[FEAT BC Admin]

In this discussion area, please feel free to share your experience in implementing A.B.A. programs in the school system. We would particularly like to hear from those parents who converted their school teams to A.B.A. We’d like to hear the nightmares as well as the success stories.

Any insight that can be shared by school-based special education assistants to help parents would also be very meaningful.

Topic

[Deleted User]

My husband heard a brief news clip on cknw this afternoon about christy clark making an announcement about funding for a new special needs school. apparently she was interupted by the parent of an autistic child, angry about lack of treatment for his son. i searched the cknw website and found this brief mention:
http://www.cknw.com/news/localnews_detail.cfm?item=26723
does anyone know anything more?
deedee

[Deleted User]

Wow guys,

It's me, SEA number 1.
Thanks so much for educating me as to your position. I'm feeling rather overwhelmed with all this info. It's so tough to form an opinion when you are recieving completely contradictory views. You are right, I am new to this and still learning. That's ok, we all are. I just want you guys to know that my primary concern is for your children. Please know that I say that with all sincerity. I have a heaviness of heart for you and your families. I stay up many nights worrying about the kids, you guys and and teacher's rights. I started up this vein because I thought it would be good for parents who may not know the school board's position to be educated. I think it's really important that we all do this, listen to one another's opinions and weigh them accordingly.

[Kimberley Yoshihara]

I am so angry I could burst…. I don't have a school age child – yet, so I haven't had to deal with school boards/districts/SEA's, etc so I can't comment on Anon's post with respect to that stuff… but, with regards to their comments on therapists being "cheap labour" I have a ton to say. Firstly, to that coward who didn't have the courage to identify themself I say this…I hope one day your child gets sick, and I mean REALLY sick and I hope BC Med denies you any and all help necessary to treat your child and you have to pay – then maybe you will be more sympathetic to what we all deal with. My husband and I pay out (like many others here) close to $60,000 per year to treat our daughter and this will go on for years. Now I am sorry if you have a problem with our $10-$12 per hour that we pay our "therapists" but you know what, it is all we can afford. Luckily – like so many have said before me today – we have dedicated people working with us who aren't interested in the $$ but are truly dedicated to the well-being of our daughter. I would think that as a working professional who pays taxes annually you would thank parents like us here on FEAT who pay all this money to treat our children and help them become productive members of society. Because if we don't it will be more of YOUR tax dollars that go to supporting them when they are adults.

With respect to your comment about sex offenders … I can think of more than a few cases where children have been abused by their TEACHERS – hummmm…. educated, trained professionals who are hired by people like you!!!

A wise person here once said, "live it, then judge it" – and I hope one day you have to live it too.

Kimberley
ps. by the way, next time use your name….

[Deleted User]

Cheers Tamara good point indeed.

I would like to share some interesting information from the other land of horror, Ontario.

One of our provincial politicians who has been extremely supportive of Ontario children with Autsim, arranged a meeting between one of the heads of C.U.P.E. Ontario and a representative of FEAT of Ontario.

Although for the purpose of this board and post this is considered "heresay" it will not be so in court.

The Cupe union in Ontario stated that there employees are NOT trained to treat children with Autsim in the education system.

They also stated that they would NEVER stop an child with autism from accessing education by denying appropriate medical supports.

They further asked for names of every school and board that has used CUPE as an excuse to keep ABA therapists from supporting children with autism.

Both CUPE and our Ministry of Education agree it is the boards causing the discrimination and harm against our children.

As soon as this is no longer considered "heresay" I will update my kind friends in BC.

Secondly I would like to add that a Judiciary body has reviewed evidence regarding this matter of Special Education as an alternative to IBI and found that Special Education CAN NOT be offered as an alternative, as it has no evidence to support it's efficacy and further that IBI/ABA is a medically necessary treatment and that special education is not treatment.

Of course I will forward our CUPE friends testimony to Brigitta asap.

best regards from the trenches
norrah

[Deleted User]

I am the mother of a 3 year old boy with autism. We started our Lovaas program a short while ago and I have been reading the posts here with great interest. I have never posted anything because I did not feel I had anything important to say. However, after reading the anonymous post by the school district employee I feel I must write something. For once I will say something for my child, who by the way happens to love his therapists.

This person definately does not have a clue about what we all experience. My own personal story started a couple of years ago when my child began to exhibit signs of autism. It took my husband and I close to a year to get anyone to say the "A" word even though I had a lot of doubts. But I was told I was a nervous mother by all the "medical experts". We finally got a diagnosis and all I can say is that before starting our Lovaas program my son spent most of his day screaming in a corner hitting his baby brother or myself, etc. I could go on but I think most people understand where I am going. This was very painful for my family and I was very depressed over it. I began to read more about Lovaas methods and called a few families who were doing Lovaas programs. At first I can even say I was sceptical but now my only regret is not starting sooner. I feel like I robbed my child of VALUABLE time with TRAINED therapists who are reaching my child every day with a medically necessary treatment. They do not perform circus tricks with my child. Every member of our team is an intelligent person, most of whom hold degrees in pschylogy. They are under the careful supervision of a wonderful consultant who also holds many degrees. I am sad that I even have to mention these degrees but I do because the person who posted their message feels this is the mark of superiority when working with children.

In a short time we have made huge leaps. My son no longer screams all day, he no longer hits. He is initiating and sustaining short conversations. He is beginning to tell me how he feels, what he thinks, etc. I have a beautiful little boy who is no longer lost in his own world but one who is trying to reach his family and peers. Tell me, do you think you could train a dog to do such things? I could and will never be able to put a price on what our therapists do for our son. I have so much respect for them because they have been able to bring him back from the unknown. I also know that I am in a honeymoon period and I have a great problem before me if this is what is to meet my child when he begins school. I hope that when he reaches school age he will continue to work with Lovaas trained interventionists but from the post I have read, I only fear for his future.

Sorry if I speak too much from the heart and not from the mind. I am writing as a mother. I wish you all success and good things with your children.

[Monika Lange]

Hey Michelle,
I bet that 'anon' isn't very young and new to the field like you think. I bet for years and perhaps even decades she's been stuck in a system that does nothing in the way of rehabilitation for autistic kids. Witnessing that would drive anyone to bitterness and vitriol (however misguided hers is). And speaking to anon, yes, you can use some behavioural techniques on dogs, but that's an entirely different forum of discussion… I suggest you go there instead, because this one's about supporting medically necessary treatment for children.

[Monika Lange]

Hey Michelle,
I bet that 'anon' isn't very young and new to the field like you think. I bet for years and perhaps even decades she's been stuck in a system that does nothing in the way of rehabilitation for autistic kids. Witnessing that would drive anyone to bitterness and vitriol (however misguided hers is). And speaking to anon, yes, you can use some behavioural techniques on dogs, but that's an entirely different forum of discussion… I suggest you go there instead, because this one's about supporting medically necessary treatment for children.

[Richard Wiklo]

My apologies to the anonymous writer of the poem. Yes, I was referring to anon and his ressentiment. The writer who doesn't like kids or dogs.

I was still pondering his incendiary post last night and added another post.

I wish all our therapists well. I would like to see them succeed in their goals and to partake in all the things that our society has to offer.
I look forward to the day when they are better renumerated for their valuable work.

Richard Wiklo
Casey's Dad

[Michelle Weis]

To misinformed uneducated Anon.

I feel very sorry for you.

I recommend you to open a book and educate yourself on what is effective treatment for children with autism.

Please don't make fun of therapists because they are the ones that the children come home to after school for their REAL educaton. (in my case my school was an expensive babysitter)

You are probably very young and new to the field so I understand your ignorance but try and make sure you make an educated assumption rather than running off about something you have obviously never been involved in.

I urge you to go see a program and work as a therapist for awhile, then you may have a different view about what is so desperately needed for these kids.

I find the people that critisize are the people that know nothing about what we do nor are they interested in better educating themselves. (which is ironic considering they are in the education field)

Michelle Weis

[Deleted User]

Re: SEA Discussion + Scary Union Postings

I do not hear anyone advocating special education for children with diabetes – they get appropriate medical treatment for their medical condition.

Autism is a medical condition, not a learning disability. We are not after union dollars for medical treatment or "dog training". We just want our children to be able to access their right to education, without jeapordizing their medical treatment.

To: anonymous poster -> what school district are you in?

[Author]

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