ABA

As someone who also just started out as a BT, the fact that your tech is asking the supervisor so many questions is totally normal. ABA is meant to be client-centered, which means it's highly personalized, which honestly takes a lot of getting used to and can be a bit overwhelming initially. I would be curious to know what kinds of questions he's asking, though, as I'm sure the lateness and frequent calling out is definitely not professional or confidence inspiring.

I've had bad experiences with clinic ABA they don't pay the 1 on 1 workers anything they are usually young and just need a job. This type of work you have to have a desire for it. I pulled my daughter from two different clinics when she showed extreme dislike and fear or two specific workers and she loves people. However after pulling her from two different clinics I was able to get her in home ABA where she can be in her safe environment and have comfort when needed. I would suggest getting in home ABA my daughter learns better and is definitely safer in her own environment she tried to elope from her last in clinic worker she also became afraid of dark but she's thriving at home I was very specific of what type of person she responds to the best and she got it thank God Mon-Friday 8am-12pm

In all the groups im in they do not support ABA and advocate against it. Just a note.

@Kirsty I have researched this and I decided to still go through with it, I watch most of the session virtually. My son comes out happy and goes in happy. They don't do anything "abusive" the don't tell my son not to stim, they are simply doing therapy.. puzzles, bubbles, working on sounds, working on simple things like my son twisting open a Jack-in-the-Box, starting to work on PECS board. I appreciate your input but I think it is a good thing for my family. I don't really get how they say this is abusive. Maybe some clinics might be. I also have friends that go to the same clinic and they swear by them. 🤷🏼‍♀️

My daughter (3 years old) receives ABA. We've been through a couple of companies and a couple of RBTs and it's completely normal for them to ask their supervisors question. They're often new to the field and are receiving hands-on training. We have in-home ABA and the BCBA comes twice a week for supervision. As for the lateness, yea it's annoying. The RBT we have now is late everyday...every single day! But she works really well with my daughter and they're able to run the programs they're working on in the time she's here.

Fair enough OP if youre will to take the risk when every person who has gone through it themseleves has come out saying it was abusive etc thats your choice. Hope it works out for your family.

@Kyra yeah I agree that I would rather him ask questions than not ask at all! Some of the questions I've heard him ask are question about my son and the PECS board, my son likes to bite on objects he asked the supervisor for help with that, he asked if there was any tips on getting my son up easier at nap time... nothing that raised a red flag in my opinion. The lateness and the call offs have been my strongest concern. He has 5 to 15 minutes late almost a daily. Keep saying that he's going to do better on it, but he lives an hour away and the traffic can be iffy. But then he has also been calling off a lot, the last time you called off, he said that he just needed more sleep. He is a younger man in his 20s, he has only been doing this for a few months. When my son just started, I was a little bit nervous about that, just because I want my son to learn the most out of the therapy. But I told myself that everyone needs to start somewhere and we need to give him a try.

My son receives 35 hours a week and it's been a huge game changer. I was a rbt for a long time when I was younger and loved it. I have seen all sides of ABA. You definitely want to be very involved in your child's therapy and just set your boundaries. We don't train stims out that are not hurting him or his ability to function. So focal stimming, flapping, spinning, hand posturing. We allowed them to work on head banging, mouthing, social interactions! You just have to really advocate.

@Nena I agree at my son's clinic there seems to be a lot of older techs, but also a lot of younger techs that seem to be just starting out. I just want my son to have somebody that wants to do this job... his tech is super nice, my son runs up and gives him a hug every morning, he seems to do well with him. The main thing has just been the attendance and the lateness. I would love to do in-home therapy, but I take care of 2 elderly grandparents, and having somebody in my home for some reason, gives me a lot of anxiety. I always feel like everything has to be perfect, puts a lot of stress on me. I wish I wasn't like that because I would love for him to be doing it in the house.

@Kirsty I have also seen lots of autistic people advocate that this helped them. My goal is to not make my son not autistic, I just wanna give him the opportunity to thrive, I want to give him resources so hopefully he can attend school with his peers, if there was anything I didn't agree with I would advocate. I am very involved with the therapy. The only thing I have seen people advocate was abusive was them saying they learned how to mask because of it, which comes a lot from the tech telling them not to stim. My clinic has made it clear that they do not do that unless it is harmful to my child, and I have seen it first and that they do not tell my son not to stim! Like I said, I watch the session virtually and my son has a blast. And is learning while doing it.

Yeah for my daughter in home ABA it's been a blessing second set of eyes another person to help reinforce language including ASL, writing, taking turns potty training someone to play and create with.

Thats very interesting i look forward to coming accross those Autistic people who felt it wasnt abusive as ive not come accross any yet. Not even online. Its great that you like the therapy. I hope it works out well for your child.

@Kirsty no problem I sent you a few quick videos, three of them to be exact to your inbox ❤️

Nonid actually want to meet or talk to the people not just watch an advert video forbthe therapy esp with everything ive learnt and know about it. Thanks anyway but until i actually meet real people who say they like it and they didnt find it abusive my stance in it is unchanged.... especially as an Autistic person myself. The risk is not worth it IMO especially when there are so many great alternatives out there. All the best

@Kirsty Since you mentioned it, I've been wondering what alternatives there are to ABA? I've heard people say they don't like ABA for the many reasons you listed. I personally have not experienced that with my child. But I've wondered what alternatives people turn to who are against ABA.

You should join the support groups on facebook for more detailed info and options and for more research into it. 😀 There they have already written up resources and references and countles posts that would be really helpful to read about it all. 😀

I'm in several Facebook groups and I've seen the debate over ABA. But I've never seen the people who argue against it provide examples of alternatives. But I'll keep searching and looking. At the end of the day, we are all just trying to learn and do the best for our kids. Have a blessed day everyone 💚🩵💜

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP861sf32/ This is a great video to watch- this man talks about how traumatic ABA is from his own personal experience

@Lyss that's crazy, in previous commentsI said that our clinic focuses on not stopping stimming behavior. Which is the only thing that that video is hitting on. They only focus on basic learning techniques to help him thrive. I don't understand why I post asking for advice and I'm being bashed for putting my son in therapy. If you guys don't like it, you don't have to do it but for my family this is what I'm choosing. I am very hands-on with the therapy. I have researched pros and cons. I have made sure I picked the right clinic for him to go to. We drive 45 minutes to get there daily because I feel comfortable with these people. Me as a mother, I would never put my son in harms way. As the video has stated things have changed drastically over the last 20 years of ABA therapy. They accept his answers if he doesn't wanna do something, they don't force him to! Everything is play based. Stimming is encouraged. Y'all can get out of here with all that.

@Lyss thank you for your input now if you can stop spamming my post, so I can actually find useful information that I am looking for I would greatly appreciate that.