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AB Therapy/The ABC Clinic - advice needed please!

MaryR

Hi

Does anyone have experience of AB therapy?  Also is there anyone with any opinions or knowledge about the ABC Clinic (who offer this for ASD children).

I have a 13 year old son who is mid diagnosis for Aspergers/High function Autism who also is suffering from depression and anxiety.  We are basically fed up with waiting for help and want to organise something for him ourselves.

I found the website for The ABC Clinic last night but would like to get some recommendations about them and also about AB therapy .

Alternatively, does anyone know of any other kind of good quality, privately available therapy for ASD teens.

Many thanks

  • I just want to point out... What you just said about 'environmental factors' contributing to behaviour and being the result of changes in behaviour... Is behaviour analysis. 

  • Hi, I know I'm a bit late on this but I just came across it and had to reply! 

    Firsty, I think its important to identify what applied behaviour analysis strives to achieve. It is a highly evidence based science an is used in multitude of clinical settings; primarily with autism in the UK but is also used for reducing challenging behaviours, in the work place, in mental health, to reduce fears and anxiety - the list goes on! Behaviour Analysis shapes and changes behaviours (private and public) by changing something or multiple things in the persons environment. Every behaviour serves a function for the person so behaviour analysis ensures that when one behaviour is removed from a repertoire, it is replaced with an appropriate behaviour so that the person can still access reinforcement. 

    I know your post is concerned with autism; ABA is one of if not the most successful scientific application in providing children with the tools for skill aquisition and decreasing challenging behaviours - but dont just take my word for it; I invite you search article after article, journal after journal to come to a decision. 

    I agree that it's controversial; that's mainly because of the methods employed in the 60s which focused on punishment - now ABA primarily uses reinforcement. in any case, tell me of a procedure in education that wasn't controversial then? E.g the cane! 

    Things develop all the time!! Please be careful to do thorough research on this as there are so many 'sciences' out there that claim to work... ABA doesn't claim to work. It actually does work. 

  • Try and observe what things cause him anxiety or distress, they may be small difference in situation, or too much noise or activity around him that may not be a problem to other people.  He may need more time to process information or he may need to be away from people to really think properly.

  • NAS5794 said:

    [quote][/quote]

     Scorpion can u advice me that exactly what is helpful in treating autistic children?

    Please don't use the word "treating". Autism isn't a disease. I know you didn't mean any offence, and so none has been taken, but please try to be a little more tactful.

    In answer to your question, we just need support, and lots of love. We need our parents not to give up on us. We need not to be seen as a problem to be fixed.

    Very well put, Azalea.

    And much more tactful than my reply would have been.

  •  Scorpion can u advice me that exactly what is helpful in treating autistic children?

  • My fairy said:

    Hi I want to tell u my daughters is 4 and few months back I started her  aba therapy it works like a miracle with my daughter she is more well behaved girl now and now she understand instructions and can tell me what she want hence she is less frustrated

    Firstly, I'm pleased for you and your daughter.

    But, such anecdotal 'evidence' is meaningless.

    Your daughter could have improved to the same degree and over the same time period without any intervention what-so-ever.

    The symptoms of autism come and go over time and according to a variety of environmental factors.

    This is why scientists use tried and tested techniques such double-blind and placebo controlled studies to filter out the noise from the signal.

    And, so far, science says the 'evidence' both for and against the efficacy of ABA is inconclusive at best.

  • Hi I want to tell u my daughters is 4 and few months back I started her  aba therapy it works like a miracle with my daughter she is more well behaved girl now and now she understand instructions and can tell me what she want hence she is less frustrated

  • Thank you - I did think this might be the case but thought I ought to investigate!

  • There appears to be little evidence one way other on the efficacy of ABA (which I assume is what you mean).

    And what evidence there is appears to be controversial on both sides.

    It's probably unlikely to do any harm, but you could be spending good money on something that will have little to no effect.