[FEAT BC Admin]

This area is for discussions in general topics.

Topic

[Debbie Simpson]

sorry i forgot to include,,,,my email is deandeb@shaw.ca thanx

[Debbie Simpson]

hi there,,,,does anyone know,,i am moving my respite file from langley to surrey,,in langley the worker decides how much to give u,,is there a set rate for surrey as i have been hearing,,,and have been underfunded in langley,,thanx in advance debbie

[Stella Li]

Vancouver Sun: Autism Centre One Step Closer:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e3233561-59e0-4f56-934a-549d6320ad33

What do you think?

[Mike & Jean]

This was a great event last year! Circle your calendars – don't be disappointed.

Have a good summer! I look forward to hearing from you.

Jean

Capone’s Restaurant & Live Jazz Club

…and…

The Autism Society of B.C.

…and…

FEAT of BC (Families for Early Autism Treatment of BC)

Invite you to the 2nd annual

"Medicare for Autism Now!" Fundraiser and Silent Auction

on

Saturday, September 6, 2008

6:00 – 11:00 p.m.

Enjoy BC wines, Capone’s famous martinis, tapas and cool jazz entertainment provided by Canada’s own Murray Porter at:

Capone’s Restaurant & Live Jazz Club

1141 Hamilton St. Vancouver

(between Davie & Helmken)

$89.00 per person – (includes valet parking, tapas, 5 drink tickets and opportunity to bid on and purchase from a fabulous collection of silent auction items)

All proceeds will be used to support the "Medicare for Autism Now!" campaign to make medically necessary treatment available for every Canadian with autism.

Due to limited space and the overwhelming success of last year’s event, please RSVP •••.a.p. to Jean Lewis at jean.lewis@telus.net or call 604-290-5737

Come out to raise a glass and raise some funds!

——————————————————————————–

[Sunita Braich]

hi everyone,

just wanted to say thank-you to the people who responded to my posting about my 3 1/2 year old daughter crying and tantruming at the mere mention of anyone coming to play with her. thank you for all your advice.

sunita braich

[Elaine Raynault]

Hi Everyone,
I am looking for a good OT who works with ABA teams. We live in South Surrey and are hoping to find someone in our area or who is willing to travel. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I have heard of Mary-Ann Faulks who works out of Delta and I am also wondering if anyone has any experience with her good or bad before I contact her. Thank you very much for any information.

Thanks!
Elaine

[Elaine Raynault]

Hi Everyone,
I am looking for a good OT who works with ABA teams. We live in South Surrey and are hoping to find someone in our area or who is willing to travel. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Elaine
i_am_elane@shaw.ca

[Barbara Rodrigues]

Hi Sunita:

As suggested I would ask your consultant for help or to look at therapy. That said – therapy shouldn't be aversive or the child shouldn't not want to 'play or learn'. When I was at the Lovaas conference way back when (1998) Dr. Lovaas said if the kids don't want to do therapy -the first place you look is at reinforcement – is it good enough – is it really what she wants/enjoys – is it being given at the right time,etc. etc. Also are the therapists making tasks too long – not reinforcing enough – do they go right to work or do some 'fun stuff' first – are easy tasks intersperced with tougher ones so she's not overwhelmed and she's successful. Does she get a choice? Dr. Richard Foxx said 'choice is the most powerful reinforcer'. Are the therapists motivating enough? Are her reinforcers ones that she gets only accessiable for school? Therefore making them more desireable,etc. etc. Does she get too much for free -therefore making it no fun to work when she has to? Do they do a reinforcer sampling? Are they (the therapists) always working and trying to find new/more reinforcers? Dr. Foxx also said 'he who has the best reinforcer wins'. Also remember just because she loved it yesterday doesn't mean she will love it today.

This is from Dr. Foxx's book – Increasing Behaviors –

"Each student has different reinforcer preferences and these vary from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, and week to week. Effective use of reinforcers requires a variety of reinforcers, immediate reinforcement and regular determination of each student's reinforcer preferences. Without effective reinforcers, students will not be motivated to learn."

My son also 'freaked out' in therapy after a few weeks – it was totally a 'reinforcement' problem. Even now (he's 14) my best therapists are the ones that know how/what reinforcers him and how to use it – those are the ones he smiles and gets happy to see or wait to see. The ones that don't 'get reinforcing' are the ones he 'freaks out' or runs away from.

Also when my son was freaking out – I would really praise him for going to 'school' and be so 'proud of him' after. Talk about what he did in/learned in school to daddy and make a big deal out of it.

Good luck.

Barbara

[Monika Lange]

Hi Sunita,
I would consult your ABA consultant, as it could be that aspects of your daughter's program need a little adjustment. Or it could be a power struggle, in which case you'll have to push through this phase and not give in. If that's the case, and you're confident the program and your therapists are on track, then perhaps you and your husband should make yourselves scarce during therapy time for a while… use the time to get out of the house and do something nice together and/or alone. That way you'll be spared the agony of listening to all of the emotional manipulation little kids are capable of, and will be doing what's best for her and yourselves. If this is an extinction burst issue, I would suggest that you miss that scene, and it will be easier for your therapists to do their job without having their "boss" around watching their every move under such difficult circumstances.

Now I will give my own very very subjective view. Remember, all kids are born selfish, and that includes autistic ones… from the moment they come out they scream for their own needs to be met, and they don't care if you get enough sleep or how their demanding behaviour affects you. You have to train kids to be unselfish and considerate, and it usually takes the full 18 years to do a complete job of that on a typical kid. They expect you as the adult to know how to take care of yourself… so do that. Ignore your own needs at your peril. Right now, I'm guessing you need to get out of the house during therapy so you don't hear the heart rending crying of your daughter. And that little feeling of guilt you have, wondering if you're doing what's best?… get used to it… because only conscientious loving parents feel it. Take it as a compliment every time you feel it. You will need to learn how to do that if you are to keep your wits about you and not be overwhelmed by chronic stress over the next 18+ years. The reason I am philosophizing reflects my constant struggle as of late to do just that. My son is 16. But I still remember as though it were yesterday, how sad it was to hear him cry during therapy when he was 3. It truly sucks, and I know that. They say experience is what you get right after you need it. I'm trying to advance you some. If all is well with your therapists and the program, then escape from the house during therapy. Maybe your daughter is playing it up more because she knows you're there. Typical young kids do that too, when they're handed over to daycare, and the moment you leave, they stop crying and start playing. I wish you all the best.
Monika

[Deleted User]

Sunita,
We also had this problem for a time with our son. He did not want to go downstairs to the therapy room at all. He would sometimes bite or hit. But it was a phase and he did get over it. He happily goes down for session now with rarely any problems.

[Author]

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