Through reinforcement strategies, applied behavioral analysis (ABA) can boost social, communication, and learning skills in children.
In many cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental problems, LCABA is considered to be the gold-standard treatment.
What is the process?
A child’s specific needs can be met through ABA’s several phases.
The assessment and consultation process
You should first speak with an ABA-trained therapist. The assessment is referred to as a functional behavior assessment (FBA). The therapist will inquire about your child’s talents, skills, and areas of difficulty.
They will observe your child’s behavior, level of communication, and skills by interacting with him or her. During typical daily activities, your child’s behavior may be observed in your home and at school.
As a result, your ABA therapist should recommend specific interventions based on your child’s individual needs. It is also possible that they will ask how certain strategies can be incorporated into your household.
Planned development
The therapist for your child will make a formal treatment plan based on their observations made at the initial meeting. This programme need to be tailored to your child’s particular requirements and have specific therapy objectives.
Often, these goals are to decrease problematic or harmful behaviors, such as tantrums and self-injury, but they can also be to increase or improve communication skills and other abilities.
As part of the plan, caregivers, teachers, and therapists will learn specific strategies to achieve treatment goals. Keeping everyone on the same page helps your child.
Aspects of intervention
A child’s age, difficulties, and other factors may influence the type of ABA he or she receives.
- early intervention with rigorous behavioral therapy (EIBI). For kids under the age of five, this is frequently advised. A rigorous, tailored curriculum is used to educate communication, social interaction, and practical and adaptive skills.
- The training is discrete. A structured task completion and reward system is used in this training in order to teach skills.
- Responding to pivotal situations. A therapist may offer several choices based on a child’s specific skills in this type of training. It allows your child to take charge of a learning activity.
- In this model, early start is the focus. The activity involves several goals at the same time and is based on play.
- Behavioral interventions based on verbal communication. Children can benefit from these when they become more verbal or when they are able to communicate more effectively.
Training for caregivers
In addition to parents and caregivers assisting in ABA therapy, parents and caregivers may be expected to reinforce desired behaviors on their own.
Therapy strategies may be taught to you by your child’s therapist so that you and the teachers can reinforce the work your child is doing.
Besides learning how to avoid less effective types of reinforcement, such as tantrums, you will also learn how to use reinforcement safely.
Monitoring on a regular basis
To assist your kid in altering or improving particular behaviors, ABA therapists work to identify their causes. The therapist working with your child may change their strategy during the course of therapy depending on how your child reacts to various therapies.
As long as your child stays in treatment, their therapist will continue to track their development, assess whether treatment modalities are effective, and determine any areas in which your child can gain from a change in approach.
When will it be available?
Depending on your child’s therapy requirements, the kind of ABA programme you select, and who is doing the therapy, the cost of ABA may change. The price of ABA programmes may increase if they offer more services.
A board qualified ABA therapist would typically charge roughly $120 for 1 hour of ABA therapy, though prices might vary. Although therapists who aren’t board qualified could charge less for their services, it’s advised to work with a certified ABA therapist or a team under the direction of a certified therapist.
Up to 40 hours of ABA therapy each week are suggested by some specialists. Therapists, however, actually spend 10 to 20 hours per week with their patients. The needs of your youngster may dictate a different range.
If your child requires ABA treatment for 10 hours a week on average, at a rate of $120 an hour, the weekly cost of treatment would be $1,200. Many kids make progress after a few months, but each child is unique, and ABA therapy can last up to three years.
ABA has been a subject of controversy. What are your thoughts?
Recent years have seen a lot of debate about ABA. This treatment is opposed vehemently by many autistic people and their advocates.
The following are some criticisms:
- By preventing children from saying “no,” ABA violates their human rights.
- ABA therapists don’t consider the individuality of the child and are too rigid.
The early history of this technique accounts for many of these objections.
It used to require weekly therapy sessions lasting up to 40 hours in earlier decades. This period was largely devoted to sitting at a desk or table and finishing tasks. Unwanted actions were frequently dealt with through punishment. The goal of bringing up youngsters to be more “normal” was frequently emphasized. One who possesses typical intellectual, developmental, or cognitive aptitude is referred to as “neurotypical.”
Neurodiversity, which refers to the various ways the human brain can operate, is something that people are starting to understand more and more in today’s society. As a result, attempts to “correct” individuals with ASD are becoming less common in ASD treatment.
Instead, therapy focuses on altering problematic habits to help kids build the skills and strengths needed for a happy, independent life. Nowadays, therapists choose to disregard unwanted conduct instead of punishing it.