shutdowns/company closures coming, and just because things start off going well doesn't mean they will continue that way. Just ask all the families who started off 2020 happily receiving ABA services, and then COVID hit, and then.....yeah.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile there is always some level of trust required, and some element of risk when initiating services with \u003cu\u003eany\u003c/u\u003e provider, I also care very much about helping caregivers develop the skills to weed out low-quality providers and avoid the worst of the bunch.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe biggest tip I can give is the title of this post: \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003einterview providers.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease don't just Google providers in your area, and sign up for services with the company that answers the phone the quickest. This is far, far too important not to do your due diligence. Treat this with the same level of seriousness as researching a new car to buy, or choosing your child's pediatrician, or deciding which private school is best. Choices are great, but choices also come with a responsibility to carefully evaluate each choice. Despite what many people think, nope, low-quality ABA treatment is \u003cu\u003eNOT\u003c/u\u003e better than no treatment at all.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTONS of resources below--- use them, share them, download and print them. Listen to your \"parent gut\", ask questions, and watch for discrepancies between what you are being told and what you actually receive. No provider should start off the client/company relationship lying to you, hiding information, dodging your calls, etc. Yet, I hear stories like that from families all the time (e.g. \"\u003ci\u003eIts been bad like this since the very beginning...\u003c/i\u003e\"). Be a picky parent, and advocate for what you know your child needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany of the anti-ABA voices out there are products of low-quality, unethical, and terrible ABA services. The potential for harm and mistreatment is high in situations where clients are working with poorly trained, poorly supervised, poorly equipped, or horribly overworked RBTs, BCaBA's, or BCBAs. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't right. Conversely, if it seems too good to be true it likely is.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e**Caregiver resources**\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHiring Solo Providers: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://researchautism.org/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-an-aba-therapist/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHiring Direct Staff\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/12/hiring-bcba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHiring a BCBA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2014/05/diy-aba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eParent-Led services\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChoosing a Company: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/07/choosing-aba-provider-pt-ii.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eCenter or Clinic\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/choosing-aba-provider/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eChoosing an ABA Provider\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.stepstoprogress.com/blog/aba-therapy/5-questions-to-ask-when-choosing-an-aba-provider/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eQuestions to Ask a Potential Provider\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/tips-for-choosing-a-provider-for-applied-behavior-analysis-aba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTips for Choosing a Provider\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://www.autism-help.org/autism-downloads/aba%20Provider-Guidelines.pdf\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eSample Interview Questions\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/10/choosing-aba-agency.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eMore Tips for Choosing\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvaluating the Quality of Treatment: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2013/02/is-this-aba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eIs it ABA\u003c/a\u003e?, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://childmind.org/article/know-getting-good-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eIs it Good ABA\u003c/a\u003e?, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/high-quality-aba-treatment/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHigh Quality Treatment\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://manhattanpsychologygroup.com/how-do-i-recognize-high-quality-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHow to Recognize High Quality ABA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://marybarbera.com/tameika-meadows-finding-good-aba-therapy/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eWhat is Good ABA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.behaviorbabe.com/quality-indicators\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e30 Indicators of Quality ABA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://journals.lww.com/jaanp/Fulltext/2020/08000/Helping_parents_choose_treatments_for_young.7.aspx\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHelping Parents Choose Treatment\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is Private Equity: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://mclaughlinadvisors.com/news/f/private-equity-and-applied-behavior-analysis-autism-and-beyond-1\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ePE and ABA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.wfae.org/health/2022-03-17/the-new-trend-in-autism-care-private-equity-investment\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ePE and Autism Care\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.thenation.com/article/society/private-equity-autism-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Impact of PE\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-pe-firms-have-invested-aba-provider-list-karen-chung/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eList of PE backed providers\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthical Responsibilities of RBTs, BCBAs, and BCaBAs (P\u003ci\u003eractitioners have ethical guidelines, not companies/organizations. Consumers can file complaints\u0026nbsp;about unethical organizations\u0026nbsp;to their insurance provider, Better Business Bureau, applicable accreditation\u0026nbsp;board, or are encouraged\u0026nbsp;to consider legal action\u003c/i\u003e): \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/ethics-codes/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBACB Ethics\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.abaethicshotline.com/faqs/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Ethics Hotline\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.apbahome.net/general/recommended_links.asp\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eReporting Licensed Practitioners\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSigns of a Low-Quality/Unethical Provider: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://howtoaba.com/good-aba-vs-bad-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eGood v. Bad ABA\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2011/08/how-to-have-very-short-career-in-aba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eSigns of Low Quality Staff,\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8359641/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eExploring Quality in ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFood for Thought about the current state of the industry: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/low-standards-corrode-quality-popular-autism-therapy/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eLow standards in the ABA Industry\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFree Handouts: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ql3NBK32zn1MUSfvzUkh9XsWxyICKDt7/view?usp\u003dsharing\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTips for Screening ABA Providers\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BLpV8fyJh8cXplbC1fYm94WXM/view?usp\u003dsharing\u0026amp;resourcekey\u003d0-LD39zWhD-5EYgpHgqEeQ6w\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eWhat to Expect When Initiating ABA Services\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/466985567388457122/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/07/parentscaregivers-interviewing-aba.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/466985567388457122"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/466985567388457122"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/07/parentscaregivers-interviewing-aba.html","title":"Parents/Caregivers: Interviewing ABA Providers "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99isLGaXZmT5XlW4m1pPt9C8qF5g9Iu97oN5sgqThIsHHtW8ZRtGvW6v80KEGa2w9yXc7l_OSmSDKZ4xV22QsF3jijQKhMDOnlB4ZDaFaU0kOsIK-8eD63lXg52A4fQ3EFHr99Yc-mHNCUKLQhWbeCuvQ7j2vuqlqQZY7H5TcrnYzdVvjo8uxYqjyIA/s72-w257-c-h353/florian-schmetz-LPckxbrqE5w-unsplash.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-8376268509701097542"},"published":{"$t":"2022-05-20T13:05:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-05-20T13:05:19.337-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sensory Needs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Social Skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"behavior"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Community/Public"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Party Time"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXL79MkzbZjyy__r9Q_VULnr67xUPSe-cGhadF_FMwVei00mhgv-MAS94JU-zVwRebjFyH7oXNc1RWexwhHaisydAf3P5puzhPVS9Hm8AI29xamWWNLIRFNe3hnzJLwGbvKIpBYctLPHjFAwNNx1Rncg5qcUTX6fPXZF54Ps1f0P4sv5ZZcqKZR_redA/s7731/19010111.jpg\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"5157\" data-original-width\u003d\"7731\" height\u003d\"277\" src\u003d\"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXL79MkzbZjyy__r9Q_VULnr67xUPSe-cGhadF_FMwVei00mhgv-MAS94JU-zVwRebjFyH7oXNc1RWexwhHaisydAf3P5puzhPVS9Hm8AI29xamWWNLIRFNe3hnzJLwGbvKIpBYctLPHjFAwNNx1Rncg5qcUTX6fPXZF54Ps1f0P4sv5ZZcqKZR_redA/w416-h277/19010111.jpg\" width\u003d\"416\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u0026nbsp;Birthday parties. Let's talk about it.\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParties, gatherings, events, picnics, etc., where there will be lots of people, noise/music, activity, chatter/laughing, and hidden, unspoken rules for \"appropriate\" behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe event may even be outdoors, which brings a whole host of safety concerns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOr, the event could be near a body of water (pool party), which definitely adds even more safety concerns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor parents with Autistic children, or another disability, do you just not go??? Is that the way to do this? How do you get a child through elementary school without ever attending a birthday party?? These days, kids have to invite the whole class. So in an average school year, your child may receive several birthday invitations, to loud, active, parties full of running, screaming kids, hopped up on sugar and soda.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore we jump into what to do, let's back up a bit and describe the challenges: \u003ci\u003eWhy are birthday parties sometimes so not fun, and so very \u003cb\u003ehard\u003c/b\u003e?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBirthday parties/large gatherings are (often) loud, full of junk food/ice cream/candy/cake, full of people, tantalizing presents, music or entertainment, and the expectation to socialize (\"You kids go play\"). All of this can combine for quite the sensory nightmare.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour Autistic child may find the event overstimulating, scary, uncomfortable, or painful (overstimulation that one cannot leave can be painful). Your child also may be unable to tell you any of that, which leaves demonstrating the discomfort through their behavior.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI have seen this up close many times, both \"on the clock\" and off the clock. I've been at kids birthday parties and seen that girl or boy seriously struggling and having an awful time, or attended birthday events with clients to provide support during the party.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI think its critical to reset expectations and have a clear understanding of just how scary parties can be for Autistic children or adolescents (I'm not mentioning adults because,\u0026nbsp;\u003ci\u003e\u003cu\u003etypically\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/i\u003e, adults with disabilities are not forced to attend events they seem not to enjoy, the way small children are).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe questions below should be carefully considered based on your child's age, temperament, sensory profile, and support needs, with strategies in place in case the party experience goes badly. Have a plan, then have a backup plan, and \u003cb\u003edon't go it alone\u003c/b\u003e. Bring at least 1 other adult with you, or if you are hosting the event, assign helpers among family ands friends who know what to do and will quickly jump in if your child is having a hard time.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThings to Consider:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eDo you have to attend\u003c/b\u003e/throw the party? No really, think about that. What would happen if you just...didn't go? Or what would happen if your child didn't have a 4th birthday party? I'm pretty sure the earth would still keep spinning. Sometimes, the level of support that would be needed as well as the needed accommodations aren't feasible. In that case, is it better to force your child through something they are unlikely to enjoy, or to just skip it? I'm not saying forever, and this could even be a case by case decision. Small party at a neighbor's home? Sure. Huge community pool party with 6 clowns, a DJ, and group party games? Maybe not.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e- Don't try to stay the whole time, instead play it by ear. For some children, they aren't excited about the cake (feeding issues are common with Autism). They don't care about the social games or group activities. They don't yet have the ability to wait, so they won't understand why they can't start ripping into set aside food or activities (and may not understand why they can't open someone else's gifts). What will YOUR child do at the party that they find fun, entertaining, and is safe? Think about that, before you take them to a 2 hour birthday party.\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Understand that vigilant supervision may be needed. This does mean dropping your child off may not be a safe option (as the party host will be super busy), and if you stay with your child, you may need to keep them in eyesight at all times. It isn't unusual for my clients to 100% \"veer off from the group\" during parties, only to be found sometime later upstairs in a closet, or trying to access YouTube on the family laptop, or casually digging through someone's refrigerator. These can be very embarrassing moments, that could easily be prevented by keeping a close eye on your child, especially if the party or event will be held outdoors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Speaking of embarrassing, there is nothing embarrassing about accommodations or supports. If you are taking your child to a party or event where they can't wear their noise canceling headphones, or freely STIM (family members, sadly, can be very judgmental about stimmy kids at birthday parties)\u0026nbsp; without being treated poorly, that may not be the kind of event you want to attend. Again, parties are overstimulating for many Autistics. So it makes sense that they will do MORE of what helps them calm or regulate in response to being at the party. In other words, if most of the kids are quietly playing Candyland, but your child is in a separate room happily squealing and jumping, while chewing on a straw, \u003ci\u003ewill this be a problem for other people at the party\u003c/i\u003e? If so, I don't think your child is the problem.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Take preferred foods, toys, and leisure items with you. Please do not expect that your child who eats 3 foods at home, will magically attend a birthday party and chow down on Cheetos, cake, and pizza. If they won't eat it at home, they likely won't eat it at the party. Also, don't withhold stim items or comfort toys because the child is in public, and other people will see. Those favored items may help keep your child calm and comfortable, in a chaotic and loud setting. On that note, it can be helpful to bring items your child may grab, snatch, or steal, if they see it in public. For example, I worked with a boy once who loved to suck on pencils. If he was out somewhere and saw a pencil, he would try to grab it and put it in his mouth. So in that situation, I'd recommend bringing oral sensory items with you so the child doesn't need to hunt throughout someone else's home for something to satisfy that chewing desire. Think about things like this in advance, and plan accordingly.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- The biggest tip, and the one I see cause parents the most pain and distress, is this: \u003cb\u003ePlease don't expect your child to be a different person socially\u003c/b\u003e, just because you're at a birthday party. If your child is not very social at home, they likely won't be very social with 23 other kids present. In fact, they may exhibit new behaviors you usually don't see at home (such as pushing, swatting at, or running off to get away from the other kids). This can be very hard for parents to watch. So can bullying and stigma, such as if your child DOES want to join the play, and the other kids are being mean or cruel to your child. Remember that earlier tip about close supervision? It's very important to watch how your child interacts with the other children, so you can stop any bullying or rudeness in its tracks, and so you can monitor when your child's social battery is \"full\". Most of my clients fill up that social battery very fast.....maybe 15-25 minutes of social interaction, and they're \u003cu\u003edone\u003c/u\u003e. And that is OKAY. Not all children want to \"Go play\" with their peers for hours and hours. Observe your child, redirect them to solo play or maybe a calming activity as needed, and when they seem to be all done with being around so many people, its time to head for the door so the event can end on a high note. Don't be ashamed or embarrassed to say \"S/He's ready to go now. Thanks for inviting us, bye guys!\".\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eI hope the largest theme coming across in this post is that large events/birthday parties aren't necessarily about you, as the parent. They aren't about the party host, the games, the clown, catching up with friends, hanging out, etc. They are about helping your child be successful, in what is likely a highly overstimulating scenario.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eIt is important to provide your child with the support and tools they need to engage with the event, to endure the event (again, consider if it would be best not to go if they seem to just be \"enduring\" parties), or to excel at the event. Whether the bar is set at engagement, endurance, or excelling, will depend on your child.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eAnd don't lose hope and feel defeated if right now, you are at an \u003ci\u003eendurance\u003c/i\u003e level. That doesn't mean things will always be that way! As your child grows and matures, and most importantly as they develop more skills and abilities, they may begin to enjoy parties. Maybe even, to have \u003cb\u003efun\u003c/b\u003e at parties.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eGive it time, and be patient. Both with your child, and with yourself.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e*Recommended Resources \u0026amp; Resources:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://mycanopy.org/2020/04/over-stimulation-stress/#:~:text\u003dChildren%20with%20autism%20can%20frequently,and%20get%20back%20on%20task.\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAutism- Managing Overstimulation\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://autismspectrumnews.org/four-faces-of-overstimulation/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eWhat is Overstimulation?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/sensory-overload-in-autism-may-stem-from-hypervigilant-brain/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAutism \u0026amp; Sensory Overload\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eGhanouni, P., \u0026amp; Quirke, S. (2022). \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8788904/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eResilience and Coping Strategies in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.\u003c/a\u003e Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1–12.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/prioritize-coping-and-calming-skills\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eCoping \u0026amp; Calming Skills\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/use-certain-social-strategies-linked-anxiety-autism/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eForced \"Fitting In' can cause harm\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/school-play-work/social-life/parties-social-events-asd\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eParties \u0026amp; Social Events\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://theconversation.com/how-coping-mechanisms-allow-autistic-people-to-manage-their-condition-85932\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Mental Effort of Being Autistic\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/sensory-differences/sensory-differences/all-audiences\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eSensory Differences- A Guide\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/8376268509701097542/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/05/party-time.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/8376268509701097542"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/8376268509701097542"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2022/05/party-time.html","title":"Party Time"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXL79MkzbZjyy__r9Q_VULnr67xUPSe-cGhadF_FMwVei00mhgv-MAS94JU-zVwRebjFyH7oXNc1RWexwhHaisydAf3P5puzhPVS9Hm8AI29xamWWNLIRFNe3hnzJLwGbvKIpBYctLPHjFAwNNx1Rncg5qcUTX6fPXZF54Ps1f0P4sv5ZZcqKZR_redA/s72-w416-c-h277/19010111.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-6518015104504071214"},"published":{"$t":"2021-11-02T09:24:00.005-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-01-15T07:16:27.028-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Life skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Feeding"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sensory Needs"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Picky or Problem?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovaeNdwrdT8/YYE70OespiI/AAAAAAAAHic/GBus4P7akCEoaCsTQoHdeI3e33fGDF87QCNcBGAsYHQ/s508/istockphoto-1160752056-170667a.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"339\" data-original-width\u003d\"508\" height\u003d\"238\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovaeNdwrdT8/YYE70OespiI/AAAAAAAAHic/GBus4P7akCEoaCsTQoHdeI3e33fGDF87QCNcBGAsYHQ/w356-h238/istockphoto-1160752056-170667a.jpg\" width\u003d\"356\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIts common, its common, its common.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eThat is the first thing that needs to be said to any caregiver who ended up here while researching \"picky eater\" + Autism. You are not the only one experiencing this.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eAutistic individuals (because this is not just an issue for children) exhibit higher rates of food refusal, and a more limited food repertoire, when compared to typically developing individuals (Bandini et al, 2010).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eExamples? Sure.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eAcross my clients, I regularly see issues with:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRigidity around meals\u003c/b\u003e (where to sit at the table, what plate to eat off, which spoon to use, must have the tablet in order to eat)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFood refusal challenging behavior\u003c/b\u003e (throwing plates, flinging cups to the floor, spitting food out, tantrums, pouring liquids out onto the floor)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHighly selective food intake\u003c/b\u003e (daily diet consists of less than 10 foods, likes chicken nuggets but only from a specific fast food place, will only take specific liquid from a specific sippy cup or bottle)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eTo define the term, a picky eater can be described as regularly refusing foods, or consistently only eating the same foods with little to no variation permitted.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eMany parents of toddlers deal with a picky eating phase at some point or another, and often the child outgrows it.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eSo, what is the critical determining factor when it comes to Autism that tips the scale from someone who is just \"picky\" to a serious health problem/eating disorder and concern? Usually, it is a combination of variables that must be examined and weighed:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eHow old is the individual? If out of the toddler phase, how frequently is this issue happening (weekly? daily? or only at holiday meals?)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eDoes food refusal occur with challenging or aggressive behavior?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIs this impacting school/daycare, or the ability to go into community locations?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eWill the individual skip several consecutive meals (refuse to eat across more than one day)?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIs this impacting the individual's weight, organs, toileting/digestion, skin, hair, or nutrition? Is your doctor concerned?\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eThe key factor for seeking out intervention for this issue is when the food selectivity is causing harm to the individual. When any specific behavior impacts the health/body of the person exhibiting it, that is clinically referred to as a \"self-injurious\" behavior. Self-injurious behaviors should not be ignored, and often require intervention and treatment.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eSo w\u003cspan\u003ehat to do?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;It may be helpful to reframe the way we view picky eaters. Sometimes families can view this behavior as their child willfully choosing to make meals a dreadful adventure. Choosing to be difficult and fling plates across the room in order to cause chaos. However, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/02/everyday-fba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003echallenging behaviors often occur for complex or multifaceted reasons\u003c/a\u003e. Some Autistics use the term \"sensory eater\" and not \"picky eater\" to describe this issue, and explain it like this:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003ePicky eaters don’t like a variety of foods, much like the sensory eater. However, when picky eaters try new foods, it doesn’t cause a sensory overload....\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003eThere is a sensitivity to textures, where children can only handle one texture, such as smooth, pureed foods. In this case, they might be able to eat yogurt, however, hand them a bag of chips or a slice of turkey and they immediately begin to gag\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e (\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://researchautism.org/its-not-picky-eating-5-strategies-for-sensory-food-sensitivities/\" style\u003d\"background-color: white;\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ewww.researchautism.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; font-family: times;\"\u003eIf a specific food texture, smell, sight, or tactile experience is causing significant distress, if there are tooth or gum issues making eating painful or uncomfortable, if the individual has trouble swallowing, or if unknown allergies are present, making digestion painful or uncomfortable, doesn't it make sense for the individual to refuse a food (or eventually, any food that looks like THAT food) or exhibit excessive selectivity? Now, imagine the individual has no means to communicate how food makes them feel. Doesn't it make sense that they may cry, spit, hit or punch, or fling a plate onto the floor?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eWhen seeking out Feeding Intervention (which is a clinical specialty), it is important to first obtain medical rule out. This means first speaking with your doctor to discuss the issue, and see if the individual's health has been impacted. The doctor may also be able to make a referral to a qualified specialist.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eNot every professional will be trained in feeding interventions, so this isn't as simple as just asking the current therapist to also target feeding. I see families do that a lot, without also asking about the therapist's qualifications to address this issue.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIt probably doesn't need to be said, but feeding challenges can have serious health complications and you don't want to gamble on unproven treatments, untrained professionals, or questionable practices. Not only could they harm your child, they could worsen/ingrain the problem even further.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eSLPs, BCBAs, OTs, Healthcare professionals, and Multi-Disciplinary clinics or facilities, can all incorporate feeding intervention into therapy goals. The \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.choa.org/medical-services/gastroenterology/feeding-and-swallowing/multidisciplinary-feeding-program\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eChildren's Healthcare of Atlanta\u003c/a\u003e recommends the following step-by-step process for initiating feeding intervention/feeding therapy:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eMedical Screening\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eBehavioral Evaluation\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eNutrition Assessment\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eOral-Motor Skills Assessment\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRemember, before seeking out therapy or treatment talk to your doctor \u003c/span\u003e\u003cb\u003efirst\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Also, any feeding intervention that occurs on-site will need a caregiver training portion where the parents are taught how to implement the procedure at home/in the community.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e*Further Reading:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2010/07/autism-feeding-issues-and-picky-eaters.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: black; font-family: times;\"\u003eAutism Feeding Issues\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eKinnaird, E., Norton, C., Pimblett, C., Stewart, C., \u0026amp; Tchanturia, K. (2019). Eating as an autistic adult: An exploratory qualitative study.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eBandini LG, Anderson SE, Curtin C, Cermak S, Evans EW, Scampini R, Maslin M, Must A. (2010). Food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders and typically developing children.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://marybarbera.com/autism-picky-eating-feeding-tips/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAutism \u0026amp; Picky Eating\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autismdietitian.com/blog/picky-eating-problem-feeding\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: black; font-family: times;\"\u003eProblem Eating\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://wmuace.com/videos/pediatric-feeding\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: black; font-family: times;\"\u003eAssessment \u0026amp; Treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831447/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: black; font-family: times;\"\u003eFeeding Problems in Children with Autism\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.thelily.com/your-eating-disorder-could-be-a-sign-of-neurodivergence-it-was-for-me/?fbclid\u003dIwAR3UDGUj5sVyJW1bwSOV0NTyR0HU0oe369U1vd7c6TinDV39QT4_RF-O2hA\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEating Disorders Can be a Sign of NeuroDivergence\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/6518015104504071214/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/11/picky-or-problem.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/6518015104504071214"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/6518015104504071214"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/11/picky-or-problem.html","title":"Picky or Problem?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovaeNdwrdT8/YYE70OespiI/AAAAAAAAHic/GBus4P7akCEoaCsTQoHdeI3e33fGDF87QCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w356-c-h238/istockphoto-1160752056-170667a.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-8966044859506222411"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-20T15:26:00.005-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-20T15:26:36.159-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ethics/Professionalism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Quote of The Day"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA Reform"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Quote of The Day"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NHr83GPOgs/YXBtOs_p4xI/AAAAAAAAHg8/um9pgIqfzCss-IjYeP7sVeFFf2M6GevdwCNcBGAsYHQ/s745/photo-1464374288807-174911d4adb9.jpg\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"745\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"326\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NHr83GPOgs/YXBtOs_p4xI/AAAAAAAAHg8/um9pgIqfzCss-IjYeP7sVeFFf2M6GevdwCNcBGAsYHQ/w249-h326/photo-1464374288807-174911d4adb9.jpg\" width\u003d\"249\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eToday's quote is from...me! From a recent podcast interview with Dr. Mary Barbera:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\"Good ABA start with parents. So, for any parent or caregiver, if you are trying to determine a quality place for your child to receive ABA services, you really have to start by looking at what's the goal of intervention. I really feel like that's like the foundational first step, because if you are speaking with a company or a provider and they're talking about: 'We're going to fix this, we're going to correct blank, we're going to make your child more.../ We're going to remove stigma',\u0026nbsp; and other words like that, all of those words are getting at normalization. Which should not be the goal. The goal should not be to magically make it as if your child were born differently. The goal should be to give the client as many supports as needed to contact the things they to need to contact in life. For example, letting people know when you want food, using the bathroom,\u0026nbsp; attending school, etc., because in certain parts of the world children with disabilities don't attend\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;school. So, we really have to look at what this means for the client and removing barriers to being able to do different things in their life. And then we address each barrier one by one. That should be the goal of ABA. 'We're going to help your child do _____/We're going to make it easier for your child to do ____\". That should be the kind of language that is being said by a provider, or by a company.\u0026nbsp; It should be very, very concerning when you are contacting an ABA provider saying you need help and that provider is instead telling you, 'Here's what we're going to do', and they're not listening to you and they're not taking your input and they're just saying, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, we know what to do. We know autistic kids. Here's the standard protocol. Here's the strategy'. No, that is not how that should work. Absolutely not.\"\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eGood ABA services are a must for some people. Yes, \u003cb\u003epeople\u003c/b\u003e. Not just small children.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIt can be a must for disabilities beyond Autism.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIt can be a must inside of the classroom.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIt can be a must in adult day programs and residential settings.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eIt can be a must when harmful, destructive, violent problem behaviors are serving as a barrier to least restrictive settings and placements.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eABA intervention at its core, is about teaching new skills and removing barriers that get in the way of learning and being successful in life. \u003cu\u003eNOT\u003c/u\u003e a push for \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/03/normalization.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003enormalization.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eQuality intervention that is generalized across caregivers and settings, can bring about amazing long-term success and developmental gains.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003eTake a listen \u003ca href\u003d\"https://marybarbera.com/tameika-meadows-finding-good-aba-therapy/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHERE\u003c/a\u003e for more tips on distinguishing between good \u0026amp; bad ABA providers.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: times;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/8966044859506222411/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/10/quote-of-day_20.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/8966044859506222411"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/8966044859506222411"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/10/quote-of-day_20.html","title":"Quote of The Day"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6NHr83GPOgs/YXBtOs_p4xI/AAAAAAAAHg8/um9pgIqfzCss-IjYeP7sVeFFf2M6GevdwCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w249-c-h326/photo-1464374288807-174911d4adb9.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-953490235331641692"},"published":{"$t":"2021-10-06T10:42:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-06T10:49:32.779-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"This is Hard."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii9Wv6BYJpM/YV21lG4FxHI/AAAAAAAAHf4/AIDmnAgCE08gaPobhsgmkNFR_-fLvmj2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s509/istockphoto-1283028373-170667a.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"339\" data-original-width\u003d\"509\" height\u003d\"238\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii9Wv6BYJpM/YV21lG4FxHI/AAAAAAAAHf4/AIDmnAgCE08gaPobhsgmkNFR_-fLvmj2QCNcBGAsYHQ/w357-h238/istockphoto-1283028373-170667a.jpg\" width\u003d\"357\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eThis is hard\u003c/b\u003e\" is a statement I often hear from families both in the midst of intervention, and pre-intervention during the assessment phase.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFamilies without support and services find it hard helping their Autistic child navigate the world, and families in the midst of therapies and interventions find generalizing them to be hard.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's hard to consistently generalize an intervention plan outside in the home, on the weekends, on Sunday at the grocery store, on vacation at Grandma's house, or at 6am on a Saturday when your child only slept 2 hours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut its also hard to supervise/monitor your child 24-7, to break up sibling fights all day long because your child can't share, to find quality childcare options when your child is highly aggressive, or to figure out if your child is ill or sick when they can't tell you.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth are hard.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is rarely a discussion of hard vs easy, and much more common is a decision regarding which \"hard\" is acceptable. Yes, toilet training is hard work. On the flip side, changing an 8 year-olds diaper isn't exactly easy. Nor is it easy to afford to buy diapers for that many years.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, teaching your child to use utensils instead of eating with their hands is hard. On the flip side, restricted diet and issues around mealtimes can be made worse if the child will only eat finger foods (typically, starches and carbs). That is also hard.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, it is hard to consistently follow a Behavior Plan when in public with your child. On the flip side, being asked to leave locations, having friends ask that you not visit, or being scared someone will call the police on your child during a public outburst, is a hard reality to live out.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou have to decide which \"hard\" to accept.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI intentionally use the phrase \"intervention plan\" and not \"ABA therapy\", because maybe your child isn't receiving ABA services. Maybe you don't want that, or can't access it.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut are they receiving Speech services? OT? PT? In special education at school? Attending an Autism preschool program?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf so, these are all interventions designed to minimize developmental delays and target current deficits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhatever kind of intervention your child participates in, there are a few components that tend to be the same across different therapies:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. Consistency. In order to be effective, the intervention must be applied consistently. Frequent staff turnover, frequently canceling appointments, or other issues like this can negatively impact results.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. Training must carry over to the home setting/caregivers. There is no way to generalize the intervention if you have no idea what it is.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. Caregiver Participation. In order for #2 to happen, the caregivers must be willing and available to participate in the intervention/treatment plan.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4. Focus on progress vs miracles. Progress can be slow, it can be up and down, and at times it can mean treading water. Sometimes an absence of regression IS progress. If you have sky high expectations of the intervention process, this can cause \"provider hopping\" where families move from one agency, provider, or intervention to the next looking for magic. That just is not how quality, ethical treatment works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e5. Individualized Intervention. It doesn't matter if your child receives 30 minutes of Speech each week, or 15 hours of ABA. Are the treatment goals and the teaching methodology \u003cb\u003esuitable and appropriate\u003c/b\u003e for your child? \"Cookie-cutter\" intervention is when treatment is applied in a lazy, vague, and generic way across multiple clients. In order for intervention to be effective, it must meet your child where they are and incorporate their unique interests and motivation(s).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e*More resources below:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2017/07/happy-or-therapy.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHappy or Therapy?\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2014/07/the-easy-way-vs-hard-way.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Easy Way vs The Hard Way\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.interventionsunlimited.com/editoruploads/files/Iowa%20DHS%20Autism%20Interventions%206-10-11.pdf\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEvidence Based ASD Interventions\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.rethinked.com/blog/blog/2017/04/19/effective-interventions-for-autism-spectrum-disorders/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEffective ASD Interventions\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/953490235331641692/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/10/this-is-hard.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/953490235331641692"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/953490235331641692"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/10/this-is-hard.html","title":"This is Hard."}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii9Wv6BYJpM/YV21lG4FxHI/AAAAAAAAHf4/AIDmnAgCE08gaPobhsgmkNFR_-fLvmj2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w357-c-h238/istockphoto-1283028373-170667a.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-2471166264526354194"},"published":{"$t":"2021-07-21T12:09:00.006-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-07-21T12:28:34.232-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Therapy start up"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Choosing an ABA Provider, Pt. II"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvItynNrshQ/YPhF6nSN9SI/AAAAAAAAHX0/poJJmcLLMj47N9BdOIUKkvApLATm8PCtwCNcBGAsYHQ/s500/photo-1600821986515-3ef5b0f29f39.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"377\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"252\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvItynNrshQ/YPhF6nSN9SI/AAAAAAAAHX0/poJJmcLLMj47N9BdOIUKkvApLATm8PCtwCNcBGAsYHQ/w335-h252/photo-1600821986515-3ef5b0f29f39.jpg\" width\u003d\"335\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI already have a post with tips for \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/10/choosing-aba-agency.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eevaluating the quality of your in-home ABA provider\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut what about those families who want clinic/center (these words are pretty interchangeable, so for this post I will just use \"center-based ABA\") based services? What questions should families ask during intake? What are some potential red flags? Should parents directly observe sessions or is that too distracting?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeep reading, and hopefully I can help answer these types of questions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs ABA therapy services continue to grow and expand (fueled largely by increased funding, which leads directly to increased providers/companies) center based treatment is becoming more prevalent.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen I was first certified as a BCBA, there were less than 5 center options in my local area. Today, I would estimate that number to be over 100. If you are reading this and you live in a fairly urban or metropolitan area, then you likely know of at least a handful of ABA centers in your area.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParents contact me all the time with so many questions about center based treatment. When it comes to ABA therapy, the experience can be quite different from other therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany families have experienced center based treatment via Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Counseling or other Mental Health services, or Occupational Therapy. But these are usually 30 to 50 minute appointments that occur once a week. ABA therapy is often highly intensive, and sessions can occur daily. There is also (usually) a focus on setting up a day that resembles a preschool experience, including large group instruction, recess, school readiness instruction, toilet training, lunch/meals eaten as a group, Art or Music, etc. It is a busy, very planned out, full day experience.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCenters differ as far as policy and procedure, so there will be variability from one company to the next regarding how parents are included in the intervention process. There will also be variability related to state laws, funder requirements, or if the center is part of a chain (usually owned by \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.thenation.com/article/society/private-equity-autism-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003emassive private equity firms\u003c/a\u003e) or a small center with an owner on-site. So just know that some of the suggestions below may be more or less applicable to your situation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFirst, let's answer a few questions-\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eWhich is best, home or center based ABA\u003c/i\u003e?\" - There is no concrete answer to this. It depends on your child, their needs, the priority of intervention, etc. Obviously, if peer/social interaction is a priority then center based services have the advantage of peers being on-site. However, many parents have concerns that their children will pick up new challenging or inappropriate behaviors if they spend their whole day with other disabled children. So as you can, there are pros and cons to center -based treatment, just like with home -based treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eWhy do we have to agree to block scheduling\u003c/i\u003e?\" - A block schedule is when the center only offers a few options for scheduling. For example: 'Part time - 8am-12pm, Full time 8am-5pm'. This usually has to do with consistency in scheduling staff, and the major disruptions to other clients that can be caused by changing staff schedules. For the most part, centers do not have the same scheduling flexibility as in-home treatment. If your family needs a more flexible, adaptable schedule that can change from time to time, then you probably would not be a good fit for center based treatment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eMy spouse and I both work full-time and center based is easier because it has the same schedule as day care/preschool\u003c/i\u003e\" - Yes, many parents prefer center based intervention due to the schedule (child is there all day). However, \u003cb\u003eABA is not respite\u003c/b\u003e. It is important to look beyond the ease of the schedule, and to determine if a center based setting is the best fit for your child and their needs. Also, 2 working parents can make parent involvement very difficult when it comes to center based intervention. Which brings me to the next commonly asked question........\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eHow does parent training/caregiver support happen at a center if both parents work full-time\u003c/i\u003e?\" - This can be challenging. Usually, for center based intervention at least one parent will meet with the case BCBA on-site, each month, to go over client progress. If neither parent can do this on-site, this meeting could be held via Telehealth. If that still is not a feasible option, then it is likely center based intervention isn't a good fit. I would suggest home based services that occur in the evening hours or on the weekend, so parents can be actively involved with treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, let's talk about indicators of quality-\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigh-quality center based ABA providers will look like a high-quality home based provider for the most part. There should be credentialed individuals (e.g. RBT or BCaBA) working directly with your child and overseen by a BCBA, there should be an initial assessment conducted to create an individualized treatment plan, there should be ongoing monitoring of the intervention and data analysis, and there should be clear, transparent billing, supervision, and staff training policy and procedures.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a parent, you should know who is working with your child on a weekly basis (this may vary, due to staff vacation, illness, or changes, but you should know when it varies). You should know what goals are being targeted with your child, and \u003cb\u003ehow\u003c/b\u003e they are being taught (most parents never ask). You should know the Behavior Intervention Plan, or the strategies being used to reduce harmful or inappropriate behaviors. You have the right to watch/view these procedures and be trained on how to implement them at home. The center facility should be clean, appropriately staffed, have both passive and active play areas, have an appropriate person to bathroom ratio, doors and windows should be secured (monitored with alarms, locks, etc.) to keep clients safe, there should be ample toys and materials, etc. Not only should you be able to tour the center as a parent, but you should be able to see where your child receives 1:1 intervention and to examine the therapy space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd of course, I cannot leave out potential \u003cspan style\u003d\"color: red;\"\u003ered flags\u003c/span\u003e. Occurrence of any of the items below should raise your concerns, and lead to an action step (Speak with the facility Director or Manager, talk to your case BCBA, and if necessary, remove your child from the program)-\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe absence of any of the criteria described for a high-quality ABA center\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eStaff/Director or Manager are consistently angry, upset, or otherwise seem miserable. Do you want to work with people who are miserable every day? Then why would your child want to?\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003ePoor communication/No communication, specifically when it comes to billing/invoices/charges, clinical supervision, conflict with the staff, or behavioral strategies used\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eYour child experiences significant regression after starting services at the center\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eMassively high staff turnover. I say \"massively high\" because ABA as a field is known for \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2018/11/07/improving-retention-in-aba-services/?sh\u003d950082f73b87\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ehigh staff turnover.\u003c/a\u003e But, if you have been at the center less than 30 days and can't keep track of who is on your child's team---\u0026gt; that is a problem.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eLack of outdoor space where clients can play and get fresh air (many centers today are located in business/office spaces that lack outdoor play areas)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eLack of toys, materials, or manipulatives for clients to play and explore\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs a parent, you are pushed to sign on for an amount of treatment hours you are not comfortable with, and do not feel are necessary\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs a parent, you are never allowed on-site. Yes, there is HIPAA, and client confidentiality, and all sorts of reasons why parents may not be able to just walk in any time, without exception. BUT, the center should have figured out a way to remediate this issue. For example, a discreet meeting area or conference room where BCBA or Director meetings occur, a waiting area where parents can request to meet with their child's RBT or team members, or discreet observation windows where parents can view their child during therapy unobtrusively\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAs a parent, you are pushed to terminate services with other providers to focus only on ABA. Or, you are pushed to terminate services with other providers and swap them out for services offered at the center\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eIf you do not know what your child is working on (treatment goals), never received any data, reports, or graphs, or your child is working on things you specifically rejected or said you wanted removed from their treatment plan----\u0026gt; that is a big problem.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e*Further Resources:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e'\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/10/choosing-aba-agency.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eChoosing an ABA Provider, Part I\u003c/a\u003e'\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e'\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2019/05/24/home-based-vs-center-based-services-for-autism/?sh\u003d6e8032631d35\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHome based or Center based ABA\u003c/a\u003e?'\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e'\u003ca href\u003d\"https://asatonline.org/research-treatment/clinical-corner/a-comparative-look-at-school-based-and-center-based-aba-programs/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eA Comparative Look at School \u0026amp; Center based Programs\u003c/a\u003e'\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e'\u003ca href\u003d\"https://marybarbera.com/home-aba-therapy-vs-aba-school/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eIn Home, or Center Based: Which is Better\u003c/a\u003e?'\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid\u003d3078592148911095\u0026amp;id\u003d594323530671315\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eFacebook post about treatment hour recommendations\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/2471166264526354194/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/07/choosing-aba-provider-pt-ii.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2471166264526354194"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2471166264526354194"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/07/choosing-aba-provider-pt-ii.html","title":"Choosing an ABA Provider, Pt. II"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvItynNrshQ/YPhF6nSN9SI/AAAAAAAAHX0/poJJmcLLMj47N9BdOIUKkvApLATm8PCtwCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w335-c-h252/photo-1600821986515-3ef5b0f29f39.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-1088269105195103351"},"published":{"$t":"2021-02-21T13:52:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-02-21T14:05:27.587-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Life skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Programs"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Adulting 101"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OjpYUdINr-I/YDKrMPG8sjI/AAAAAAAAHKo/zVybgjEUba00fJ3y_lr911Ni8hs5XNTJgCNcBGAsYHQ/s750/photo-1574538298279-26973f60efa3.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"750\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"353\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OjpYUdINr-I/YDKrMPG8sjI/AAAAAAAAHKo/zVybgjEUba00fJ3y_lr911Ni8hs5XNTJgCNcBGAsYHQ/w235-h353/photo-1574538298279-26973f60efa3.jpg\" width\u003d\"235\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eI don't work with adult clients often, but I do regularly work on life skills/building independence, and pre-vocational training stuff with children and adolescents.\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe thing about adulting is that trying to shove a bunch of information and life lessons into your grown child is a bit too late. Especially if we're talking about Autistic adult children who may or may not ever live independently, may or may not hold down steady jobs/have a career, and may or may not attend college or technical school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWayyyy before you think you need to start teaching this stuff, is when I recommend teaching this stuff. :-)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor any parent, its a hard thing to look at your 10 -year- old and start thinking about teaching them to do laundry, independently grocery shop, change a flat tire, or shop online. But, if you expect your child to do all these things one day as an adult, then\u003cb\u003e yes\u003c/b\u003e, absolutely start teaching it early.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour teen or adult child can start learning \u003cu\u003etoday\u003c/u\u003e, to do things like:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003col style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003ePersonal care/Hygiene/Grooming\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eShopping \u0026amp; Money Management\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eElectronic Use \u0026amp; Internet Safety\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eVocational Training (*\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003ewhich should be a natural extension of interests, hobbies, or strengths\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eDriving or Navigating Public Transportation\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eTime Telling/Time Organizational skills\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eEmployment Seeking (resumes, interviews, etc.)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eSelf-Advocacy/Assertiveness ---- probably my #1 Adulting 101 skill to teach\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor children with disabilities (not just Autism), it may take more time, more repetition, and more real-world practice for these skills to be taught. Which means starting sooner rather than later is the way to go. Think about your own adulting for a second-- when you first left home, did you know how to scramble eggs without burning them? Or manage a credit card responsibly? Or negotiate with a pushy salesman when buying a used car? If you answered \"yes\" to these questions, then you were far superior to most of us!\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe reality is that whether your child will ever be able to live separately from you or not, as a parent I'm sure you want to help them be as independent as possible, and be able to make decisions about their life/have a say in their own life. Teaching some common 'Adulting 101' type of skills can be the way to do this, and be sure to combine that instruction with actual \u003cb\u003ereal world practice\u003c/b\u003e. Despite what we may like to think, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://successfulstudent.org/20-life-skills-not-taught-in-school/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eschool will not teach our children everything they could possibly ever need to know by graduation day\u003c/a\u003e. Nope.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat do I mean by real world practice? Well, I've worked with high school age clients before who received vocational/life skills training at school, or through a special program that helped them get part-time jobs. The problem was, these skills didn't generalize outside of those settings. If Charles learned to cook chicken breasts at school with Ms. Larson, that did not automatically mean he could cook chicken breasts at home, with Mom and Dad. If Kacey helped out in a local daycare classroom every Tuesday afternoon, that didn't not mean she could successfully baby-sit her younger brother at home.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike any other skill, life skills need explicit, intensive instruction, as well as multiple \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2013/03/generalization-teaching-loosely.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003egeneralization opportunities\u003c/a\u003e in real world situations. \u003ci\u003eMultiple generalization opportunities\u003c/i\u003e means that the instructor/supervisor needs to differ. The setting needs to differ. The materials/items used need to differ.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDon't just teach your child to wash/load the dishes at home. Let them practice at the neighbor's home, at Grandma's house, etc. The steps of the skill will vary a bit as it is generalized across opportunities, and that's a good thing! There are very few adulting tasks that are done the exact same way, every time. We also know that many Autistics lean towards rigidity and sameness of routine, which can be a good thing or can be highly detrimental to learning if it gets in the way of doing something differently. For example, if the sink, dishwashing liquid brand, or the equipment used (e.g. type of dishwasher) change, can your child still wash the dishes?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is hard to look at your children when they are young and know with certainty what their future holds. That has nothing to do with Autism, I think any parent would agree with that. Since we don't know what the future will bring, it makes sense to start preparing our children for an uncertain future \u003cu\u003enow.\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou may be wondering, \"How young is too young to focus on this?\". It may surprise you to learn that I start teaching life skills (Adulting 101) with clients as young as 2 or 3. Yup, its true.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA toddler can learn to clean up their toys. A toddler can learn to put their empty cereal bowl in the sink. A toddler can learn to pour their own juice. A toddler can learn to put dirty clothes in a washer, or pull clean clothes from a dryer. Why not?? If your children are young and you don't know where/how to start with this, just start with teeny-tiny baby steps:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLet your child help as you complete household chores.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eSlow down before leaving the house, and let your child put their \u003ci\u003eown\u003c/i\u003e shoes on, or put their \u003ci\u003eown\u003c/i\u003e coat on, or grab their \u003ci\u003eown\u003c/i\u003e bookbag.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eCooking is a life skill. As early as you can, introduce no-heat recipes such as making a sandwich or fruit salad.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eWhen in public settings, help your child pay for their own meal, or hand the cashier money for purchases. Let your child place items on the conveyer belt at the grocery store, or teach them to shop by giving them a visual grocery list.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eAllow older children to have some responsibility for younger children. Let your 6 -year-old help you care for the 1-year-old.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThere are \u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eSO\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/b\u003e many resources out there for teaching life skills and increasing adaptive functioning. This doesn't need to be hard or overwhelming!\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eAsk your child's therapists for help and ideas, or talk to their school and see if there are any specialized trainings, classes, or programs available for students on the Spectrum. Most school districts have far more programs and community connections than most parents know about.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eYou got this!\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eRESOURCES-\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/05/autism-functional-skill-training.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eFunctional Skill Training\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://autismawarenesscentre.com/looking-aheadlife-skills-what-do-our-asd-kids-need-to-succeed/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eASD Life Skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://essentialforliving.com/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEssential for Living\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;Assessment Tool\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://tacanow.org/family-resources/life-skills/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTACA Life Skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.totalspectrumcare.com/5-key-life-skills-for-kids-with-autism/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTotal Spectrum Life Skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://learningforapurpose.com/2019/09/01/the-best-functional-life-skill-resources-for-individuals-with-autism/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTeaching Everyday Life Skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eSpectrum News:\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/severity-predicts-autistic-childrens-ability-to-learn-life-skills/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eSeverity predicts autistic children’s ability to learn life skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eOrganization for Autism Research: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://researchautism.org/daily-living-skills/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTransition to Adulthood\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://partingtonbehavioranalysts.com/pages/afls\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Assessment of Functional Living Skills\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://lifeskillslady.com/?fbclid\u003dIwAR2Q-mXKqeKu9clQEddSfL0m6fxayhD2umGIXY3AFDv2iKeyr2W7R9aVb1Y\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Life Skills Lady\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://drexel.edu/autismoutcomes/topics/transition-to-adulthood/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTransition to Adulthood Research Findings\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/1088269105195103351/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/02/adulting-101.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1088269105195103351"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1088269105195103351"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2021/02/adulting-101.html","title":"Adulting 101"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OjpYUdINr-I/YDKrMPG8sjI/AAAAAAAAHKo/zVybgjEUba00fJ3y_lr911Ni8hs5XNTJgCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w235-c-h353/photo-1574538298279-26973f60efa3.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-734052133903012634"},"published":{"$t":"2020-12-12T10:53:00.004-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-10-30T08:33:33.181-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Therapy start up"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Hiring a Behavior Analyst"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7U_wYjvUB6M/X9TYTJcTUQI/AAAAAAAAHCw/R4dtUNfJDvsZ6POSAK69tCyxMNG6Eiq1QCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/fc1eba1cb160e48ad26390936bd5d2c4.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"2048\" data-original-width\u003d\"1536\" height\u003d\"361\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7U_wYjvUB6M/X9TYTJcTUQI/AAAAAAAAHCw/R4dtUNfJDvsZ6POSAK69tCyxMNG6Eiq1QCNcBGAsYHQ/w271-h361/fc1eba1cb160e48ad26390936bd5d2c4.jpg\" width\u003d\"271\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you are unfamiliar with ABA services, you may first hear about it as a recommendation post-diagnosis. Or, from a school system recommending behavioral services. Or, you might seek out an ABA provider if persistent, challenging, or harmful behaviors are happening in your home, in the community, or at your child' school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor most people, the process of starting up ABA services will involve multiple steps, an extensive timeline, and lots \u0026amp; lots of paperwork (seriously.... \u003ci\u003ea mountain of paperwork\u003c/i\u003e). To briefly summarize, the child must be diagnosed, an ABA provider must be found/identified, an intake assessment must occur, insurance authorization has to happen, staff must be assigned to the case, and only then do services actually begin. I would say a best case scenario would be all of that occurring within 1-2 months. Unfortunately though, best case scenarios don't always happen.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust like there are valid, honest reasons \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2015/08/when-aba-isnt-for-you.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ewhy ABA therapy isn't for everyone\u003c/a\u003e, there are valid reasons why starting services with the ABA agency/clinic up the street isn't the best idea. Sometimes it will make much more sense to work with a solo practitioner/BCBA.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you aren't familiar with the title BCBA, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst is someone trained in the science of Behavior Analysis, holding a Masters degree or higher, who has gone through roughly 1-2 years of highly regimented supervised experience and passed a rigorous exam. BCBAs can practice independently, so this means you do not need to go through a company or agency to work with one. Similar to physicians, BCBAs have specialties. All BCBAs will possess a standard skillset/range of knowledge on behavior, but the specialty will be a combination of an individuals post-certification experiences and training. For example, some BCBAs specialize in feeding disorders. Others have worked with early intervention populations exclusively, and others focus more on OBM (Organizational Behavior Management) rather than special needs populations.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor most families, it seems like a simple equation: need ABA services ---\u0026gt; call up a local company ----\u0026gt; start services. But, there are some scenarios where this would actually be a bad idea:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eBrief or Short Term Consultation\u003c/u\u003e - Most ABA companies are focused on servicing clients needing intensive, multi-year therapy for many hours each week. If you have a specific behavioral need or only need short term help, it actually would be faster, and simpler, to just work directly with a solo BCBA.\u0026nbsp; And on that note, lets talk about speed of services starting up....\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eDelay to Onset of Services\u003c/u\u003e - I regularly talk to families who are sitting on wait lists to access services. Or, their child completed an initial assessment with a company, but they haven't heard anything for 30, 60, days and counting. There could be many reasons why you experience a significant delay to start services, but the most common reasons would be staffing (no available staff), and funding issues (problems with getting services authorized or company is not in network with your insurance provider). If you need help \u003cb\u003enow\u003c/b\u003e, I strongly suggest contacting a solo BCBA rather than a company/agency.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eWanting Highly Experienced Staff\u003c/u\u003e - As part of my role, I regularly conduct intake assessments with families new to ABA. Many times they will ask me if I will be the one working directly with their child, and I then explain that ABA treatment utilizes a tiered-service delivery model. In a tiered model, the supervisor/BCBA is usually the most degreed and experienced person on that case. The individual working directly with the client, is usually called an ABA Therapist, or Registered Behavior Technician (if they are credentialed). The education and experience of the direct staff can vary, and a high-quality company will have a rigorous training and onboarding process for direct staff before they can work with clients (a poor quality company will not). If you want Masters degree level clinicians working with your child, that can be hard to find at a company.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eRural/International/Low Supply Area\u003c/u\u003e - I have worked privately with families as a Consultant for many years. The main reason why these families chose to hire me instead of going to a company/agency, is because in this was not an option for their area. Some of these families lived in very rural areas with no ABA providers for miles. Others lived outside of the US, where knowledge of ABA can be minimal or absent. For others, there were TONS of ABA companies in their area. The problem with that though, is that high demand can \u003d insane wait lists. I'm talking sitting on a wait list for 1-3 years. In these situations, it makes far more sense to work with a solo BCBA via Telehealth/technology. I \u003cb\u003edo not recommend \u003c/b\u003esitting on a wait list for any significant length of time without also pursuing other options.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eNo Diagnosis/Non-ASD Diagnosis\u003c/u\u003e - In most states that have Autism mandates for insurance coverage, a diagnosis of Autism is required to receive ABA treatment. If your child is not diagnosed, you're stuck on a wait list just to get a diagnosis (which can happen), or your child has a non-Autism diagnosis, then you may not be able to receive services from an ABA company. Not all companies accept private pay clients, especially the very large ones. In this situation, it would make more sense work with a solo BCBA.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eFunding Issues/Insurance Issues\u003c/u\u003e - Similar to the above point, there can be challenges with accessing ABA therapy through your insurance. For some, a high annual deductible must be met before insurance will kick in. Or, per session co-pays might be very high (keep in mind there will be multiple sessions per week). Sometimes the insurance may cover an amount of ABA that is very minimal, or does not allow for quality supervision of treatment. I have worked with families\u0026nbsp; where due to their specific insurance plan, I could only see them once a month. That is \u003cb\u003enot \u003c/b\u003eenough for high-quality services.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eLanguage Barriers\u003c/u\u003e - If you live in an area where that predominate language is not your first language, you may experience a barrier to accessing treatment. For example, many families in Atlanta speak Chinese or Spanish as their first language. But not all ABA companies in Atlanta have Chinese or Spanish speaking staff, or translators available. So what does this mean? It means it can be challenging to initiate services, participate in assessment, and understand what is going on in therapy. If this is your situation, you may want to find a solo BCBA who speaks your first language for ease of understanding and communication. Another bonus is this BCBA would be able to provide translated documents and paperwork to you, in your dominant language.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cu\u003eProfessional seeking Consultation\u003c/u\u003e - Lastly, what if you are not a parent seeking services for your child, but rather a related professional who wants to collaborate with a BCBA? Maybe you are a teacher, SLP, Psychologist, or PT, and you have a particular client/student with challenging behaviors and need some help. This is not a scenario that would be appropriate for calling up an ABA company. It would be far more feasible (and faster) to locate a BCBA and ask about individual consultation. Keep in mind that ethically, the caregivers of the specific client must consent to this consultation as well.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eThere will be exceptions to all of the points above, depending on the area where you reside, the funding sources available, the quality of local providers, and your specific behavioral needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eFor example, it is often more difficult for parents of older children or adults to access services. Also, not all agencies accept all insurances. Or maybe your current ABA provider seems to have a revolving door of staff, and just when you acclimate to the team members: they change. These are all scenarios where you may want to consider private consultation.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003eJust keep in mind that if services in your area are lacking/low quality, full of impossible waitlists, or if you have funding challenges, you \u003cu\u003edo\u003c/u\u003e have other options available to receive ABA intervention for your child.\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e*Resources:\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page\u003d101135\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBACB Certificant Registry\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/10/choosing-aba-agency.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eIdentifying a Quality ABA Provider\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2017/01/faq-common-questions-parents-ask-about.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eQuestions to Ask a New Provider\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.carlylecenter.com/carlyle-blog/2019/4/8/how-to-find-an-aba-program-and-bcba-to-fit-your-childs-needs\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHow to Find an ABA Provider\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://asatonline.org/research-treatment/clinical-corner/sensory-issues-bcba-right-person/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eDo I Need a BCBA?\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.tameikameadowsconsulting.com/offered-services\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eConsultation Services\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/734052133903012634/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/12/hiring-bcba.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/734052133903012634"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/734052133903012634"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/12/hiring-bcba.html","title":"Hiring a Behavior Analyst"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7U_wYjvUB6M/X9TYTJcTUQI/AAAAAAAAHCw/R4dtUNfJDvsZ6POSAK69tCyxMNG6Eiq1QCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w271-c-h361/fc1eba1cb160e48ad26390936bd5d2c4.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-5847293391433682725"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-28T13:51:00.007-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-11T22:02:17.466-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Staff training"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA Reform"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"I love ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ABA Haters Pt. II"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;*Recommended Reading: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/06/aba-haters.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Haters\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IstFc51dOiI/X7w2BnDZdNI/AAAAAAAAG9A/rSLaZBzYvn88YaDX2fkMEUAj72Ko32crACNcBGAsYHQ/s495/bc.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"495\" data-original-width\u003d\"387\" height\u003d\"415\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IstFc51dOiI/X7w2BnDZdNI/AAAAAAAAG9A/rSLaZBzYvn88YaDX2fkMEUAj72Ko32crACNcBGAsYHQ/w368-h415/bc.jpg\" width\u003d\"368\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI feel very unqualified to write this post.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ABA Reform movement (also referred to as Autistic Activists \u0026amp; Allies) is \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003enot new\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e, but you may be unaware of it. Many ABA peeps are.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere's a vocal community of Autistics and pro-neurodiversity/anti-ABA parents, individuals, and professionals who work diligently to spread the word about their viewpoint of ABA. Sometimes this is due to actual experience with ABA therapy, but not always.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you want to understand why an Autistic dislikes ABA therapy, obviously the best person to ask would be an \u003ca href\u003d\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/actuallyautistic?lang\u003den\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e#ActuallyAutistic\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, there are a couple of reasons why I am writing this post anyway, despite feeling unqualified to do so:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. Lots and lots of parents come to my blog as a source of information about ABA. I don't want my silence on this topic to make it seem like I think ABA therapy is perfect with no flaws. I do think this industry has flaws, I have worked for \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2014/12/selecting-aba-employer.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003elow-quality employers\u003c/a\u003e, and I think parents making treatment decisions for their child need to know how to navigate this issue.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. Although there are some in the ABA Reform movement who are pushing more for \"ABA Eradication\" and less for \"ABA Reform\", I think ABA professionals should be a part of this conversation. We are the ones in the field, day in and day out, working with vulnerable populations who don't always have a voice (either figuratively or quite literally). We cannot just stand by and watch this ABA conversation happen, \u003cb\u003ewe need to join the conversation.\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you think ABA, as a treatment or as an industry, is perfection and needs no improvement, you may want to stop reading now. \u0026lt;------------------------------------------\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf however, you see the field's issues with \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/06/runnin-on-empty.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eclinician burnout\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2013/10/aba-staff-training.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003einefficient staff training\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2014/12/selecting-aba-employer.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003elow-quality employers\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://speakingofautismcom.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/autistic-play-is-appropriate-play/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eperson-first treatment planning\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/opinion/viewpoint/why-autism-research-needs-more-input-from-autistic-people/?fbclid\u003dIwAR3k8p_lCm2Xw_lPmZotDrPc1SwvdmtQrJmJF9QH4ePfCo8LnfvHlpgUfZw\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003equestionable research\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href\u003d\"https://therapistndc.org/masking-goals-autistic-middle-school-girls/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eteaching Autistics to mask\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href\u003d\"https://institute.centralreach.com/courses/client-dignity-in-practice-best-practices-for-trauma-free-aba\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003erespecting client dignity\u003c/a\u003e, and want to be a part of the CHANGE for the better, then read on.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMy 1st post on anti-ABA'ers, or \"\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/06/aba-haters.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Haters\u003c/a\u003e\" was written several years ago. I keep it up because I think it's important to see the evolution of change.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost of us do not change our minds about something instantly.\u003ci\u003e It is a process.\u003c/i\u003e We receive new information, analyze that information, reject it and return to old thinking, or accept it and enter into a different level of understanding. Of course, I'm also minimizing the reality of defensive mechanisms, circular logic, and cognitive dissonance, and how these concepts impact our ability to change our mind.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI used to think people were anti-ABA because they had never experienced quality ABA services, or maybe received ABA decades ago when there was less accountability of providers, more \"old school\" tactics used, etc. I thought if they could see for themselves what ABA can do, how it can help, and how we impact lives everyday, that anti-ABA'ers would \"come around\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI have since changed my mind on that.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor those of you that don't know, receiving low-quality/unethical ABA treatment is not the only reason why someone may hate ABA.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther reasons could include: being against the idea of \"treatment\" for a neurological difference, seeing Autism as a cultural identity and not a problem to solve, being against the high intensity of ABA services, taking issue with the tiered service-delivery model ABA uses, being angered by ABA providers or companies using \"cure\" or \"recovery\" talk (yes, this still happens today), viewing the origins of ABA as unethical and inhumane, viewing the current state of ABA as unethical and inhumane, and a strong displeasure with the lack of Autistic voices/input in the top Autism advocacy organizations, Behavior Certification Board for Behavior Analysis, leadership/ownership of ABA agencies and companies, or leadership in ABA state associations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese are valid points, and they deserved to be heard without the lens of professional defensiveness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgain, there are some in the ABA Reform community who think the best way to fix ABA is to\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShut.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDown.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut there are others who do want to see ABA improved, implemented more compassionately, and become more receptive to Autistic feedback and experiences. More about support and accommodations, and less about trying to force someone to not look or act Autistic.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBelow are a ton of great resources for more information about Autistic voices, differing views on ABA, and anti-Ableism advocacy. The best consumer is an informed consumer, and I think it's important to present the information and let people decide what is best for them.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is so important to be aware of what the main population served by ABA providers (*\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: x-small;\"\u003eIt is true that not all ABA professionals work within the Autism community, but a gigantic chunk of us do\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e*) has to say about ABA therapy, and the ways it can improve.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you aren't willing to at least non-defensively listen, then what you're really saying is \u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eyou aren't willing to change your mind\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/b\u003e. And how sad is that?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e*Resources-\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://dobettermovement.us/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eDo Better Professional Movement\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://stopabasupportautistics.home.blog/2019/08/11/the-great-big-aba-opposition-resource-list/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Great Big ABA Opposition List\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://autisticadvocacy.org/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAutistic Self-Advocacy Network\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABAReform/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBCBAs + Autistics Towards a Reformed ABA Facebook group\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.facebook.com/ABAReformPage/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Reform Facebook page\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://anchor.fm/beautiful-humans/episodes/Ep-26-ABA-Reform-Movement-with-Jo-Ramirez-Messina-and-Jeff-Newmanpart-2-ei4foh\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBeautiful Humans Podcast: The ABA Reform Movement Ep. 26\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Go take a listen, this is an amazing conversation!)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://practicalfunctionalassessment.com/2020/11/03/a-perspective-on-todays-aba-by-dr-greg-hanley/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eA Perspective on Today's ABA from Dr. Greg Hanley\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://autisticmama.com/even-new-aba-is-problematic/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e5 Important Reasons Even \"New ABA\" is Problematic\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://childmind.org/article/controversy-around-applied-behavior-analysis/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Controversy Around ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/opinion/viewpoint/stimming-therapeutic-autistic-people-deserves-acceptance/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eStimming Deserves Acceptance\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.realsocialskills.org/blog/nice-lady-therapists\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eNice Lady Therapists\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ca href\u003d\"https://neuroclastic.com/2020/06/02/i-am-a-disillusioned-bcba-autistics-are-right-about-aba/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eI Am a Disillusioned BCBA\"\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.abainsidetrack.com/home/2019/20/7/29/episode-134-trauma-informed-care\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Inside Track Podcast: Trauma Informed Care Ep 134\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://behavioralobservations.com/what-is-trauma-informed-aba-session-131-with-camille-kolu/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBehavioral Observations Podcast: What is Trauma Informed ABA Ep 131\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/autism-no-puzzle-nothing-wrong-with-us/#:~:text\u003dTo%20autistic%20people%2C%20the%20puzzle,the%20past%20referring%20to%20autism.\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eWhat's Wrong with the Autism 'Puzzle Piece' Symbol\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2013/11/13/why-autism-speaks-doesnt-speak-for-me/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\"Why Autism Speaks Doesn't Speak for Me\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2020.0014\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAvoiding Ableist Language: Suggestions for Autism Researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://neuroclastic.com/2020/03/04/why-autism-aba-goes-against-everything-b-f-skinner-believed-in/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\"Why Autism ABA Goes Against Everything B.F. Skinner Believed In\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/2017/05/eye-contact-for-recipients-validation.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eEye Contact for Recipients Validation\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2015/jul/16/autism-doesnt-have-to-be-viewed-as-a-disability-or-disorder\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\"Autism Doesn't Have to be Viewed as a Disability\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ca href\u003d\"https://neuroclastic.com/2019/07/15/how-to-ask-an-autistic-101/?fbclid\u003dIwAR0CEVZpWFENltOh2WdgbKgP6GWZNetcNfpzwTj__mVqzCkSVJ_FF6TRPRI\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHow To Ask an Autistic\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.today.com/parents/autism-terms-words-can-be-considered-insensitive-why-t227779\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eOutdated Autism Terms \u0026amp; Language\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.today.com/parents/autism-wars-why-parents-autistic-adults-are-battling-t227565?utm_source\u003dfacebook\u0026amp;utm_medium\u003dnews_tab\u0026amp;utm_content\u003dalgorithm\u0026amp;fbclid\u003dIwAR0_7BNosmufSS_C6-a5TCL5H9LpJm97bAuz6EtbrkYGOI0dOtro0BZdmMA\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eAutism Wars\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/controversy-autisms-common-therapy/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eThe Controversy over Autism's Most Common Therapy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor ABA Practitioners: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Oh2BIhL2AONE1uS8ijMTZ9dznvh99t1/view?usp\u003dsharing\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHow to Respond to ABA Hate\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABAReform/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/5847293391433682725/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/11/aba-haters-pt-ii.html#comment-form","title":"4 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5847293391433682725"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5847293391433682725"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/11/aba-haters-pt-ii.html","title":"ABA Haters Pt. II"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IstFc51dOiI/X7w2BnDZdNI/AAAAAAAAG9A/rSLaZBzYvn88YaDX2fkMEUAj72Ko32crACNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w368-c-h415/bc.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"4"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-5522426549955312509"},"published":{"$t":"2020-10-25T17:09:00.004-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-10-25T17:20:11.487-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Telehealth"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Home Tips"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Homeschooling In a Pandemic"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jet90oSO80/X5XoJVf4ceI/AAAAAAAAG4E/18cT7juJw2cdyp6Tkq1t1Y_Q8wE5nF_QACNcBGAsYHQ/s751/photo-1597933471507-1ca5765185d8.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"501\" data-original-width\u003d\"751\" height\u003d\"269\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jet90oSO80/X5XoJVf4ceI/AAAAAAAAG4E/18cT7juJw2cdyp6Tkq1t1Y_Q8wE5nF_QACNcBGAsYHQ/w404-h269/photo-1597933471507-1ca5765185d8.jpg\" width\u003d\"404\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e*Recommended Resources:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://asatonline.org/for-parents/education/guidance/covid-19/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHelping your ASD child cope with COVID\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://childmind.org/remote-learning-resources-for-families/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eStrategies for supporting learning at home\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.time4learning.com/homeschooling/special-needs/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHomeschooling special needs children\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/08/mastering-homeschooling.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eMastering Homeschooling\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePodcast Episode: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.yolanderobinson.com/episode19.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\"Take Off the Cape\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring this global pandemic, schools have been as impacted as everyone else when it comes to figuring out a New Normal.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe most recent stats indicate that globally, there are 1.2 billion children learning outside of the classroom due to school closures (source: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eWe Forum\u003c/a\u003e) . E-learning has increased dramatically, with parents and caregivers now finding themselves thrust into the role of \"Home Education Assistant\".\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI have multiple clients who are learning at home this year, and both the parents and the children are struggling to adjust to this unanticipated change.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the children, it may be hard to understand why they aren't at school, why the regular routine has been so disrupted, and why they have to sit and learn at a computer all of a sudden.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the parents, this is an added stressor during an already challenging year, it is hard to navigate a school at home schedule while also working from home (or returning to work on-site), and for parents of ASD children there are added unique challenges to help the child benefit from online learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVery few of the clients I serve are able to sit and learn through a device/computer screen for an entire school day. That just isn't happening. So what we are doing instead is helping the caregivers in the home learn how best to support their child's school day with this new format. Especially since none of us really know for sure when schools will be \"back to normal\".\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBelow are some tips I share with my client families, I hope they are helpful for you and your children:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eTip #1 is THE MOST important tip: Talk to your treatment team. By \"treatment team\", I mean the ABA team/case BCBA, Speech Therapist, Teacher, Counselor, etc. The best person to ask about your child's learning is a professional who already knows and works with your child. Seriously, I have had so many meetings this year with client teachers, and the teachers were all so understanding, accommodating, and willing to work together, because\u003cu\u003e this year is hard for all of us\u003c/u\u003e. You will have no idea how much the online school day can be modified until you ask.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eA daily schedule will be your BFF. It will be nearly impossible to adjust to the demands of school at home without a consistent schedule in place. Create a schedule based on when your child needs to log-on/be active in class vs. when they can work on assignments off-screen/off-camera. Be sure to include breaks (Pleeeeeease don't expect your child to sit at a computer screen all day with 0 breaks. That won't end well), meal times, reinforcement time/play, and calming or sensory activities as needed. Just like the rest of us, your child is probably highly stressed from the challenges of 2020. Though they may be unable to communicate that, just depending on ability level.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eSeek help if you are physically unable to supervise your child's online learning. I have some client families where both parents are working from home right now. It is tough, but they are able to adjust their day so at least one parent is always monitoring the child's learning. I have other client families where this is not at all possible. Every household is different. Consider having a neighbor, grandparent, older sibling, or family friend monitor your child during the school day. For some families, \"monitoring\" may be all that is needed. For other families, see the next tip.....\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eDO understand that for some children, sitting at a laptop and attending for more than a few seconds at a time \u003cb\u003ewill not be possible\u003c/b\u003e. It won't. You are not a bad parent if this is the case. You have not failed, and you should not beat yourself up. This simply means your child will need a high level of support to benefit from schooling at home. I have some clients in this scenario, and it does mean that an adult must sit with the child and help them participate in online school. But guess what? For these types of kids, a 6- hour school day is not the goal. A 4- hour school day isn't even the goal. We work on helping the child participate as much as possible, and then we take breaks. Then we try some more. Then we take breaks....get the picture? Which leads me to my last tip....\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cli\u003eLet's get real. And I mean, \u003cb style\u003d\"text-decoration-line: underline;\"\u003ereally real\u003c/b\u003e. We are in the midst of a pandemic. Families are struggling mentally, emotionally, financially, etc. Your child with ASD may not understand what is going on, and why all of a sudden you are acting like a teacher. Stress levels, anxiety, and depression, are sky-high for many people. You have to assess your capacity as a parent to do school at home. It truly is not for everyone. And that's OK! Please re-read tip #1. Talk to the school. Talk to your child's teacher. Explain your situation, and discuss the barriers to teaching your child at home. See what strategies or modifications the school can make. You might be surprised how many options you have that you just don't know about. You are not Superman or Superwoman, and are under no requirement to be perfect. Do the best you can, in the surreal circumstances we all find ourselves in right now. Best of luck to you!\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vdb8v8uYt4/X5Xn-0tgfcI/AAAAAAAAG4A/RieYvvzOQf85s5f9tgSlDeFRS_gxj6_LwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1102/Do-the-Best-You-Can-Until-You-Know-Better.-8.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1102\" data-original-width\u003d\"735\" height\u003d\"376\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vdb8v8uYt4/X5Xn-0tgfcI/AAAAAAAAG4A/RieYvvzOQf85s5f9tgSlDeFRS_gxj6_LwCNcBGAsYHQ/w284-h376/Do-the-Best-You-Can-Until-You-Know-Better.-8.jpg\" width\u003d\"284\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/5522426549955312509/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/10/homeschooling-in-pandemic.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5522426549955312509"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5522426549955312509"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/10/homeschooling-in-pandemic.html","title":"Homeschooling In a Pandemic"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jet90oSO80/X5XoJVf4ceI/AAAAAAAAG4E/18cT7juJw2cdyp6Tkq1t1Y_Q8wE5nF_QACNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w404-c-h269/photo-1597933471507-1ca5765185d8.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-1840624004087385234"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-05T09:57:00.004-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-05T10:00:44.130-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"audio/video post"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Quote of The Day"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"behavior"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Quote of The Day"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\"\u003ci\u003eYou are not Superman, and you are not Superwoman. Take off the cape\u003c/i\u003e.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003eTameika Meadows\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eToday's QOTD is from an amazing podcast I had the privilege to join: \"\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.yolanderobinson.com/podcast.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eShifting Perspectives\u003c/a\u003e\", hosted by Yolande Robinson.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eDuring the \u003cu\u003einsanity\u003c/u\u003e that has been 2020, parents of Autistic children, teens, and adults, have had to repeatedly pivot and navigate new situations when it comes to lack of supports, no access to community providers, increased unemployment, schools or colleges shut down, homeschooling nightmares, increased anxiety, increased depression, and on and on.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eWe have all been impacted by this pandemic and global turmoil, but for families raising special needs children there are unique issues and factors that come with the territory.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003eWhat is needed now is encouragement, support, practical strategies, and a reminder that \u003cb\u003eno one\u003c/b\u003e should be trying to \"do it all\" right now. That just isn't possible. Focus on what can be changed and improved, and learn to adapt to what cannot.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003ePodcast episode link:\u0026nbsp; Episode 19\u0026nbsp; \"\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.yolanderobinson.com/episode19.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eTake off the Cape\u003c/a\u003e\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--UiYdnSlBO0/X1OZI2uDyNI/AAAAAAAAGpc/6ae0Afdo6Ak0s1PxWVs9i9r9W_N65PdwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s500/photo-1556761175-129418cb2dfe.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"375\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"300\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--UiYdnSlBO0/X1OZI2uDyNI/AAAAAAAAGpc/6ae0Afdo6Ak0s1PxWVs9i9r9W_N65PdwQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/photo-1556761175-129418cb2dfe.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/1840624004087385234/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/09/quote-of-day.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1840624004087385234"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1840624004087385234"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/09/quote-of-day.html","title":"Quote of The Day"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--UiYdnSlBO0/X1OZI2uDyNI/AAAAAAAAGpc/6ae0Afdo6Ak0s1PxWVs9i9r9W_N65PdwQCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w400-c-h300/photo-1556761175-129418cb2dfe.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-82430635148527454"},"published":{"$t":"2020-07-10T19:45:00.006-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-08-11T15:17:25.404-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"assessment"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Therapy start up"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Diagnosis Day"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUJ_QxDQd_k/Xwind7phmSI/AAAAAAAAGR4/tv7WWw80kAkFBK8WaKfR1syBf5Z5sv59ACNcBGAsYHQ/s500/blog.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"333\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"333\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUJ_QxDQd_k/Xwind7phmSI/AAAAAAAAGR4/tv7WWw80kAkFBK8WaKfR1syBf5Z5sv59ACNcBGAsYHQ/w500-h333/blog.jpg\" width\u003d\"500\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFist things first: WHY is diagnosis important??\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eIf you are seeing red flags or concerning behavior in your child, is it absolutely essential that you pursue a formal evaluation? \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e...Well, no.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eBut, the benefits of obtaining a diagnosis of Autism can include access to services/treatment/an IEP, access to specific funding or disability resources or support, possible reduction of parental/familial stress or anxiety about the child's behaviors or differences, and an increased understanding of your child's unique needs and motivations. Basically, the sooner you know what is causing the red flags you are observing, the sooner you can DO something about it.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eMany Autistic adults report having gone through life feeling different, odd, or struggling socially, and express wishing they had known much earlier in life that they weren't \"wrong\", while everyone else was \"right\". It can be extremely helpful for a person to know how their brain works (and why), so even if as a parent you aren't concerned if your child could be Autistic, your child may want to know one day.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cb\u003eTIPS\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Ask questions about \u003cu\u003ealllllll \u003c/u\u003ethe things! Make a list before you even arrive, just to make sure you get all your concerns out when you are face to face with the clinician. This is the time to express your concerns and get answers\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Don’t over or under report. What I mean is, describe what typically happens as truthfully as possible. It will be very clear to the clinician if you are glossing over serious concerns, or if you are minimizing strengths\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Make sure your child (and you!) are in a good place for the appointment: fed, rested, calm, etc. While many parents bring along a tablet to keep their child entertained on the way to the appointment, keep in mind that tablet will have to be removed at some point. It may be a good idea to bring a less powerful reinforcer so you don’t push your child into a full tantrum right as the appointment starts\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Avoid jumping in to help/guide your child, or directing your child to attend to the assessor (e.g. “C’mon Ally, push the red car!”). I know, it’s hard to just sit and watch your child perform poorly. But that is exactly what the assessor needs to see. Don’t worry, there will be parts where the assessor needs your input.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Don’t expect this whole process to be wrapped up in one 2-hour appointment. Proper assessment takes time, you may encounter waiting lists, and most likely there will be more than one office visit required.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cb\u003eWHAT TO EXPECT\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eRegardless of the diagnostic tool used, there are certain commonalities you can expect. To name a few:\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         The “majority example”. If your child exhibits a certain behavior 5% of the time, and a different behavior the other 95% of the time, the assessor will focus on what they do 95% of the time.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Difficulty leaving/separating from the caregiver, even if that person is in the same room. This is very common, don’t feel embarrassed if your child clings to you and refuses to interact with anyone else.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         “Who is this child?”. By this I mean it is very common for the child to behave differently during assessment than what the parent is used to seeing. If the child babbles at home, they may be silent during the appointment. If the child bites and pinches at home, they may be sweet as pie during the appointment. It is also important to understand that the assessor must make decisions based on what they are seeing. This is why the evaluator will likely have you complete multiple checklists or forms, so they can compare what you typically see against the snapshot of the child they are seeing.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Super, super short attending to tasks (e.g. child stays seated for .5 seconds). VERY common. Don’t become fearful that the assessment will be ruined, or full of errors, because your child just flits from one task to another or will not participate in any tasks. This is actually part of what the assessor needs to see, and it provides valuable information about functioning.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Don’t expect to get to the end of the appointment and hear the assessor say “Welp, he’s Autistic”. ALL of the data, scores, and observations must be compiled and analyzed, and this process takes time. While it is very okay to ask the evaluator their initial impressions, please give the evaluator time to properly review all of the data before confirming any diagnosis.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cb\u003eNEXT STEPS\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         After the diagnostic appointment, it will likely be a few weeks (or longer) until a follow-up appointment. The follow-up appointment is where the evaluator reviews the results with you and will go in depth to discuss recommendations.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         The formal diagnostic report will be long, detailed, and jargony. Kind of like reading a technical manual upside down. Be prepared to ask questions, and then ask more questions, until you actually understand the clinician’s report.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         If your child is not diagnosed, sometimes this can mean additional diagnostic tools are recommended, the child may currently be on the cusp and another evaluation is recommended for the following year, or there may be other explanations for the red flags besides Autism.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         If your child is diagnosed, this just means that in most cases they now become eligible for a myriad of services. It does NOT mean anyone can predict their future, tell you they will never (fill in the blank), or tell you that (fill in the blank) will always be a struggle.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e·         Please be prepared for more delays. In a perfect world, families would move seamlessly from diagnosis to treatment. Unfortunately, in our actual world, there are far more people \u003ci\u003eneeding\u003c/i\u003e services than providers \u003ci\u003eoffering\u003c/i\u003e services. There may be a wait to access various therapies, get into your school districts Autism program, apply for SSI, etc.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e \u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e*Recommended Reading:\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/p/newly-diagnosed.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e After the Diagnosis\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e*Here is a\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003d_R7tRFGYL0U\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e parent perspective \u003c/a\u003eof the diagnosis appointment\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"gs\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 1006px;\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"ii gt\" id\u003d\":d5\" style\u003d\"direction: ltr; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"a3s aXjCH\" id\u003d\":84\" style\u003d\"font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"yj6qo\" style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"adL\" style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"hi\" style\u003d\"background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-bottom-left-radius: 1px; border-bottom-right-radius: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: roboto, robotodraft, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/82430635148527454/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/07/diagnosis-day.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/82430635148527454"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/82430635148527454"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/07/diagnosis-day.html","title":"Diagnosis Day"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OUJ_QxDQd_k/Xwind7phmSI/AAAAAAAAGR4/tv7WWw80kAkFBK8WaKfR1syBf5Z5sv59ACNcBGAsYHQ/s72-w500-c-h333/blog.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-7025521544449327491"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-05T08:32:00.004-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-05T08:32:55.719-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Quote of The Day"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Quote of The Day"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HpIXcUKIag0/XrFc5Q5q-eI/AAAAAAAAGDw/ZVVX1D01ZLsa2w2u3DtRIsrGzOggnFujgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/blog.png\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"640\" data-original-width\u003d\"640\" height\u003d\"400\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HpIXcUKIag0/XrFc5Q5q-eI/AAAAAAAAGDw/ZVVX1D01ZLsa2w2u3DtRIsrGzOggnFujgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/blog.png\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nWhen it comes to ABA therapy services?\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nOh yeah.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThis is \u003cb\u003e1000% \u003c/b\u003etrue.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n*Suggested post: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2011/08/importance-of-parent-education.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eParents We Need You\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/7025521544449327491/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/05/quote-of-day.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7025521544449327491"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7025521544449327491"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/05/quote-of-day.html","title":"Quote of The Day"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HpIXcUKIag0/XrFc5Q5q-eI/AAAAAAAAGDw/ZVVX1D01ZLsa2w2u3DtRIsrGzOggnFujgCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-c/blog.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-5369687926199079126"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-18T11:57:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T18:04:08.159-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Telehealth"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"What Does Telehealth ABA Look Like- Parent Perspective"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJzyQiurVWU/Xpsg5AVS_2I/AAAAAAAAGB8/rO10yYlZkXUIulUD-LKLIsUe8FiPjmhogCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/photo-1586957067130-f3fe4fb76cf4.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"333\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJzyQiurVWU/Xpsg5AVS_2I/AAAAAAAAGB8/rO10yYlZkXUIulUD-LKLIsUe8FiPjmhogCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/photo-1586957067130-f3fe4fb76cf4.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf your child was participating in any therapies before this global crisis began, those services likely transitioned to a telehealth model within the past 30 days or so.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIdeally, this process was explained to you, along with potential benefits vs risks, and you feel competent as a parent/caregiver to utilize this remote model of therapeutic intervention.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf not, you are the the reason for this post.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nFor far too many families, the decision to move to telehealth for ABA services was made for them, or presented as a \"take it or leave it\" option. This could be due to staffing issues (as more and more people are self-quarantining), more funders allowing for telehealth, or just the preference of the service provider. Maybe you are filled with anxiety and confusion as to how telehealth will be effective for \u003ci\u003eyour\u003c/i\u003e child. You may think your child is too young to benefit, or too old to benefit, or can't attend to a screen, or attends TOO much to a screen, etc.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nWhatever your particular situation may be, I hope to help alleviate some of your concerns by providing an overview of Telehealth ABA.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nLet's dive in...\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nBefore our current quarantine reality, telehealth was being used quite effectively to provide ABA services to consumers in under served areas, to supplement in-person services, and to work with consumers internationally. I have also found benefit of telehealth when it comes to illness or travel (basically, being unavailable). If someone in the consumer home has a contagious illness, I can still support my client remotely using telehealth. Or if I am traveling for a professional conference, I can check in on my clients using telehealth. So even if you aren't currently a fan of telehealth, know that it does have benefit for many families.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nTo provide a definition, \u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eTelehealth\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/b\u003e is\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;stixgeneral\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: 15.9991px;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;the use of communication technology to assist in education and treatment of health related conditions\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e(Ferguson, Jenny et al. 2019).\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nTelehealth is not something to just jump into. Like any other therapeutic service, there are some foundational steps to complete first. \u003cu\u003eBefore\u003c/u\u003e beginning ANY telehealth therapeutic treatment, you and your service provider should be openly discussing the following:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 1pt 4pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n1.\nTechnology Capability - As a caregiver, how comfortable are you with using technology? Do you have access to reliable wi-fi? Do you have a quality web cam, camera, or cell phone to use for video chats or calls? Will you need to purchase a headset or microphone, or are your computer speakers fine to use? Do you have a scanner and printer, if needed? If not, who will help you get up to speed with technology?\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n2.\nScheduling \u0026amp; Availability - Are there time zone differences to consider? What is your schedule of availability to virtually meet with the service provider? Does telehealth increase or decrease your availability? What time of day would work best for your child? Are they more likely to be attentive in the am or pm? Is the telehealth schedule being created based on what works for your household, or just when the service provider says they have time?\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n3.\nCaregiver Participation - Are your current stress and emotional levels at a point where you can do this? Has it been explained to you that telehealth may require an adult in the home assist with the session, \u003cb\u003efor the duration of the session\u003c/b\u003e?\u0026nbsp; Do you know how to manage challenging behavior in the absence of the service provider being physically present? Do you understand how to provide reinforcement to your child, in the absence of the service provider being physically present? What will your other children be doing while you are assisting with the telehealth session? If you are also doing school at home right now, can you do both that \u003ci\u003eand\u003c/i\u003e this?\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n4.\nUnique Client Needs - What does your child need in order to benefit from this? Visual supports? Token boards? If your child is very active and reinforced by physical touch or play, how will that happen virtually? Will it be upsetting or confusing to your child to see and hear the service provider, but they aren't physically there? Should the treatment goals be reduced for telehealth sessions? What abut the session length; can your child participate in a virtual 2 or 3 hour session? Will there be a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) or direct therapist with you, as the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) joins in virtually? Or will it just be you and your child? \u003ci\u003eWhich is likely to be more effective?\u003c/i\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; padding: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThere are 3 main services delivered by ABA providers: \u003cb\u003eSupervision, Direct Service, and Family Support \u003c/b\u003e(commonly referred to as \"parent training\").\u003cbr /\u003e\nI will explain how each type of service could look using a telehealth format. Remember, the specific service that is selected for a telehealth modality should be decided by you and the service provider based on what would be most effective for your child. In other words, direct service via telehealth may not be a great idea, just depending on the specific needs of your child and the unique demands of your household.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSupervision is most often provided by the BCBA for a percentage of the hours the RBT or direct staff work with your child. Some providers may choose to have RBT's continue coming to your home, with the BCBA joining the session virtually. Other providers may have both the RBT and the BCBA conduct virtual sessions. There is no set answer to this, and it will vary by area and by provider. This is also a funding decision, as not all funders permit non-BCBAs to provide telehealth. In the event that you are only receiving services from a BCBA, they do not require supervision. However, RBTs and Board-Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs) cannot practice independently.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDirect service is most often provided by the RBT or direct therapist. If the RBT you work with is able, in-person direct service can still occur with the BCBA supervising remotely. If not, the RBT and/or BCBA may provide direct service virtually. Depending on the unique circumstances of treatment, direct service may need to be modified for telehealth. For example, goals may need to be reduced or placed on hold temporarily, like goals that require peers or going into the community. Any issues with your child attending, leaving the instructional area/running off, or trying to hit/disrupt the video call equipment can be addressed with the BCBA. They will be able to tell you how to help your child benefit from telehealth services. Please note that direct service provided virtually will most likely require an adult in the home assist with the session as far as prompting, delivering reinforcement, managing challenging behavior, troubleshooting technical difficulties, etc.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFamily support can occur with any parent or legal guardian, and will have specific goals and measurable outcomes. Family support can include your child, and it can also occur with just you and the BCBA (most funders only permit BCBAs to provide family support). Keep in mind that due to the virtual format, family support time may steal your attention and focus away from other household activities. For example, if the BCBA needs to virtually meet with you to review progress and discuss changes to the treatment plan, it may be unrealistic to try to do this as you simultaneously cook dinner or engage your other children.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nDepending on the specific service being delivered, the amount of upheaval and stress in the client household, the current functioning of your Autistic child (will telehealth work for \u003ci\u003ethem\u003c/i\u003e??),\u0026nbsp; and caregiver ability to fully participate, telehealth can be more or less beneficial to families.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003eAnd that is OKAY\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/b\u003e.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYou are not required to continue therapy services in the midst of a global pandemic. Think about the pros vs the cons, and make the best decision you can for your family.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n*Resources \u0026amp; Further Information:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003d4HKHQaSPoKo\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Parent Training using Telehealth\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.behaviorbabe.com/telehealth\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBehavior Babe\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://centralreach.com/practical-guidelines-to-deliver-aba-telehealth-services-in-the-wake-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eCentral Reach\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://360behavioralhealth.com/benefits-telehealth-people-with-autism/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eBenefits of Telehealth\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003dFzKn8Tpf3VE\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003dFzKn8Tpf3VE\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eABA Parent Training via Telehealth\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;video 1, and \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003dQagYZsX5dwY\u0026amp;t\u003d307s\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003evideo 2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.abainsidetrack.com/home/2020/3/27/episode-119-aba-services-in-a-pandemic\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ePodcast: ABA services in a global pandemic\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/5369687926199079126/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/04/what-does-telehealth-aba-look-like.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5369687926199079126"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5369687926199079126"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2020/04/what-does-telehealth-aba-look-like.html","title":"What Does Telehealth ABA Look Like- Parent Perspective"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJzyQiurVWU/Xpsg5AVS_2I/AAAAAAAAGB8/rO10yYlZkXUIulUD-LKLIsUe8FiPjmhogCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-c/photo-1586957067130-f3fe4fb76cf4.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-7603121124579227075"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-14T08:50:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T18:01:35.422-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Social Skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Crafting Connections"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7gUWJFmnNI/XfTnTC9-cyI/AAAAAAAAFtE/sN-fZDKNqj8owsvwz2w9aDr5Lg-RW3syQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/photo-1444840535719-195841cb6e2b.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"333\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7gUWJFmnNI/XfTnTC9-cyI/AAAAAAAAFtE/sN-fZDKNqj8owsvwz2w9aDr5Lg-RW3syQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/photo-1444840535719-195841cb6e2b.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jFSgQ68ahw/XfTnTHFqXrI/AAAAAAAAFtA/yv27FjqNL4cyoQygGNL2ayJfREk0xw2bgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/photo-1500995617113-cf789362a3e1.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"333\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7jFSgQ68ahw/XfTnTHFqXrI/AAAAAAAAFtA/yv27FjqNL4cyoQygGNL2ayJfREk0xw2bgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/photo-1500995617113-cf789362a3e1.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eImpairments in social communication are a key deficit of Autism, and can be seen across the varying range of the spectrum.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cu\u003eSocial communication\u003c/u\u003e is a big word that can include many difficulties, such as making friends, maintaining friendships, being appropriate near peers, sharing or turntaking, empathy or perspective taking, initiating peer play, joining ongoing peer play, responding to peers, self-advocacy, conflict-resolution, getting AND keeping a job, etc.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eWhen clinicians throw around the term \"social skills\", we are really talking about a lottttt of skills!\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eSome people have the mistaken belief that ABA therapy only focuses on 1:1 instruction, and therefore isn't appropriate to target peer social interaction. Nope, not true.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eABA therapy can absolutely include targeted social skills instruction. Depending on the age of the learner and their specific social deficits, that will impact how social goals are assessed and selected.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eParents of very young children usually want to work on: sharing, playing with peers instead of isolating, playing with toys instead of hoarding toys, reducing aggression towards peers, etc.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eParents of teens or young adults usually want to work on: initiating conversation, increasing MLU (jargon translation\u003d you want your child to use more than 1-2 words to make a statement or answer a question), buying items in the community, talking to community helpers (e.g. a police officer), going on job interviews, assertiveness, dating, etc.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eThere are also many ABA programs that offer formal social skill groups to families, where learners are grouped together based on interests, abilities, age, or other factors, to participate in games and activities as a group. But the games are far more than just \"games\", they are actually carefully designed to target specific social skill deficits. If you are already receiving ABA therapy services, ask if your child can participate in a social group with other clients.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eBehavior Analysis has many empirically validated strategies to add to the social skills conversation, and also (depending on the funding source) the ABA provider can target social skills in a group format, at school, or out in the community, to ensure proper generalization. For example:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eReinforcement for the win!\u003c/span\u003e Social skills training should include reinforcement individualized to the learner, and also should work to pair (transfer) reinforcement to peers, as pre-intervention the learner may not find interacting with peers to be all that fun ;-(\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eData collection\u003c/span\u003e. If no one is collecting data, reviewing that data, and evaluating that data to make treatment decisions then what is happening is \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2013/02/is-this-aba.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cu\u003enot\u003c/u\u003e ABA\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eGeneralization\u003c/span\u003e. Also known as, \"real life\". Learning social skills in the ABA clinic, or at school, or on the playground, will not necessarily generalize to other settings and other kids. Intentional generalization into real-world, real life scenarios is a must.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eStructure\u003c/span\u003e. This may sound weird, but it does NOT mean that the learner must do the same thing, in the same order, for each peer interaction. It means that the learner should be able to predict what will happen in social group today, they know the rules of social group, and they understand what rewards they contact during social group. These things should be somewhat predictable, from the perspective of the learner.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eBreak down concepts visually or tangibly\u003c/span\u003e. Help learners understand abstract concepts through video modeling, games, visuals, or manipulatives, that they can touch, see, etc.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eFollow an evidence based curriculum.....just not too closely\u003c/span\u003e. While it is important to have a tool to create the lesson plan for social instruction, I'd also recommend individualizing the curriculum as much as possible across learners. Modifying the curriculum to make the content more relevant to the learner will go a long way to helping social instruction gains \"stick\", and be salient for the individual receiving intervention.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: yellow;\"\u003eBehavior management.\u003c/span\u003e So obviously, challenging or disruptive behaviors will interfere with learning during social interaction time. These behaviors can also frighten, intimidate, or confuse other peers present, which works against the goal of interacting with peers. This is why ABA providers are a qualified to implement these kinds of interventions, because we already have the tools to decrease inappropriate behaviors and increase appropriate behaviors, and keep the social interaction on track.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e*Resources:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://mission-cognition-share.com/\"\u003eMission Cognition\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.amazon.com/Crafting-Connections-Contemporary-Behavior-Enriching/dp/0975585991/ref\u003dasc_df_0975585991/?tag\u003dhyprod-20\u0026amp;linkCode\u003ddf0\u0026amp;hvadid\u003d312710253827\u0026amp;hvpos\u003d1o1\u0026amp;hvnetw\u003dg\u0026amp;hvrand\u003d15492146059382333172\u0026amp;hvpone\u003d\u0026amp;hvptwo\u003d\u0026amp;hvqmt\u003d\u0026amp;hvdev\u003dc\u0026amp;hvdvcmdl\u003d\u0026amp;hvlocint\u003d\u0026amp;hvlocphy\u003d9010807\u0026amp;hvtargid\u003dpla-565339076635\u0026amp;psc\u003d1\u0026amp;tag\u003d\u0026amp;ref\u003d\u0026amp;adgrpid\u003d61681020945\u0026amp;hvpone\u003d\u0026amp;hvptwo\u003d\u0026amp;hvadid\u003d312710253827\u0026amp;hvpos\u003d1o1\u0026amp;hvnetw\u003dg\u0026amp;hvrand\u003d15492146059382333172\u0026amp;hvqmt\u003d\u0026amp;hvdev\u003dc\u0026amp;hvdvcmdl\u003d\u0026amp;hvlocint\u003d\u0026amp;hvlocphy\u003d9010807\u0026amp;hvtargid\u003dpla-565339076635\"\u003eCrafting\nConnections\u003c/a\u003e\u0026nbsp;(I love this book!)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003eSocial\nSkills Training for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Otero, Tiffany L. et\nal.\u0026nbsp;Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, Volume 24, Issue 1, 99 - 115\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003eA Review of\nPeer-Mediated Social Interaction Interventions for Students with Autism in\nInclusive Settings,\u0026nbsp;Watkins, L., O’Reilly, M., Kuhn, M. et al. J Autism\nDev Disord (2015) 45: 1070\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Making-and-Keeping-Friends-A-Model-for-Social-Skills-Instruction\"\u003eMaking\n\u0026amp; Keeping Friends\u003c/a\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;\"\u003eBaker, J.E.\n(2004). Social Skills Training: For Children and Adolescents with Asperger\nSyndrome and Social-Communication Problems. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism\nAsperger Publishing Co.\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;times\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/7603121124579227075/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/12/crafting-connections.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7603121124579227075"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7603121124579227075"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/12/crafting-connections.html","title":"Crafting Connections"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7gUWJFmnNI/XfTnTC9-cyI/AAAAAAAAFtE/sN-fZDKNqj8owsvwz2w9aDr5Lg-RW3syQCNcBGAsYHQ/s72-c/photo-1444840535719-195841cb6e2b.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-1768485226920244789"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-27T10:00:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T18:01:21.169-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Home Tips"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Home Tips: Sibling Interaction"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--I7Hy6HC3aU/Xd6MD37BuTI/AAAAAAAAFq0/hI8faV8hOAsZHkXlBiudvCi2505Usc1oACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/photo-1451471016731-e963a8588be8.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"700\" data-original-width\u003d\"1052\" height\u003d\"265\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--I7Hy6HC3aU/Xd6MD37BuTI/AAAAAAAAFq0/hI8faV8hOAsZHkXlBiudvCi2505Usc1oACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/photo-1451471016731-e963a8588be8.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nFor truly any child, the sibling relationship can be a combination of great/horrible, best friends/worst enemies, play partner/nemesis.\u003cbr /\u003e\nAnyone with a sibling knows this is the truth, especially when you and your sibling(s) were young kids.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nBUT, when a child with ASD is tossed into the mix then totally normal sibling hi-jinks can take a more drastic turn.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nA big concern of the families I work with is sibling interaction, or lack thereof. Usually, the issues fall into one of these categories:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n- The typically developing children ignore the Autistic child, and have learned it's easier to just leave them alone\u003cbr /\u003e\n- The typically developing children fully give in to whatever the Autistic child wants, and have learned that letting their sibling bully them is better than making their sibling upset\u003cbr /\u003e\n- The typically developing child IS the bully, and has learned that their Autistic sibling won't put up much of a fight/won't stick up for themselves\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nAs a professional, I see it as a great benefit when my clients have siblings living in the home because now I have a built-in pool of peers to reach for whenever we are targeting social-emotional or play goals. Win-win!\u003cbr /\u003e\nUsually though, the sibling relationship is so strained and broken that we can't include the brother or sister in the session until we work on sibling interaction \u003cb\u003efirst\u003c/b\u003e.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nSo there is the 1st tip: until the sibling relationship is repaired, just tossing the kids together to work on skills will likely not end well.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nNeed more tips? Okay:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStep back from the problems, and focus on what you DO want to see - Are there issues with name-calling and teasing? Then you want to see \u003cu\u003erespect\u003c/u\u003e. Are there issues with hitting or kicking? Then you want to see \u003cu\u003ecalm bodies\u003c/u\u003e. Are there issues with always having to win every game? Then you want to see \u003cu\u003eplaying by the rules\u003c/u\u003e. When it comes to behavior: focus on what you DO want, rather than what you don't want.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStart small- Baby-step your way to success rather than jumping into the deep end. If your children start attacking each other 5 minutes into playing Candyland, then let's play the game for 3 minutes. Or 2 minutes. Start at a level where everyone can be successful, and gradually increase your expectations over time.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach functional communication - Ensure that your children are able to communicate (vocally or non-vocally) what they do and do not want. Usually when functional communication is lacking, there will be lots of aggression instead. Make sure the children are taught how to communicate \"I don't want to play\", so there will be no need to hit, punch, or kick.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt's OK to dislike your sibling - Sometimes my clients just don't seem to like their siblings very much. Especially if the sibling is much younger. While we can't force \"like\", what we can do is maintain an expectation of respect. It is not okay to throw blocks at your baby sister because she's annoying. Nope.\u0026nbsp; Instead, how about taking a break from the situation, asking to wear headphones, or practicing patience and self-calming?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemember, relationships evolve over time - This should be good news for someone! As adults, we tend to forget that in our childhood we felt differently about our siblings at different ages. This is completely normal. I have some clients I have worked with for years, and I have seen the ebb and flow in their children's relationships. From \"I can't stand you!\" to \"I want to sit next to Erica!\". This will happen. Just because your children have a terrible relationship right now does not mean it will always be that way.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nLastly, any quality ABA provider can include sibling interaction goals into the treatment plan, provide parent training to help you generalize strategies when the therapists are not around, and intentionally plan for play dates or \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2011/12/community-outings.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ecommunity outings \u003c/a\u003ewith all the siblings (basically, moving from rehearsal to a live show).\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nlyepypKC84/Xd6PaLL07BI/AAAAAAAAFrA/kEPwCknFgk4Ozo4LSFBJe0tShExJoxdNgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/photo-1448301566816-a036b4240d58.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"333\" data-original-width\u003d\"500\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nlyepypKC84/Xd6PaLL07BI/AAAAAAAAFrA/kEPwCknFgk4Ozo4LSFBJe0tShExJoxdNgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/photo-1448301566816-a036b4240d58.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n*Resources:\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://bsci21.org/my-kids-wont-stop-fighting-how-aba-can-reduce-sibling-rivalry/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://bsci21.org/my-kids-wont-stop-fighting-how-aba-can-reduce-sibling-rivalry/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eHow ABA can Reduce Sibling Rivalry\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://bcotb.com/playing-with-siblings/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ePlaying with Siblings\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/strengthening-asd-sibling-relationship/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eStrengthen the ASD Sibling Relationship\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/siblings-perspectives-some-guidelines-for-parents\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eSibling Perspectives \u0026amp; ASD\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/1768485226920244789/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/11/home-tips-sibling-interaction.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1768485226920244789"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1768485226920244789"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/11/home-tips-sibling-interaction.html","title":"Home Tips: Sibling Interaction"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--I7Hy6HC3aU/Xd6MD37BuTI/AAAAAAAAFq0/hI8faV8hOAsZHkXlBiudvCi2505Usc1oACNcBGAsYHQ/s72-c/photo-1451471016731-e963a8588be8.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-3438622367133096379"},"published":{"$t":"2019-05-25T09:52:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-05-25T09:52:09.023-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Life skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"School/Educators"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Community/Public"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Summer, Summer, Summer- TIME"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ciframe width\u003d\"320\" height\u003d\"266\" class\u003d\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src\u003d\"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kr0tTbTbmVA/0.jpg\" src\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kr0tTbTbmVA?feature\u003dplayer_embedded\" frameborder\u003d\"0\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c/iframe\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; font-size: 14px;\"\u003eRelated Post: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/08/creating-order-in-home-daily-schedules.html\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eStructure in the Home\u0026nbsp;Setting\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWDk_07_N2s/XOlDE672BJI/AAAAAAAAFh8/J_zXRq0UY_U9MYw-o3TT7HP_M-9Drr80QCLcBGAs/s1600/photo-1501426026826-31c667bdf23d.jpg\" imageanchor\u003d\"1\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"901\" data-original-width\u003d\"676\" height\u003d\"400\" src\u003d\"https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eWDk_07_N2s/XOlDE672BJI/AAAAAAAAFh8/J_zXRq0UY_U9MYw-o3TT7HP_M-9Drr80QCLcBGAs/s400/photo-1501426026826-31c667bdf23d.jpg\" width\u003d\"300\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eFor pretty much any parent the summer break from school will require some decision making and planning to keep the kids busy and engaged over the summer months. While this is a universal parenting concern, for parents with special needs children the loss of a daily routine/structure\u0026nbsp;when school is out for the summer can bring anxiety, fear, and frustration, for both the parents and the children.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eA characteristic\u0026nbsp;of ASD is difficulty with changes to routine, or a need for sameness to make sense of the environment. So if the child is used to getting up at 7am to get ready for a 6 hour school day with Ms. Bailey, and now suddenly they are just at home all day, this is a situation ripe for challenges.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eIt doesn't HAVE to lead to challenges though, as long as some strategies are put in place after careful\u0026nbsp;planning and preparation.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eWith my clients, around this time of year I see tons of problem behaviors re-emerge, new challenging behaviors pop up, families stress levels increase, and due to everyone vacationing or needing to shift schedules around, often the one area of sameness over the summer break (the therapy schedule) can fluctuate quite a bit. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eIt would be great if both the parent and the therapy team could keep the same schedule (or possibly even increase hours) over the summer months, but this does not always work out.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eSo with the consistency\u0026nbsp;of both home and therapy being subject to change, how can a parent help their ASD child maintain routine over the summer? Glad you asked:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003ePlanning begins wayyyy before summer starts- With most of my clients I like to start talking about summer planning around the top of the year. What is the family's plan for the summer\u0026nbsp;break? Will therapy hours continue, reduce, or increase? What activities will the child participate in? Just asking these questions gets everyone thinking about how best to prepare the child for the upcoming break, and allows enough time to prepare the child using repetition. Depending on the ability level of the child, this preparation may need to include skill acquisition, a revised daily schedule, visual supports, and/or conversation\u0026nbsp;about the fact that school will be on pause for a few months.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eWork with the treatment team to decide what to focus on- The treatment team could be the child's teacher, the IEP team, the ABA team, etc. Whoever is working with the family to help the child learn and gain skills, should be considered a member\u0026nbsp;of the treatment team. These professionals can give valuable information about what to focus on over the summer. Should reducing problem behaviors be the #1 goal? What about academics? Or self-help skills? For lots of my younger clients, we target toileting heavily during summer break because of the increase in time to practice but also it's hot so wearing less clothes means it's easier to spot accidents.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eMinimize \"time off\"- I know, I'm Debbie Downer. But ask any teacher about what happens to children's math and reading skills over the summer break. For most students, the beginning of a school year has to include \"catch up\" time to focus on what was lost over the summer. For special needs children who may have extra difficulty either gaining new skills or retaining known skills, this is an even bigger problem. That means that the intentional planning must keep in mind the big picture (long-term success and progress). Therapists know that a huge decrease in consistency\u0026nbsp;will effect progress, so while it's fine to start the day later or end the day earlier --it IS summer after all-- I definitely\u0026nbsp;don't recommend taking off for vacation for a month, stopping therapy entirely, or allowing the child to engage in solitary play or with electronics all day long.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eConsider amping up the structure in the home-\u0026nbsp; I think it's safe to say that the child didn't spend their school day playing on an iPad, watching YouTube, and eating Popsicles. There was probably structure\u0026nbsp;in place, where low-preferred and high-preferred activities\u0026nbsp;alternated, and academic demands occurred\u0026nbsp;daily. To switch from such a structured\u0026nbsp;setting to a non-structured setting, can be very upsetting and jarring. Instead of thinking about summer break as a time to just \"hang out\", think about ways to incorporate structure into the home setting. \u003cu\u003eNope\u003c/u\u003e, I am not saying that every parent needs to make a mini-classroom in their living room. Your child may not need quite that much structure. But, it is very likely they \u003c/span\u003e\u003cb style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003edo\u003c/b\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e need more structure in the home setting, more transitions, more instructional time, and more time interacting with people\u0026nbsp;instead of with objects.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: 14px;\"\u003eLastly, a super-colossal-important tip is to be very intentional about selecting summer activities. Most of the clients I work with are in a ton of summer activities, from Lego camps to gymnastics to karate, and on and on. Unfortunately, just because my clients \u003ci\u003eattend \u003c/i\u003ethese activities\u0026nbsp;does not mean that they \u003ci\u003eparticipate\u003c/i\u003e. And of course if the child is just placed in the room like furniture but not actually participating, then the activity is not likely to beneficial.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" /\u003e\u003cbr style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" /\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003eWhat I often see is that these settings are simply not equipped to help my client benefit from being there. When I say \"benefit from being there\", I mean: my client doesn't wander around the periphery of\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;the group, they don't stare up at the sky while everyone else is playing basketball, and they don't spend all of craft time crying under the table.\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003eFocus on placing your ASD child in summer activities where staff are either knowledgeable about ASD \u0026amp; behavior, or they are open to a trained facilitator attending with your child. Emphasize that you expect your child to be a part of the group, not just in physical proximity to the group. Explain how your child interacts socially, their communication style, and what their biggest motivators are, as well as the specific skills you want your child to gain from the group. For example: \"We enrolled him in this basketball camp not just for gross motor and physical activity, but also because he struggles to interact with other kids his own age and we really want him to work on that. Please help him to take turns with the other kids and respond when the children talk to him\".\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e*Resources:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://childmind.org/article/strategies-for-a-successful-summer-break/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eStrategies for a Successful Summer Break\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.reachingmilestones.com/preparing-a-child-with-autism-for-summer-vacation/\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003ePreparing a Child With Autism for Summer Vacation\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n(Video) \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v\u003dOv8MwNHqZH0\" target\u003d\"_blank\"\u003eMaking the Most of Summertime for Kids With Special Needs\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class\u003d\"text_exposed_show\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/3438622367133096379/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/05/summer-summer-summer-time.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/3438622367133096379"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/3438622367133096379"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/05/summer-summer-summer-time.html","title":"Summer, Summer, Summer- TIME"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Kr0tTbTbmVA/0.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-1415325737698227378"},"published":{"$t":"2019-03-06T14:11:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T17:58:19.760-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"behavior"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Early Intervention at Any Age"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISHDJLENU8E/XIAa6ROmBCI/AAAAAAAAFc0/wDi5b5PRVvMDWK7HSBRx3gzYWZLAcYtOgCLcBGAs/s1600/photo-1487521916606-6ba43a72537c.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"692\" data-original-width\u003d\"1082\" height\u003d\"255\" src\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISHDJLENU8E/XIAa6ROmBCI/AAAAAAAAFc0/wDi5b5PRVvMDWK7HSBRx3gzYWZLAcYtOgCLcBGAs/s400/photo-1487521916606-6ba43a72537c.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\"Early intervention\" usually brings up images of toddlers or pre-schoolers completing puzzles, learning to put on a jacket, or labeling photos. In its truest sense, early intervention is better described as \"intervening early\". When thought of that way, the concept (and corresponding strategies) can be applied at any age to intervene on challenges or issues that are preventing your child from being as successful as they could be.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eI often get questions from parents or caregivers about behavior issues, such as sleep routine (\"How do I get him to sleep in his own bed?\"), feeding challenges (\"How do I get her to eat more than creamed corn?\"), or issues with rigidity (\"If he can't sit in the red chair, he screams\"). The best response to these questions, is not to allow the problem behavior to get embedded in the first place. It's probably the \u003ci\u003eleast helpful response\u003c/i\u003e, but arguably the most accurate response.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;As soon as you see a problem behavior has been established, seek help or further education right then and there. ~Don't wait.~\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;I repeat, don't wait and think the behavior will just go away magically on it's own. The same recommendation is true for skill deficits. If there is a particular skill your child is struggling with, seek help or further education to help them learn the skill. Don't wait and think the skill will magically appear in it's own time.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eJust ask any ABA professional and they will tell you that untangling a behavior knot that has been in place for weeks, months, or even years, is difficult. It may seem like problem behaviors pop up overnight, but they rarely leave overnight. Meaning that it typically takes hard work and effort to \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/02/everyday-fba.html\"\u003ereduce or replace\u003c/a\u003e challenging behaviors.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eThe hard truth for many families is \u003cb\u003equality treatment just isn't accessible\u003c/b\u003e. It could be a funding issue, there could be a lack of local providers, or maybe other environmental barriers to accessing available treatment are in place. I meet families of older children all the time who haven't even heard of ABA treatment. You can't request a therapy you don't know exists.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eYes, accessing intensive and quality treatment is always going to be the ideal option. But for those who cannot, it's helpful to know that there are still options available to you and your child. What is most important is to have expectations for your child, set realistic goals (such as teaching your child to use a spoon), and then work diligently toward each goal. Don't overload both you and the child by tackling multiple things at once, as this is a marathon and not a \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2017/12/sprinter-vs-marathoner.html\"\u003esprint\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eSee below for other tips:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eLook into \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/03/paying-for-aba.html\"\u003efunding sources\u003c/a\u003e in your local area, and see what your insurance will cover. The local school system typically has resources available through special education that most families just don't know about. Ask if there is a parent advocate/liaison to help you navigate all the treatment options.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eConsider pursuing intensive treatment or consultation, and then following through on your own. Nowadays, many parents attend ABA conferences, enroll in behavior analytic coursework, or even pursue the \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.bacb.com/rbt/\"\u003eRBT credential \u003c/a\u003ejust to learn about the science. You can also pursue free training events that may be offered at local colleges, ABA clinics, or research institutions. The more you can learn about Autism, behavior, and ABA, the better equipped you will be to handle challenging behaviors. You can also work intensively (and briefly if needed) with a BCBA and then follow through with their recommendations on your own.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eLearn as much as you can from your child's teachers. Special education teachers have so much knowledge and experience creating accommodations and breaking down instructional material for children who learn in unique ways. I would suggest regularly reaching out to the teacher to ask questions about issues at home, to pick their brain for ideas, and actually observing in the classroom to get ideas about what can be replicated at home. For example: nearly all my clients follow a daily schedule in the school setting, but not at home. Why?? The same benefits that are achieved at school from having a consistent daily routine, can easily be achieved at home by using the same technique.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eLook for activities/groups/classes that welcome children with disabilities. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of peer models, and making sure your child spends time around typically developing peers. There are many fun kid activities like karate, gymnastics, or swim, that do offer accommodations so individuals with special needs can participate. Beyond the actual skill that is being taught, your child is learning to learn within a group, to follow an authority figure, to socialize/be appropriate around other kids, and most importantly they are integrating into their local community.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eAvoid the establishment of \u003cspan style\u003d\"color: red;\"\u003estrict rituals or routines\u003c/span\u003e. Now this one is easier said than done, but it's super important. Most of the older clients I work with have particular challenging behaviors that have been allowed to persist for years and years. The longer a behavior is embedded, often the more difficult the intervention will be. So how do you know the difference between a simple preference (\"I like to sit in the green chair at dinner\") vs. a rigid ritual (\"I MUST sit in the green chair at dinner\")? Look at what happens when the ritual is interrupted, or cannot occur....does intense problem behavior follow? If so, then just close your eyes and imagine what the behavior will look like in 5 years, 10 years, and 15 years. If you're not okay with how the behavior will likely grow over time, then it's time to intervene.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eIntentionally set aside time for active engagement with your child. If you're wondering what in the world \"active engagement\" means, it basically means to focus on extending an interaction for as long as you can. Get down on the child's level, and read a book to your child, paint together, bounce them on a huge yoga ball, or line up cars together. The actual activity doesn't matter much, what is more important is that both you and the child are socializing, and not you socializing with the child and receiving no socialization in return. Talking is teaching! By talking to your child, engaging them in an activity, and socializing with them 1:1, you are teaching many skills at once. Point to objects together, play with a toy, sing songs and dance, laugh and make eye contact, tickle the child, model language use (\"c-u-p\"), etc.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eHave household rules. Schools have rules, right? So does any workplace, the library, the grocery store, even the slide at the playground has rules concerning how to use it. But does your child have rules at home? Are there certain things they cannot do? Do they know what the rules are? You will help your child grow into independence and maturity immensely, if you set expectations of their behavior and follow through with consequences when those expectations are not met.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e*More resources below for ways to intervene early, and help your child be as successful as they can as they age. \u003cb\u003eRemember\u003c/b\u003e, just because a resource may state \"ages 0-3\" that does NOT mean you can't use the same general strategy with your older child. The point is to intervene early as much as you can, teaching important life skills and reducing problem behaviors as soon as they appear.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Early-Intervention-for-Young-Children-on-the-Autism-spectrum-Parents-Perspective\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eASD Early Intervention\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2016/02/the-basics-intervention-for-early.html\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eASD Early Learners\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.parentcenterhub.org/parent-participation-ei/\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eParent Participation in Early Intervention\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://blog.asha.org/2017/10/03/new-free-toolkit-for-parents-of-young-children-and-members-who-interact-with-them/\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eEarly Intervention Toolkit for Parents\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.nationalautismcenter.org/resources/for-families/\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"\u003eA Parents Guide to Evidence Based Practices and Autism\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/1415325737698227378/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/03/early-intervention-at-any-age.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1415325737698227378"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/1415325737698227378"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/03/early-intervention-at-any-age.html","title":"Early Intervention at Any Age"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISHDJLENU8E/XIAa6ROmBCI/AAAAAAAAFc0/wDi5b5PRVvMDWK7HSBRx3gzYWZLAcYtOgCLcBGAs/s72-c/photo-1487521916606-6ba43a72537c.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-2321511241590300380"},"published":{"$t":"2019-01-04T11:30:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T17:57:44.928-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ethics/Professionalism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Ethical Conduct Made EZ"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3zMaarxuErE/XC-AWqlLdkI/AAAAAAAAFY8/RFJbIqWOm6YPRiSMoSzgXk0NY0lhQ7X_QCLcBGAs/s1600/photo-1531835415135-698b8d7e0ba4.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"700\" data-original-width\u003d\"1050\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3zMaarxuErE/XC-AWqlLdkI/AAAAAAAAFY8/RFJbIqWOm6YPRiSMoSzgXk0NY0lhQ7X_QCLcBGAs/s400/photo-1531835415135-698b8d7e0ba4.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n*Recommended Posts:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2013/01/professionalism-ethical-guidelines.html\"\u003eABA \u0026amp; Professionalism\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2015/10/ethical-behavior-informed-consent.html\"\u003eABA \u0026amp; Informed Consent\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nDear Parents/Caregivers,\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nI'm talking to you, and only you, with this post.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThere are specific expectations we have of the professionals we regularly interact with (doctors, teachers, attorneys) based on the professional and ethical standards of their field. Even if we don't know exactly what those standards are, most of us have a good idea of what SHOULD happen, and how we should be treated.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nFor example, most people expect their child's teacher to not belittle, or curse at their child.\u003cbr /\u003e\nMost people expect their doctor to protect their private medical information.\u003cbr /\u003e\nMost people expect a police officer to help you during an emergency.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf someone is presenting themselves as a professional, then they should act like a professional in their demeanor, words, and practice.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nSo let's talk about ABA providers specifically--\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nDid you know that the professional field of Behavior Analysis has specific ethical standards just like any other profession? If this is news to you, please peruse our \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.bacb.com/ethics/ethics-code/\"\u003eethical guidelines\u003c/a\u003e.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nAs a parent, you may be wondering how to evaluate the quality of the ABA provider you receive services from. I hear many, many variations of this question from parents all over the world: \"How do I know if this company is any good or not??\".\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThis \u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BLpV8fyJh8WkFsSUcxOVpNa1U/view\"\u003ehandy resource\u003c/a\u003e may assist you with knowing what to look for.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nBut more important than a resource, is knowing for yourself what makes a quality Registered Behavior Technician, Board Certified-Assistant Behavior Analyst, or Board Certified-Behavior Analyst.\u003cbr /\u003e\nTo help you with that, I've included a simple list below, and also a visual reminder. Print it. Tape it to your fridge. Share it with your friends. Call a meeting with your current ABA provider and review it together.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eEZ ABA Ethical Guidelines\u003c/b\u003e:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider must work within the boundaries of their expertise. Unless they have access to resources/a supervisor who can train them on what they don't currently know, they should refer you to someone else if they don't know how to help you. Guidelines 1.02, 2.01\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should strive to be truthful and honest, and to avoid engaging in unethical or illegal actions. Guideline 1.04\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should communicate with you in an easy to understand manner, explaining any clinical terms simply, so that you fully understand what is happening in therapy. Guideline 1.05\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should not accept gifts from you, socialize with you outside of therapy sessions, babysit your children, attend your wedding anniversary party, or be considered a \"friend\". Guideline 1.06\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should explain your parent rights to you when services begin, and should also provide you with information about how to report them/file a complaint about them if you have any issue with the quality of their services. Guideline 2.05\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should strive to protect your confidentiality. Legally, there are specific circumstances under which we have to break confidentiality, and ethically, your ABA provider should tell you what those circumstances are. Guideline 2.06\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA provider should keep accurate records about treatment, and use them to evaluate if treatment is effective, if the pros outweigh the cons, and if treatment should continue. As the parent, you also have the right to speak up if YOU think treatment is not effective/beneficial. Guidelines 2.09, 2.11\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nWhat you will pay for services, and when you will pay it, should be upfront and transparent when services begin. When you open the first invoice, there should not be an ugly shock. Guideline 2.12\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nABA providers do not just abandon clients. If services need to discontinue, you should know why, be given a timeline of transition, and the provider should help connect you to another provider (as possible). Guideline 2.15\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nYou should know your child's ABA goals. You should know the behavior strategies being used. You should know how your child is progressing. ALL of this should be simply explained to you, and you must agree with how treatment occurs. If you \u003cu\u003edo not \u003c/u\u003egive consent, then it should not happen. Guidelines 3.01, 3.03, 3.04, 4.02, 4.04, 4.08\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\nYour ABA program supervisor only takes on as much work as they can handle, and is responsible for training the direct care staff. The supervisor is also responsible for training you, and if needed, collaborating with your child's teacher, Speech Therapist, etc. Guidelines 5.01, 5.02, 5.06\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nABA providers do not solicit clients through manipulative advertising, or glowing testimonials on their website. We also should not walk up to you in public and thrust a business card at you. All of that is unethical. Guidelines 8.05\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nI hope it helps you!\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThe I Love ABA Blog\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0SEjmBQ0p-k/XC-JROb__BI/AAAAAAAAFZI/AFKeJxnruZIbtc7TJZ87Mb-UbeNHRN5jQCLcBGAs/s1600/My%2BPost%2B%252821%2529.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1600\" data-original-width\u003d\"1600\" height\u003d\"400\" src\u003d\"https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0SEjmBQ0p-k/XC-JROb__BI/AAAAAAAAFZI/AFKeJxnruZIbtc7TJZ87Mb-UbeNHRN5jQCLcBGAs/s400/My%2BPost%2B%252821%2529.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/2321511241590300380/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/01/ethical-conduct-made-ez.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2321511241590300380"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2321511241590300380"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2019/01/ethical-conduct-made-ez.html","title":"Ethical Conduct Made EZ"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3zMaarxuErE/XC-AWqlLdkI/AAAAAAAAFY8/RFJbIqWOm6YPRiSMoSzgXk0NY0lhQ7X_QCLcBGAs/s72-c/photo-1531835415135-698b8d7e0ba4.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-4943540053281832818"},"published":{"$t":"2018-09-26T15:49:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T17:56:17.320-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Therapy start up"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Waitlisted."},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqtFvtDWApA/W6veC2qd_NI/AAAAAAAAFMg/_jeivuFDfdoROumguKxTFkFgRpVWG-u5gCLcBGAs/s1600/xu-haiwei-770074-unsplash.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1600\" data-original-width\u003d\"1067\" height\u003d\"400\" src\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqtFvtDWApA/W6veC2qd_NI/AAAAAAAAFMg/_jeivuFDfdoROumguKxTFkFgRpVWG-u5gCLcBGAs/s400/xu-haiwei-770074-unsplash.jpg\" width\u003d\"266\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;trebuchet ms\u0026quot; , sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003eInevitably (\u003ci\u003esorry, but it is somewhat\ninevitable\u003c/i\u003e), somewhere on your Autism treatment/therapy journey you will\nsuddenly and unpleasantly find yourself wait listed.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\nA company or provider may explain that while they may accept your insurance,\naccept clients the age of your child, and serve the area you are located in, at\nthe moment they are going to have to\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003ewait list\u0026nbsp;\u003c/b\u003eyou.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv align\u003d\"center\" class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003eSo why does waitlisting\nhappen? And how should a parent/caregiver respond?\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nFirst, let's look at some reasons for being placed on the\u0026nbsp;\u003ci\u003edreaded wait\nlist\u003c/i\u003e:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cul type\u003d\"disc\"\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;Arial\u0026quot;,sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003eIf\n     a provider is in the process of credentialing (securing relationships with\n     funding sources), they may have to temporarily wait list clients until the\n     set up process for billing is completed\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;Arial\u0026quot;,sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003eIf\n     the provider/company is brand new, then there could be renovations to the\n     physical location, staffing needs, or legal red tape on the part of the\n     company that is causing a wait list\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;Arial\u0026quot;,sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003eIf\n     a provider is expanding into serving new areas, there can often be a wait\n     list for services because they would need a certain amount of clients in\n     the new area to be able to hire staff\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;Arial\u0026quot;,sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003eIf\n     a provider is going through significant unforeseen changes (e.g. a\n     critical member of management abruptly quits), this will absolutely cause\n     a temporary wait list situation for all new clients\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;Arial\u0026quot;,sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003eIf\n     a provider is new to your particular funding source (i.e. a grant or\n     waiver for therapy), you could be temporarily wait listed while they go\n     through the process of securing funding, and completing any documentation\n     the funding source may require\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003eAs you can see from the list, there are varied,\nand very understandable reasons why a provider may say, \"We can help you,\nbut just not\u0026nbsp;\u003cu\u003eright now\u003c/u\u003e\". If a company does not have enough\nstaff to cover your case, or is in the process of properly training or\nonboarding a new hire, then there will be a delay before you can access\nservices. Being placed on a wait list is not always a bad thing, although it\nmay feel like it is.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003eWhat many, many parents want to know is what\nthey are supposed to be doing while on that wait list. For that and other\ncommon parent questions, please see below.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan style\u003d\"background: yellow;\"\u003e\"Is\nthere anything I can do to prevent being wait listed?\"\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;- To a\ndegree, yes. Keep in mind that the service you are trying to access is probably\nin very high demand, with a a limited supply of clinicians/professionals. This\nis true for ABA therapy, Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, etc. Across the\nboard, we need more qualified professionals serving Autistic populations. But,\nas a parent you can request parent/family training by a BCBA (this doesn't\nrequire RBT level staff), just to complete the Initial or Functional Behavioral\nAssessment, or ask if you can start as private pay to speed up the process.\nDepending on the reason for the wait list, any of these options may get things\nmoving more quickly.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan style\u003d\"background: yellow;\"\u003e\"How\nlong will I be wait listed?\"\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;- This is the absolute wrong\nquestion to ask. I don't say that because there is something wrong with you\nasking. I say that because the reality is\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003ethe answer will be a guess\u003c/b\u003e.\nThe problem is, people drop off and get added to the wait list constantly. Add\nto that unforeseen challenges or road blocks, and that \"2 month wait\"\nsomeone promised you could easily stretch to several months long. Also asking\n\"Well how many people are on the wait list?\", is typically a question\nproviders won't answer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan style\u003d\"background: yellow;\"\u003e\"Okay...then\nwhat should I ask instead?\"\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;- Instead of\u0026nbsp;\u003ci\u003easking\u003c/i\u003e,\ntry telling. Decide how long you will give this provider/company to be\navailable to you, and inform them of your decision. For example, \"Yes,\nplease add us to the wait list but after 6 weeks we will be reaching out to\nother providers\". This way you already have a plan B ready to go, but just\nin case a spot becomes available you still have plan A.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan style\u003d\"background: yellow;\"\u003e\"What\nshould I be doing with my child while we are stuck on this wait list?\"\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;-\u0026nbsp;\u003cu\u003eSomething\u003c/u\u003e.\nYes, that's intentionally vague. I couldn't possibly know what your child needs\nto do while you sit on a wait list, but I do know the absolute last thing they\nneed to do: NOTHING. The worst mistake you can make is to be placed on a wait\nlist, and then just go back to life as normal. Obviously, you are requesting\ntherapy services because you need help. So still pursue ways to get help, while\nyou are waiting for the professionals to step in. Especially with the\ntechnology options today, you could consult remotely with a BCBA, take online\ncourses in ABA or behavior change, attend conferences to learn, join an Autism\nsupport group, etc. What you will be able to do while you are on the wait list\nis going to vary depending on your local area, and the resources available to\nyou.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Arial, sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: 10pt;\"\u003e-\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan style\u003d\"background: yellow;\"\u003e\"How\nlong should we remain on a wait list for treatment?\"\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;- And\nthis is the #1 question I hear from parents/families. I don't have a specific\nanswer for you, but instead I would emphasize the importance of treatment.\nThink of this way: If you arrived at a restaurant and were told there wouldn't\nbe any tables available for 3 months, would you just sit in the waiting area\nand not eat for 3 months? No, right? Well, the treatment you are trying to\naccess for your child is as critical as food and water.\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cu\u003eYou do\nnot have time to waste\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/b\u003e. If you have been idly sitting on a waiting\nlist, not hearing from the provider, and not receiving any updates, it may be\ntime to move on.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;, serif; font-size: 18pt;\"\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;trebuchet ms\u0026quot; , sans-serif\"\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e* Further Reading:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/p/newly-diagnosed.html\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eAfter the Autism Diagnosis\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iloveaba.com/2012/05/adventures-in-early-intervention.html\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"\u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot; , sans-serif\" style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003eAdventures in Early Intervention\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/4943540053281832818/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/09/waitlisted.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/4943540053281832818"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/4943540053281832818"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/09/waitlisted.html","title":"Waitlisted."}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NqtFvtDWApA/W6veC2qd_NI/AAAAAAAAFMg/_jeivuFDfdoROumguKxTFkFgRpVWG-u5gCLcBGAs/s72-c/xu-haiwei-770074-unsplash.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-5813501609151408616"},"published":{"$t":"2018-08-28T10:17:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T17:55:58.641-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Home Tips"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"School/Educators"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Mastering Homeschooling"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JpuPeOVEixE/W4VWaEgKhYI/AAAAAAAAFHc/tfbbZ_FMC7MHPCplZfqH6O-uljVC2RjLQCLcBGAs/s1600/fb.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1070\" data-original-width\u003d\"1600\" height\u003d\"267\" src\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JpuPeOVEixE/W4VWaEgKhYI/AAAAAAAAFHc/tfbbZ_FMC7MHPCplZfqH6O-uljVC2RjLQCLcBGAs/s400/fb.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nFor a variety of reasons (some preference based, some due to circumstances) many parents today are choosing to homeschool their ASD child.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nThanks to technology, if you are a parent considering taking the often scary step into not just being Mom or Dad, but also Teacher, then there are websites, apps, and all sorts of tools that can help you. Which is great.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nSo is homeschooling all great, ALL the time? Hmmmm.....not really.\u003cbr /\u003e\nJust like any educator, \u003cb\u003eevery day\u003c/b\u003e will not be sunshine and roses. However there's a huge difference between an occasional rough day, and ending each homeschooling lesson sobbing at your kitchen table. Let's avoid that 2nd scenario, when at all possible.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nMany of my clients are homeschooled by one or both parents, so I get an upfront view of the difficulties these parents have when it comes to teaching their own children.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\nThis post isn't about answering the question \"to homeschool, or not to homeschool\", as that's a decision parents should make. But, I do hope to give some helpful tips for making the homeschool process a bit easier and less frustrating.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cu\u003eMoving from Amateur to Master\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable border\u003d\"1\" cellpadding\u003d\"0\" cellspacing\u003d\"0\" class\u003d\"MsoTableGrid\" style\u003d\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 637px;\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.1pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Adapt” is now your favorite word\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u0026nbsp;If you have spent any amount of time inside a Special Education classroom, or speaking with a Special Education teacher, then you should know that Adaptation is the name of the game. Most purchasable curriculum\u0026nbsp;does allow for\u0026nbsp; customization (some more than others), but if your child is not progressing well with the curriculum/can't keep up, or isn't understanding the material, the beauty of homeschooling is that you can adapt the material to fit the child. I know some parents who don't even teach certain skills/certain subjects because in the grand scheme of things it just isn't functional for their child. When I say \"adapt\", I mean the materials, the tests/quizzes, the textbooks, the lesson plans, EVERYTHING! What you are teaching should be functional for your child, and presented in a manner they find interesting, and clear to understand. If it isn't, then you have some adapting to do.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eReinforcement is key\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u0026nbsp;Life is about reinforcement. The quicker you accept that, the easier teaching will become. Using a combination of visual/auditory supports, and tangible rewards, embed frequent, powerful, doses of reinforcement into teaching. Ideally, you want\u0026nbsp;your child to be a willing and compliant learner who enjoys learning, right? Well, the way to get there is by breaking tasks down (see the previous point) and wrapping up demands in a thick layer of reinforcement.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 40.9pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 40.9pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKnowledge is your strongest weapon\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; height: 40.9pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u0026nbsp;Knowledge of subjects? Nope. I mean knowledge of your \u003cu\u003echild\u003c/u\u003e. If you have a teaching background that's great, but many parents who choose to homeschool do not. But you definitely\u0026nbsp;do have knowledge\u0026nbsp;of your child :-) Use what you know about your child (temperament, motivation, personality, etc.) to design instruction. I know of a family where the mom created lesson plans focused around the movie \"Zootopia\", as that was a special interest for her daughter. So they used \"Zootopia\" to learn about history...math...science....etc. Use what you know about your own child to your advantage.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Prompting” \u0026amp; “Teaching” are not synonymous\u003c/b\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u0026nbsp;See my \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2011/09/prompting-101.html\"\u003ePrompting\u003c/a\u003e post if you are unfamiliar with this word. Here is a common error I see many parents make when homeschooling: child responds incorrectly, parent delivers prompt, child responds incorrectly, parent delivers prompt...repeat\u0026nbsp;500 times. The problem with confusing a prompt with teaching, is \"What is the child learning\"?? A prompt is always intended to be lessened, or fully removed, so we can reach independence. If you stop prompting your child, and they suddenly have no idea what to do, then you have been \u003cu\u003eover- prompting\u003c/u\u003e. Which will slow down the rate of acquisition (it will take longer for the child to learn).\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.1pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eMasters seek help when they need it!\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(231, 230, 230); border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; height: 39.1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background2; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.8pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"318\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003e\n\u003co:p\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003ci\u003eThe most important tip is not to try and do everything on your own. Educators working for school systems know when to reach out for assistance, and so should educators working around their kitchen table. If your child has significant behavior issues, attention problems, or their academic performance is far below their age (a 7 year old working on Kindergarten level assignments) then you need some professional assistance to design intervention. Reach out to an educator, the support available through the homeschooling curriculum/website, or a qualified BCBA so they can help you learn the best ways to teach your child.\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/u\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n*Resources:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf you aren't already familiar with \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/\"\u003eTPT\u003c/a\u003e (Teachers Pay Teachers) it's an awesome site full of resources made by and for educators\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/value-homeschooling-child-autism-now/\"\u003e\"The Value of Homeschooling\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://tacanow.org/family-resources/homeschooling-your-child-with-autism-spectrum-disorder-the-basics/\"\u003e\"Homeschooling Your Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder\"\u003c/a\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/5813501609151408616/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/08/mastering-homeschooling.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5813501609151408616"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5813501609151408616"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/08/mastering-homeschooling.html","title":"Mastering Homeschooling"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JpuPeOVEixE/W4VWaEgKhYI/AAAAAAAAFHc/tfbbZ_FMC7MHPCplZfqH6O-uljVC2RjLQCLcBGAs/s72-c/fb.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-5726488008432591607"},"published":{"$t":"2018-08-14T14:09:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2022-06-23T09:41:33.885-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Supervisor Tips"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"When Therapy is Too Short \u0026 Not so Sweet"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fQsvC3Gkfw/W3MRZPzDaVI/AAAAAAAAFG4/rwijNqRVA0gGQK17l6jUWNj4AtJJSueQgCLcBGAs/s1600/rawpixel-570913-unsplash.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1068\" data-original-width\u003d\"1600\" height\u003d\"266\" src\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fQsvC3Gkfw/W3MRZPzDaVI/AAAAAAAAFG4/rwijNqRVA0gGQK17l6jUWNj4AtJJSueQgCLcBGAs/s400/rawpixel-570913-unsplash.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e*Recommended Reading: \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2015/11/how-much-therapy.html\"\u003eTherapy Intensity/How Much Therapy\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eBehavior analytic research as well as best practices for ABA treatment recommend robust/intensive treatment for the most significant results. Typically, \"focused\" treatment would require at least 15 hours a week of therapy, while more \"comprehensive\" treatment would require at least double that.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eThere are many reasons why therapy hours could be low. Maybe the funding source only approved half of the service authorization (e.g. BCBA asked for 30 hours per week, the insurance company approved 12). Or sometimes the family isn't available for therapy very often, or the child has multiple other therapies and a full day at school.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eRegardless of the reason, if treatment hours will be low does that mean its \u003cb\u003epointless\u003c/b\u003e to pursue ABA therapy at all?\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eNo. It does not.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eBUT, it does mean that the goals selected for treatment and the modality of treatment need to be super, \u003cu\u003esuper\u003c/u\u003e realistic and practical.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eIt's hard to know in advance how long it will take a client to progress through goals, or to reach mastery with a specific skill, but for the most part complex or multifaceted goals are going to take lots of repetition and time. So during intake, when I meet a family and they are discussing goals like toileting, language acquisition, severe problem behaviors, school refusal, etc., I explain very clearly that these goals will need a more comprehensive approach. ABA therapy every Tuesday for 2 hours, is not going to make much of a dent when it comes to comprehensive goals.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eHowever, if the family is requesting help with more focused goals such as shoe tying, eating with utensils, or following instructions, then such comprehensive treatment may not be necessary.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eSo to parents: If your child has been receiving ABA services for some time with minimal progress, the problem could be that treatment is not intensive enough (doesn't occur at a high enough frequency).\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eBeyond keeping treatment goals highly realistic/practical, if a client receives minimal therapy hours I also recommend the following:\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e1.\u003cb\u003e \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2017/06/rock-star-parent-training-bst.html\"\u003eIntensive parent training\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e: If the ABA professional is only going to see the client once a week, what is the best use of that time? Working directly with the child, or the parent? If the professional works with the parent, then outside of session time (and when services end) the parent is now equipped to teach their child, handle challenging behavior, and modify the home environment to help the child be successful. To me, it just makes the most sense to teach the parent as much as you can during the time you have together so they can keep the demand on when you leave.\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e2. \u003cb\u003eSelf-management/Coping skills\u003c/b\u003e: If appropriate for the client, teaching using more self-management strategies and less of an instructor-led format is very beneficial when therapy hours are low. I am a huge fan of implementing activity schedules/checklists/task analyses with clients, and showing them that they control their own reinforcement (not me). As long as they are doing what authority figures need them to, they will always be able to access what they want. Also, if behavioral issues are occurring and there is inadequate time for implementation of a comprehensive behavior plan then teaching replacement behaviors, or coping strategies, could be very helpful for the client. For example, when the client escalates and gets upset instead of the adults present reacting to that, the client can be taught how to independently de-escalate.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e3. \u003cb\u003eSelf-help/Adaptive functioning\u003c/b\u003e: Think of adaptive goals as those daily living skills that are non-optional. You either do them, or someone has to assist you/do them for you. Examples: getting dressed, feeding, toileting, cleaning up after yourself, etc. I have *sadly* had some clients with therapy hours \u003cu\u003efar-r-r\u003c/u\u003e below what they actually needed. In situations like that, at a bare minimum I need to know from the family what day- to- day issues are causing the MOST difficulty in the household. Then we start to tackle those, being sure to take small bites of the problem rather than try to squeeze multiple goals into a 1 hour therapy session. For example, if the client fights the morning routine everyday before school and it's causing them to regularly be late to school, that is an awesome place to start. Just helping the parents tackle that one problem with clear strategies, visuals, and support, will make a huge impact in the day- to- day stress levels for the household.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eWith low therapy hours, the focus should zoom in and get very practical and answer the question, \"\u003ci\u003eWhat can we do \u003cb\u003etoday\u003c/b\u003e, to make a difference in this family's life\u003c/i\u003e\".\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003cspan face\u003d\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/5726488008432591607/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/08/when-therapy-is-too-short-not-so-sweet.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5726488008432591607"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/5726488008432591607"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/08/when-therapy-is-too-short-not-so-sweet.html","title":"When Therapy is Too Short \u0026 Not so Sweet"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fQsvC3Gkfw/W3MRZPzDaVI/AAAAAAAAFG4/rwijNqRVA0gGQK17l6jUWNj4AtJJSueQgCLcBGAs/s72-c/rawpixel-570913-unsplash.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-2555044759237877767"},"published":{"$t":"2018-05-02T12:24:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-07-13T13:15:14.541-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"interventions"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Programs"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Art of Skill Acqusition"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JpTlOHh-mqk/WunljJ40SvI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/FfUeCt1DKD4ej_6c1LXRHEBX35cBYhBWwCLcBGAs/s1600/luis-alfonso-orellana-246919-unsplash.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"1425\" data-original-width\u003d\"1600\" height\u003d\"355\" src\u003d\"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JpTlOHh-mqk/WunljJ40SvI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/FfUeCt1DKD4ej_6c1LXRHEBX35cBYhBWwCLcBGAs/s400/luis-alfonso-orellana-246919-unsplash.jpg\" width\u003d\"400\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nAnd there absolutely\u003ci\u003e is\u003c/i\u003e an art to it.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nI will include TONS of links at the bottom of this post, because it's important to understand this post won't be a paint-by-numbers kind of thing. Teaching a new skill or behavior is not as simple as \"\u003ci\u003eDo this-Do this-Do that-Done\u003c/i\u003e\".\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf you took 3 BCBA's and asked them to teach a child to ride a bike, you could end up with 3 different ways to teach that skill. \u003cb\u003eAnd that's okay.\u003c/b\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\nThe expertise, related experiences, and unique professional identity of each BCBA will impact how they design treatment, and how they teach skills. As long as the end result is the child independently riding their bike, then the skill acquisition was a success. The exact path to the finish line is allowed to vary.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nParents and ABA professionals reach out to me fairly frequently to ask \"How do I teach my child/client to (fill in any behavior here)\". My answer is usually some form of \"I'm not going to be able to answer that for you in a brief email\". Teaching skills, aka programming, aka skill acquisition, requires thinking/intentional planning by someone with knowledge of the learners individual skillset, deficits, and strengths (professionals refer to this as \"assessment\").\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf you want shortcuts and don't want to think, or you want to rush over planning, or you don't know the learner very well, then you have no business designing treatment for them.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nIf you are a parent reading this and you work with an ABA team, ask for training in skill acquisition. If you are a parent who does NOT have the help of an ABA team, my first piece of advice is to get that help if you can. Even if you consult remotely with a BCBA for a few hours a month, that would be far more helpful than trying to implement skill acquisition on your own.\u003cbr /\u003e\nTrust me, the BCBA had to learn this skill via graduate level coursework, supervised work experience, and hands-on training with multiple learners. Translation being: skill acquisition is not as simple as it looks.\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nSo to wrap up, if you are a parent needing help teaching your child a new behavior (making a bed, putting shoes on, completing a puzzle, putting toys away, etc.):\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGet as much professional assistance as you can afford. Emphasize your need for parent training to that professional\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpect to put time into learning about skill acquisition. One meeting with a BCBA will likely\u0026nbsp; not be enough\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHave a solid understanding of the following: what is the terminal goal (how do you define the skill as being \"learned\"), how far away is your child from the terminal goal (baseline data), what steps will your child need to have in order to learn the skill (pre-requisite skills), and what concepts do YOU need to know in order to teach the skill (do you know how to prompt? do you know how to reinforce? do you understand motivation?)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YuPB6iI-8Zxjc9KIy8GVWDSro0cTBohU/view?usp\u003dsharing\"\u003eFree Parent Handout: The Art of Skill Acquisition\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n*Links: (some great resources here!)\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003eHeflin, J., \u0026amp; Alaimo, D. F. (2007).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003eStudents with autism spectrum disorders: Effective instructional practices\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003eCrockett, J. L., Fleming, R. K., Doepke, K. J., \u0026amp; Stevens, J. S. (2007). Parent training: Acquisition and generalization of discrete trials teaching skills with parents of children with autism.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003eResearch in developmental disabilities\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e28\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e(1), 23-36.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #222222;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://vcuautismcenter.org/resources/factsheets/printView.cfm/936\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003eDesigning Instructional Programs for Skill Acquisition\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.lovaas.com/meetingpoint-2007-09-article-04.php\"\u003eWhy Discrete Trial teaching works\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003ehttps://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/a-brief-explanation-of-discrete-trial-training\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003eLeaf, J. B., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Call, N. A., Sheldon, J. B., Sherman, J. A., Taubman, M., … Leaf, R. (2012). COMPARING THE TEACHING INTERACTION PROCEDURE TO SOCIAL STORIES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003eJournal of Applied Behavior Analysis\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e45\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e(2), 281–298. http://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2012.45-281\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #222222; font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003ehttps://www.aare.edu.au/publications-database.php/1200/Teaching-functional-skills-to-autistic-children-in-natural-settings:-Skill-acquisition,-maintenance-and-generalisation\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://vcurrtc.org/resources/viewContent.cfm/1018\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eUsing a Task Analysis for Instruction\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003cul style\u003d\"background-color: white; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px;\"\u003e\n\u003cli class\u003d\"citation\" style\u003d\"line-height: 1.3em; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 10px; text-indent: -40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;Luiselli, J. K. (2008).\u0026nbsp;\u003ci\u003eEffective practices for children with autism: Educational and behavioral support interventions that work\u003c/i\u003e. New York: Oxford University Press.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv style\u003d\"text-indent: -40px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif; font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: medium;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/Teaching-Tips-for-Children-and-Adults-with-Autism\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eTeaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003ehttps://www.letstalksls.com/resource-library/autism/dos-and-donts-teaching-children-autism\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003eSecan KE, Egel AL, Tilley CS. Acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of question-answering skills in autistic children.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ci style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003eJournal of Applied Behavior Analysis\u003c/i\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e. 1989;22(2):181-196. doi:10.1901/jaba.1989.22-181.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white; color: #303030;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eAnderson\u003c/span\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eS. R.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eTaras\u003c/span\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eM.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e, \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eO'Malley Cannon\u003c/span\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eB.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;(1996). Teaching new skills to young children with autism. In\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eC.\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eMaurice\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eG.\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eGreen\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e, \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"person-name\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan class\u003d\"givenNames\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eS. C.\u003c/span\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class\u003d\"surname\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003eLuce\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Eds.),\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003ccite class\u003d\"citationSource\" style\u003d\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;\"\u003eBehavioral intervention for young children with autism: A manual for parents and professionals\u003c/cite\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;(pp. 181-194). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003eSundberg, M. L., \u0026amp; Partington, J.W. (1998).\u003c/span\u003e\u003cem style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;Teaching language to\u0026nbsp; children with autism or other developmental disabilities\u003c/em\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003eDanville, CA: Behavior Analysts, Inc.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2012/03/writing-aba-programs.html\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eWriting ABA Programs\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: white;\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003d\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BLpV8fyJh8T2NpQ3ptbHhVMGc/view\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eSkill Acquisition: Programming Sequence\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Ever-Wanted-Know-about/dp/1986391639/ref\u003dsr_1_2?s\u003dbooks\u0026amp;ie\u003dUTF8\u0026amp;qid\u003d1525272047\u0026amp;sr\u003d1-2\u0026amp;keywords\u003deverything+you+ever+wanted+aba\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003eEverything You Ever Wanted to Know About ABA\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cspan style\u003d\"background-color: #e5e5e5; color: #333333;\"\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-family: \u0026quot;georgia\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot; , serif;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan face\u003d\"sans-serif\" style\u003d\"background-color: #e5e5e5; color: #333333; font-size: 12.6px;\"\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/2555044759237877767/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/05/the-art-of-skill-acqusition.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2555044759237877767"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/2555044759237877767"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/05/the-art-of-skill-acqusition.html","title":"The Art of Skill Acqusition"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JpTlOHh-mqk/WunljJ40SvI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/FfUeCt1DKD4ej_6c1LXRHEBX35cBYhBWwCLcBGAs/s72-c/luis-alfonso-orellana-246919-unsplash.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-910085778879504657.post-7094121687596226343"},"published":{"$t":"2018-04-24T16:18:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-26T17:53:58.861-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Life skills"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Home Tips"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Parent education"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Autism"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ABA"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Value of Activity Schedules"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSRi0K_yNSU/Wt-Hh7lnvMI/AAAAAAAAE-I/2CaRji3TQ4cYPdSEMNLy_3_dPGPW-7cugCLcBGAs/s1600/photo-1484820540004-14229fe36ca4.jpg\" style\u003d\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003e\u003cimg border\u003d\"0\" data-original-height\u003d\"951\" data-original-width\u003d\"634\" height\u003d\"400\" src\u003d\"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSRi0K_yNSU/Wt-Hh7lnvMI/AAAAAAAAE-I/2CaRji3TQ4cYPdSEMNLy_3_dPGPW-7cugCLcBGAs/s400/photo-1484820540004-14229fe36ca4.jpg\" width\u003d\"266\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"separator\" style\u003d\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nActivity schedules are amazing tools that can benefit a household in many different ways:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEase transitions\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePromote independence/Self-management/Leisure skills\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach play skills (particularly independent play)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrompt behavior \u003cb\u003ewithout a therapist/adult being present\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecrease unsupervised \"free time\", which is often filled with problem behaviors\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach following a schedule/teach routines\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSignifies when reinforcement is available\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeach choice making\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nI love, love, love activity schedules. A common recommendation in my behavior plans is to \"keep the child engaged\". Most of my clients exhibit their worst problem behaviors outside of therapy sessions and school. Why is that?\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nIt's often because the home environment does not provide the same level of routine and structure as school and therapy sessions. For most of my clients, \u003ci\u003edown time\u003c/i\u003e is not their friend. \u003ci\u003eDown time\u003c/i\u003e is usually filled with behaviors that Mom or Dad do not want to see increase, like eating carpet lint, dumping out the dog's food bowl, or sitting on top of the refrigerator.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nIf you are working with an ABA team, ask them if this is something your child could benefit from. If you don't have the support of a team, then keep reading and I'll explain how you can make one yourself.\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nFirstly, parents often say to me \"Is this really necessary? Will he/she always need to have a photo schedule to follow? Won't this be inappropriate when he/she is a teen or adult?\". My response to that question is to inquire if the parent ever uses some type of planner (including digital ones) to organize or structure their days. Roughly 80% of the time they tell me they do. I then explain that a planner is a glorified activity schedule. Don't believe me? Okay:\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eActivity schedule with photos-----\u0026gt;Written schedule with no photos-----\u0026gt;To Do list-----\u0026gt;Organizer/Planner/Scheduling app\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\nNow that you know even adults use a version of an activity schedule, how do you know if your household could benefit from one? If any of these scenarios ring true for you, consider implementing activity schedules:\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAfterschool/on the weekends/after therapy sessions the child's problem behavior skyrockets\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBreaks from school/3 day holiday weekends are just the WORST, and your child seems to amp up their problem behaviors day by day\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe child must be constantly supervised or they will break, climb, or destroy something in the home\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe child has no \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2014/02/teaching-leisure-skills.html\"\u003eleisure skills\u003c/a\u003e, and lacks the ability to just \"go play\" (these words mean nothing to them)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTelling the child \"stay in here\" also means nothing, and they tend to just wander all over the house\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMom or Dad cannot do laundry, take a phone call, respond to emails, have company over, or cook dinner unless someone else is home to keep the child entertained/busy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eToys sit around gathering dust, because your child only interacts with them for a few seconds before losing interest\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOther children in the home rarely get their share of parent attention or time\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe child will only sit and attend to electronics (TV, iPod, tablet, etc.). Books, toys, puzzles....nope.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nAre you starting to love the idea of an activity schedule yet? :-)\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nNow for the fun part: Making one! \u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size: xx-small;\"\u003e*Puh-lease do not buy an activity schedule online. For one, it will not be individualized to your child. For two, it's super easy to make\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ctable border\u003d\"1\" cellpadding\u003d\"0\" cellspacing\u003d\"0\" class\u003d\"MsoTable15Plain1\" style\u003d\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 640px;\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.8pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: -1; mso-yfti-lastfirstrow: yes;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 39.8pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;\"\u003e\nDecide which\n  part of the day you want to introduce this visual support\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;\"\u003e\n(I suggest picking\n  the part of the day that is currently the MOST difficult to keep your child\n  entertained)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 5;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 38.95pt; mso-yfti-irow: 0;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 38.95pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\nDecide what\n  you want the child to do instead of wandering around, being glued to an\n  electronic, or engaging in problem behavior\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\n(Puzzle? Read? String beads?\n  \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2011/09/sensory-boxes.html\"\u003eSensory tub\u003c/a\u003e?)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 39.8pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 39.8pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;\"\u003e\nCreate a\n  visual display of each step. The schedule can show one activity or multiple\n  activities (On a piece of cardboard or thick paper, tape a photo of each separate activity in\n  the order they should be completed)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 38.95pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 38.95pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\nConsider the\n  use of a timer and reinforcement\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\n(Timers help ease transitions, and\n  reinforcement is behavior superglue)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 20.35pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;\"\u003e\n  \u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 20.35pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;\"\u003e\nPrepare the\n  area\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;\"\u003e\n(Have all materials organized and nearby, tape the schedule to the wall)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 4;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style\u003d\"height: 19.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;\"\u003e\u003ctd style\u003d\"background: rgb(255, 242, 204); border-top: none; border: 1pt solid rgb(191, 191, 191); height: 19.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 51; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 480.05pt;\" valign\u003d\"top\" width\u003d\"640\"\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\nTeach your\n  child to follow the schedule\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\n(You will need to \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2011/09/prompting-101.html\"\u003eprompt \u003c/a\u003eand \u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.iloveaba.com/2012/01/greatest-american-hero-reinforcement.html\"\u003ereinforce\u003c/a\u003e)\u003co:p\u003e\u003c/o:p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class\u003d\"MsoNormal\" style\u003d\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-yfti-cnfc: 68;\"\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n* More information:\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nBook: A\u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.behaviordevelopmentsolutions.com/activity-schedules-for-children-with-autism-teaching-independent-behavior-2nd-edition\"\u003ectivity Schedules for Children with Autism-Teaching Independent Behavior\u0026nbsp;\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\nResearch: \u003ca href\u003d\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21645988\"\u003eUse of activity schedule to promote independent performance of individuals with Autism and other Intellectual Disabilities\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\u003ch1 style\u003d\"background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0.5em 0px;\"\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 itemprop\u003d\"name\" style\u003d\"background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;Helvetica Neue\u0026quot;, Helvetica, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;\"\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr /\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class\u003d\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003e\u003ca href\u003dwww.iloveaba.com\u003eI Love ABA\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/feeds/7094121687596226343/comments/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/04/the-value-of-activity-schedules.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7094121687596226343"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https://www.blogger.com/feeds/910085778879504657/posts/default/7094121687596226343"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https://www.iloveaba.com/2018/04/the-value-of-activity-schedules.html","title":"The Value of Activity Schedules"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tameika Meadows, BCBA, Blog Author"},"uri":{"$t":"https://www.blogger.com/profile/17008810597417201971"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRu-32Kiv0YjGfVQQ0isn09_Q0rxpVUSLk206uq3faX3NIRWl2Ysmtq6cdZ5IPewos6C9xm3Fn_05hk7DBTKU0BOOraF03cyPTHWfXXjm5RyHAEAXnZ3oiK8cEXrAcg/s220/20161223_173533-1.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSRi0K_yNSU/Wt-Hh7lnvMI/AAAAAAAAE-I/2CaRji3TQ4cYPdSEMNLy_3_dPGPW-7cugCLcBGAs/s72-c/photo-1484820540004-14229fe36ca4.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});