Another Question... - Autism Spectrum Message Board

JayLynn · 06-03-2003, 10:43 AM

The more I read about ABA, I find that many parents are working up to 40 hours a week with the children. My child only sees a speech therapist once a week for an hour. I am not getting much info here. I am stationed in Germany with my husband and my child is seen at the best overseas (military) hospital in the world, but I still feel like our resources are limited. What kind of plan should I have for my child? I feel better asking the experienced parents because I am not getting any answers here.

Thanks...again!

[This message has been edited by JayLynn (edited 06-03-2003).]

*Rachel K* · 06-03-2003, 11:12 AM

Jaylynn,

Not all kids require 40 hours. My son was getting 2 hours a week. It depends on the child and their functioning level. I just hired a UTA student to work with my son 10 hours per week on academics only (reading & writing). This student is in her last year and works under a ABA Therapist that my son sees. It is less expensive to hire students but my son still sees the actual ABA Therapist at $95 per hour. The student is $14 per hour. Good Luck!

Rachel

Pandabaire3 · 06-03-2003, 11:36 AM

We didn't get ABA either for our son - we were told that if we weren't going to go the 40 hour a week route, then they couldn't help us cause there were too many kids in line for the services who would do 40 hours a week. We purchased our own speech services with a therapist that were each wednesday for a half hour. We also accompanied this with the maximum speech therapy we could get in the public school system when he turned 3 and entered into early childhood classes. I believe that was twice a week for 25 minute sessions a piece. I believed that because my son was in early childhood classes in the public school system, that it was more important in his development socially that we keep him there...ABA wanted me to take him out and let only adult therapists be with him for 40 hours a week - my point was that my child was fine with adults, it was the need to get him social with other children that was the problem - and this wasn't going to be solved by taking him out of school!

It's hard to tell you where you can go because your in Germany for one, and in a military situation secondly - and we ALL know how the military is seperated from civilian life! Perhaps you can get into contact with someone who is in the militaries school system? Maybe they would know who to talk with and where to go next? Is it also possible to get another day of speech therapy added onto the child's schedule from the same place you currently go?

momof wildchilds · 06-03-2003, 12:43 PM

We had our both our older boys in ABA therapy, and it worked wonders. While working 40 hours a week seems extreme, it is actually much shorter than that as they take a break after every "drill". Also, peer play is considered an integral part of ABA therapy. My oldest son had therapy for about 4.5 years, but the last year he had minimal hours. He is now out of therapy, and I would consider him indistinguishable from his peers. My second son had been in therapy for about 3.5 years, and continues to receive services today. My kids look(ed) forward to therapy as the therapists work on so many fun things also (riding bike, social play, appropriate play). I think the most important thing is to just get early intervention asap.

JayLynn · 06-03-2003, 02:39 PM

My son is 26 months now. I read another mother's story and she mentioned something about this age being a "window" for learning and that this window will close. Is anyone able to explain this to me?

Sorry about all the questions...

:-)