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Are there downsides to therapy #ABA

I studied child development for a while and for a school essay I was asked to respond to an article arguing that modernized therapy could be considered abusive and one of my afterthoughts was, “If a child can’t participate in after school activities and go to their classmate’s birthday parties because of their therapy schedule, then they are missing out on critical socialization.”
To put it into perspective, if the school schedules rehearsals for their upcoming play on Tuesday afternoons and you have an hour-long therapy session on each Tuesday afternoon, taking into account transportation time, you would arrive at rehearsal at the same time everyone was packing up. (This would be in the context of school ending at 3:00 pm, arriving at the therapist’s office at 3:30 pm, finishing therapy at 4:30 pm, and then at 5:00 pm you would return to school at the same time the rehearsal was wrapping up.)
I’m fully aware that parents can’t change the availability of the therapist and that some parents can only do therapy during the times when the local Boy/Girl Scouts meet (or on the weekends during the hours when soccer/football games take place), but if the therapy that’s supposed to help the children improve their weaknesses prevents them from actively exercising their underdeveloped muscles and/or socializing with their peers, could it be actually be causing an unintended deficit?
The disabled people I’ve met said there’s a huge difference between sending a developmentally disabled person to therapy as a means to teach the person to not stalk their crush and sending a developmentally disabled person to therapy just because the parents want their child to not act quirky.
I think that most types of therapy should be integrated into everyday activities instead of putting children in a room that is isolated from their able-bodied peers: as activities like group sports (like I mentioned above) force you to stretch, use a wide variety of muscles, and communicate with your peers all at the same time.
Even though most therapists have no ill intent, you need to look around and find one that your child both connects with and also understands that having a work/life balance means not having therapy during times when the child’s unproblematic peers are hanging out and, in addition, lets the child have some say in what their goals should include.

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A poem and a thought about Behavioural Therapy #Autism

I am Joel Ashton-Fogle, an Early Childhood Educator, writer, musician and I’m Autistic. I'm also a graduate student in Autism and Behavioural Sciences. I thought it might be fun to write a poem using the vocabulary we learn as future behavioural analysts and also comment from my perspective as a client. I write most of my poems in "free-verse" but this one is structured in meter and rhyme, fitting into the perception that people with autism prefer structured, mathematical patterns (this stereotype is not my personal experience). I hope you like it. It's my own neurodivergent  insight into some of the components of "excesses and deficits" within autism practice.



Joel

Some fancy behavioural lingo from an ‘Autistic’

Written by Joel Ashton-Fogle and Adeen Fogle


Am I a list of deficits in verbal cues and social rules?

Behaviours excessive, inexpressive or aggressive?

Beginning with my stimming, am I brimmingly obsessive?

Flapping hands and tapping knees disturbingly intensively?

Well, I would frame these differently in my own reactivity.

Reflecting introspectively, I think that I’m expressive.

Attempts to try to modify can nullify identity

though meant to be sufficiently conducted beneficently.

Some efforts may address a mess of social impropriety

But others deconstruct me with modalities oppressive.

With scientific data set and peer-review, an epithet

of modifying plans are set to rearrange my alphabet

or repertoire of heavyset habitual excesses.

Reinforcers everywhere so I comply and modify.

Behavioural strategies composed and posed most typically.

And not unlike my canine friend, I get rewarded in the end

if I perform as normative and act more neurotypically.

Lets’ cut this fancy language now. Enough conforming, anyhow.

I’m tired and stressed, my mind is messed. I’m overwhelmed. I feel oppressed.

I’m under magnifying glass in efforts to appease and pass.

So, let me stim or look away or flap my arms and overplay.

Or be alone and quite content.  Obsessing is my non-event.

I do not mean these to offend. Some interventions condescend

to shape me and to make me be a fake, an ‘un-authentic’ me.

So, unapologetically I pose the pros of equity

To celebrate divergency, accommodate with empathy,

 Relating more inclusively and varied in society.

 #Autism   #ABA   #neurodivergent    #poet   #therapistwithdiagnosis   #AutismAwarenessMonth   #SupportGroups   #Student  




 






3 comments
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First Then strategies for changing behaviour #Autism

First Then strategies are helpful in setting expectations for your child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by showing them what they first need to do in order to gain access to a desired item or activity. https : //www.lrcss.com/blog/first-then-boards #behaviour  #behaviourchange #ABA #AutismSpectrumDisorders #appliedbehaviouranalysis #skillstr

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Anyone had their child in ABA therapy Is there anyone you can recommend I am lost looking at those list of providers. #Autism #ABA #Autism

There is just too many providers and not so much results. My son is almost 4 and we are looking for an ABA therapy provider in Los Angeles.

2 comments
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#autismmom #ABA #findingourtribe

We just started receiving the boys therapies in the home, and I am quickly realizing just how wonderful of a decision this was for our family! I am sitting outside, enjoying a cup of coffee, while the boys and their therapists complete homework at the kitchen table. It is SO important to be able to recognize when you need help,

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Autistic teen punched hole in wall Mom reinforcing ABA parent skills. ABA team not present. Who should pay for the damage ? #Autism

Family wants agency to pay for damages. Asked for a letter to Medicaid on families behalf claiming that walls needed to be fixed.

1 comment
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Another morning

So its another morning when i can feel the affects of the night before. alcohol fuelled headache and the embarrassment of screaming at my ex #ABA

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Feeling #Loss from the #ABA #Therapist ’s we lose.

We are losing our 4th ABA therapist for my 5 year old’s behavioral therapy. Only to be quickly replaced by another stranger to walk in and break our hearts. When does keeping him in this process become more neglect than good?

3 comments