[FEAT BC Admin]

In this topic area, discussion is on all issues relating to setting up and running a home-based intervention program. Please feel free to bring up any problems or suggestions. Parents can help each other greatly by sharing information and giving suggestions.

In addition to parents helping parents, A.B.A. professionals on in the Discussion Group can also help provide insight and guidance.

Topic

[Todd Dea]

Catherine,

Congratulations !! That is wonderful that he is doing so well.

Is there anything else that you have done to explain his growth ? Did you change his diet at all ?

I'm very new to ABA, but I cannot possibly imagine how ABA could harm any child, whether autism is involved or not. ABA is one on one teaching that will allow the child to catch up to children his age. If he moves through the levels super quickly he may not need it anymore, but it certainly isn't going to effect his brain in any negative way in my opinion.

[Catherine Hui]

Hi everyone:

Thank you for all your responses.

Now I have another dilemma. We are scheduled to start ABA next week. However, my 26mo son has changed son so much in the last month that I don't know what's going on anymore! He went from only 2 words 2 months ago to 30 words now. He can point to body parts and is starting to point to demand things. His eye contact is also a lot better. He is easy to enage most of the time. He can follow most simple instructions. He actually gave grandpa a kiss when he was asked to! We basically just tried to engage him at all times and apply some ABA principles at home. The SPL and behavioural consultant are both surprised at his changes. Can autism improve so quickly with "not so" intensive therapy?

However, I suspect he still fall in the spectrum. He is a bit weird at times, babbling to himself a lot. He is still language delayed. Fortunately, he is yet to exhibit any repetivitive behaviours or rigidity.

We are getting the funding so we are going ahead with ABA. My SPL is against ABA. He said it will HARM him. Can ABA harm a child if he is not autistic?

Catherine

[Deleted User]

Catherine
My child is now 7 and we have always kept up both languages with him. Believe it or not, just because they do not speak well, they actually pick up quite a bit. Because the speech part does not match with his peers (people his age)then it is assumed that they cannot handle it. I was told by one teacher to switch only to english but we still carry on chinese with him. Now my son can speak fluently (need help with pragmatic language though) and still understands chinese. This is essential as I believe it helps his brain develop and sharpens it too. My opinion anyways. Please note: always compare your child to your child like 3 months ago. Improvements are seen much better and fair if you only compare him to himself before. It is a challenging journey but as most parents agree, it is also most rewarding. Someday your child will thank you for all the hard work. Chin up!

[Catherine Hui]

Hi everyone:

My 26mo son has been recently diagnosed. We are starting an ABA program for him. The 2 consultants we have interviewed are Bernadette Marzo and Hoa Chan. Any information or personal experience with these consultants would be appreciated.

This is another questions on bilingualism. We have been speaking to our son in Chinese for the last 2 years. He has receptive language as he is able to followed one step instructions in Chinese. He also have about 15-20 words in Chinese. Unfortunately, the ABA therapy will be conducted in English. We are worried the switch in language is going to confused him even more. Any experience or advice on this?

We appreciate your help.

my email is hui_catherine@hotmail.com

[Mike & Jean]

November 7, 2007

For Immediate Release

“Paralysis by Analysis”

Vancouver, BC – Canada’s no longer so new Conservative government has convened a so-called ‘National Autism Research Symposium’ in Toronto later this week. “For what purpose one wonders,” asks Jean Lewis, a founding director of FEAT-BC [Families for Early Autism Treatment of BC]. “Like the ‘Child Health Summit’ held in Ottawa last April, this is another invitation-only talk-fest. It is designed to produce photo-ops and sound-bites that assist the government in a cynical exercise aimed at manufacturing a societal consensus concerning an approach to autism treatment and its funding; one that suits its transparently manipulative agenda. The exercise is sure to fail.”

This month marks the third anniversary of the Auton decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, in which the jurists stated unequivocally that the question of funding for autism treatment was for parliament and the legislatures. “In three years, all that Canada’s myopic political class and their blinkered bureaucratic acolytes have produced has been delay, disingenuous news releases and, in the case of Ontario, outright mendacity,” states Dr. Sabrina Freeman, founder and executive director of FEAT-BC. “In three years, how many children have been diagnosed with this devastating condition? How many opportunities to provide substantive help, and to learn, have been lost? How many families have come asunder? How much needless suffering has been inflicted, all due to a lack of political will to do the right thing?”

While the federal government and its apologists parrot the public relations mantra that ‘more research is necessary’, Canadian courts found, over three years ago, that science-based, proven effective, treatment for autism is available. In 2006, the United States Congress voted unanimously to put $945 million into combating autism. Recently, the Australian national government has pledged $190 million to this cause. Why is our federal government out of step? Could it be because autistic children and their exhausted parents have to date been absent from the electoral battlefield? If so, that’s about to change, according to Lewis.

“The reckless disregard of this Conservative federal government with respect to these disabled children and their desperate, and often destitute, families verges on the criminal,” says Jean Lewis. “Their callousness is breath-taking and will, come the next federal election, be met with a perfect political storm. That’s not a threat, it’s a promise.”

-30-

For further information, contact: Jean Lewis at 604-925-4401 or 604-290-5737, and jean.lewis@telus.net .

[Darlene Joseph]

We are parents of 3 year old twin boys. One twin was recently diagnosed as autistic by a pediatrician. We are currently waiting for his speech therapist to write up a letter, along waiting for an assessment from a private psychologist. He has also been on the wait list for FHAN. Any one have any suggestions about where and how can we search for behavioural consultants. Should we search for a Consultant now or until we obtain funding for his treatment? And how long does it take to even find a good consultant? Is is difficult to find one here in BC or the United States?
Searching for answers.
Overwhelmed,We would greatly appreciate your suggestions,
Thank you,
Andrew and Darlene

[Diane T]

Hi Mid-Islanders,

Just a reminder of the ABA workshop at Malaspina on Saturday, October 27. If you wish to register and haven't yet, please do so quickly.

The registration form is available at https://featbc.org/downloads/abtw07.pdf (but not from the FEAT Events page.)

See you Saturday.
Diane

[Diane T]

Hi Mid-Islanders:

FEAT of BC is sponsoring a one-day workshop at Malaspina University-College on the basics of Lovaas-protocol ABA.

The workshop will be held October 27 from 8:30-5:30.

Registration costs $30 per person, and the form is available at featbc.org/downloads/abtw07.pdf

The workshop will include general information on autism and behavioural theory but will focus mainly on the practical aspects of delivering effective behavioural autism treatment.

This workshop is intended to be beneficial to current and potential therapists, classroom assistants or other individuals working with children with an autism spectrum disorder, and parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

The workshop will be presented by Danielle Eeuwes and Tyla Frewing, who are both experienced program coordinators.

See you there!

Diane

[Mike & Jean]

By Mike & Jean (Lewis) on Saturday, October 6, 2007 – 5:57 pm:
By Mike & Jean (Lewis) on Saturday, October 6, 2007 – 5:51 pm:
We must remind parents once again – this board is ONLY for parents who are running Lovaas-style ABA programs which are being supervised by properly credentialed Behaviour Consultants. In other words, only Behavioural Consultants which FEAT of BC recommends. This DOES NOT include Verbal Behaviour or Fluency based ABA programs. You must identify your Behavioural Consultant in your posting or it will be removed and your posting priviledges will be withdrawn. On a similar note – discussion regarding alternative treatments and therapies should not be conducted on this website. We ask that everyone using and taking advantage of this free FEAT of BC service read and respect the guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Trudy Parisien]

Behavioural Interventionists Wanted One year commitment required, part-time Are you looking for a new experience that is both unique and rewarding? Are you looking to make a positive impact in someone’s life? Do you like working with children and enjoy a challenge? Then becoming a behavioural interventionist may be the answer!

Description of duties:
You will be working in the home of the child diagnosed on the autism spectrum, as part of a multi-disciplinary team. During your sessions when you work one-on-one with the child, you will model age-appropriate play, communication, and social skills. Together with the child, you will play with puzzles, sing songs, dance and build blocks, push cars and trains, and anything else that the child enjoys. You will incorporate specific goals during play and table-work, and track progress on data-sheets at the end of the session. Each session lasts approximately 3 hours, and you will be asked to work 3-5 sessions per week. Excellent play-skills are required. There will also be a brief team meeting twice a month to discuss the child’s progress and discuss any concerns that may arise from the program.

Qualifications:
-Must be 19 years or older
Experience with small children a must (paid training detailing specific duties is provided). Any experience with special needs children is a definite asset. Applicants with an education in Psychology, Early Childhood Education, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy are encouraged to apply.
The candidates are required to be self-motivated, extremely reliable, enthusiastic, and possess excellent communication skills. A car and a valid driver’s license is a great asset.

Location: Maple Ridge are.
Please apply with a resume via e-mail to Dean at deanh@tsaj.com or call 604-728-7277
Trudy at reelinfo@thereelmakeupartist.com or 604-465-9958

[Author]

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