Different types & methods of ABA

 There are many different ABA methods. It can be overwhelming looking at all these different possibilities as a parent. When looking for ABA treatment for your child, you must sort through funding sources, waiting lists, and scheduling. You don't want to put more on your plate than necessary. You also don't want to have to become an expert in all the ins and outs of different methodologies in order to choose one and forget about the rest. Your time is more valuable than ever now that you are raising a child with autism! In this article, we will discuss some of the ABA methods and their common applications. While this collection cannot be complete simply due to the fact that there are so many different methods, we hope this provides you with a clear overview and enough information to guide your decision-making process.

Comprehensive

The BACB defines two main types of ABA program structures for the treatment of autism. These are the "integral" model and the "focused" model (see additional information here). The comprehensive model is more like a classic ABA treatment program in which services are provided for several hours a day, several days a week, weeks, months, or even years at a time. Because BCBA's recommended hours of supervision or observation and program management are based on a ratio or percentage approach compared to hours of direct therapy level services, comprehensive programs include several hours per week of supervision. There may be one or two supervision sessions of one to three hours each in a week. Direct therapy is provided by a direct therapist or "behavior technician" who is trained and administered by the BCBA, but will also provide therapy independently for a large portion of the program. Sessions can be held at intervals of three to four hours, once or twice a day, every day of the week. Comprehensive programs are provided in situations where the child with autism needs intensive intervention to successfully navigate their environment and learn. Thus, comprehensive programs also involve a great deal of parent and caregiver training to provide parents and caregivers with skills that they can use at other times when a therapist is not present.

In focus

The other ABA program structure defined by BACB is the targeted method. Focused therapy may be ideal in situations where autism symptoms are not a constant problem, but there are one or two areas that require specific intervention. Focused ABA doesn't take that long. Direct therapy time will be cut drastically, in half or even more, to around ten to fifteen hours per week. However, this must be adjustable and individualized based on the customer's needs. The supervision time also decreases proportionally to direct therapy. Supervision in a focused program focuses on areas of greatest need for parent training to improve outcomes at home, while providing rigorous supervision of direct therapy.

EIBI

EIBI stands for "Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention." (Learn more about EIBI here). EIBI is designed to advance skills and aid development during the most flexible time in a child's life. The goal is to establish a strong foundation that makes it easier to learn more complex skills in the future and opens the doors for long-term success. EIBI addresses skill development in the social, behavioral, adaptive, and communication domains, while providing a highly structured environment that minimizes challenging behaviors by design. The skills are taught in an individual therapeutic setting, but are also practiced in small groups with peers of the same age. Parent training is also a central component of the model. EIBI is conducted in a center-based model with intentional links to the home environment through parent training and home visits.

Parent training

Parent training provides parents with a practical understanding of ABA strategies that they can use with their child and uses the ABA methodology to teach and enhance specific program goals for parents and clients. Often, providers will set goals at the beginning of parent training in these two areas. The first meeting is an evaluation in itself, creating a plan for future meetings and intentionally setting communication preferences. Parent training can also occur in small groups. (Read more about parent training here).

House

ABA therapy at home directly addresses the most frequent needs

different priorities, since it is intended to increase the access and participation of the child within their academic learning environment. ABA in school can focus more on academic skills, as well as social, behavioral, adaptive, motor, and communication skills. Treatment goals are more likely to be specified as part of an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) than as a treatment plan. The school-based ABA could also involve a BCBA providing coaching and training to the classroom teaching team. (Read more about school-based ABA here.)

Community

Community-based ABA therapies often focuses on safety and social skills within the community. For example, an entire therapy session can be devoted to practicing commuting on the city bus between various destinations. Or, the student and the therapist can go to the local zoo or museum and practice appropriate social skills in these contexts. Community-based ABA uses the local environment to teach and promote new skills.

Additional sources and resources

Learn more about our ABA methodology here.

Focused and comprehensive ABAs are described here.

Learn more about EIBI here.

Learn more about ABA for teens.

Autism A neurodevelopmental disorder

 Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by:

Social impediments

Cognitive impairment

Communicating problems 

Repetitive behaviours 

Since autism is a spectrum condition, it can range from quite mild to very severe and happen in every cultural, socio economic, and age groups.  Adult men are more likely to have autism than women.  Some children with autism appear normal before the age of just one or two then instantly"off" and lose the language or social skills they had previously acquired.  This is called the regressive type of autism.

Early hints:

A person with an ASD could:

Not reacting for their own name (child may seem bleak )

Don't point to items or objects of curiosity, or show interest

Don't play"pretend" games

Prevent eye contact

I Am Interested in Being lonely 

Has trouble understanding or demonstrating knowledge or other people's feelings or their very own 

Does not talk or speaks overdue 

Repeats phrases or words over and again (echolalia)

Give unrelated replies to queries 

Get annoyed by minor changes

They wave their palms, rock their own bodies , or twist in circles

H AS unusual reactions (over or under sensitivity) to the way things sound, odor, taste, look, or feel

Have low or no social abilities 

Steer Clear of or resist physical contact

Display little comprehension of safety or risk 

Inverse pronouns (eg, claims"tú" rather than"yo")

Individuals with dementia also can:

They've peculiar pursuits and behaviours.

You've got extreme anxiety and phobias, together with peculiar phobias.

Line up toys or other things 

Perform with the toys the very same way each time.

As parts of items (for Instance, brakes )

Get Irritated with slight Alterations 

Have obsessive pursuits 

Other Indicators:

Hyper-activity (very active)

Impulsiveness (acting without thinking)

Brief attention span

Aggression

Creating self-harm

Melt Downs 

Strange eating and sleeping habits

Abnormal mood or emotional reactions

Lack of anxiety or Maybe More dread than Predicted 

You have unusual sleeping habits.

To get a more comprehensive review on glaucoma, click here.  

ABA Therapy Offers Significant Hope For Normalcy

 When many parents first learn that their child has autism, they experience a host of emotions. For many parents, there is relief. Many parents don't know that something is different with their child until important milestones, like the first words, are missed, or when they discover that their child just doesn't connect with people. After relief, many parents worry or fear that their child will not have a high quality of life or that they will never experience the world like most people. However, with ABA Therapy, another emotion these parents experience is hope.

ABA Therapy is the oldest certified treatment for autism spectrum disorders. ABA Therapy, which has long been proven to be a great success, combines different teaching methods to literally help children with an ASD learn to learn. Started early and carried out intensively, ABA Therapy can help large numbers of children keep up with other children their own age, in many cases helping them get to school without any of their classmates showing up. realize that they are different.

Although it is not a cure for autism, ABA Therapy offers a chance for recovery. ABA prepares children for school, social situations, and even the workplace in later years. It also teaches proper behavior and social reactions. ABA Training can help literally rewire a child's brain, helping to create the necessary nerve synapses that trigger appropriate responses and facilitate critical and creative thinking.

ABA Therapy uses a combination of intensive training, repetition, and rewards. Typically ABA Therapy takes place for at least 40 hours per week. Children are initially asked a question and given the answer. They are rewarded for repeating the same answer. Over time, fewer and fewer prompts are given until the child can answer the question independently.

ABA training can be difficult for many parents, as the controlled environment can make children uncomfortable or agitated. A part of ABA Therapy is to ignore negative behavior and acknowledge only appropriate behavior, teaching children that there is a reward for appropriate behavior. ABA Therapy also works with the fact that autistic children see all stimuli as equal. By using a reward system, therapy teaches children that some stimuli should be more important than others.

In short, for many parents, ABA Therapy offers great hope. While there is no cure for an autism spectrum disorder and results depend on many things, therapy offers some benefits to all families. Whether you are simply making a significant improvement or helping your child experience a full recovery, there is little argument that ABA Training is a great way to improve the quality of life for your child and your family in general.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2217609

ABA Therapy in UAE

 Although generally considered a way to prepare children with moderate autism for introduction into a school setting, ABA Therapy can be very beneficial for children at all levels of the autism spectrum. In fact, children who are mildly autistic show remarkable results with the method, while children who have severe symptoms often experience signs of moderate to complete recovery. ABA Therapy is not a cure for autism, but it is an extraordinary means of treating a disorder that many people once thought was untreatable.

ABA Therapy has been around for decades and has always been the most successful and recommended treatment for autism. It is the only treatment used by most school districts, as well as the only treatment covered by many insurance programs. There are many years of studies to support the results of ABA Therapy, with results showing improvements for children in all grades of the autism spectrum.

Studies show that people with all types of conduct disorders can benefit from ABA therapy. Furthermore, a further study on some of the early patients shows that the progress made through ABA Therapy was sustained into adulthood, with a large percentage of patients having very successful jobs and working lives. Even those who were severely disabled despite intensive ABA treatment continued their progress into adulthood and found themselves better equipped in social situations such as shops and public transportation systems.

ABA Therapy is something that can be applied across the entire autism spectrum, but must be tailored to a child. While a child with mild symptoms may benefit from a few hours a week, children with more severe symptoms will require intensive training lasting more than forty hours a week. Every child is different and therapy must be tailored to the child and their needs to be successful.

Altogether, ABA Therapy is by far the best available treatment for autism spectrum disorder. Until a cure for autism is found, ABA remains the most effective way to help these children lead lives as close to their peers as possible. Children of all ability levels who have an ASD can see a remarkable benefit from ABA. ABA Therapy may not be a cure, but for many children it offers the best hope of recovery and the best chance to truly live up to their full potential.

Garrett Butch is the father of a 6-year-old boy with autism and the founder of Maximum Potential Group.

Maximum Potential has developed courses that train parents and the school system on how to work with children with autism.