Therapy can seems daunting at first and you may have various concerns. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy can raise some concerns with both parents and children. Here are 5 common concerns related to ABA.
1. ABA is only for children on the autism spectrum
ABA has been proven to help a variety of patients who vary in terms of age, diagnoses, and behavioral difficulties. If you think ABA therapy might help, or if you feel that you’re running out of ideas, seeking guidance from a qualified professional is your best option.
2. My child won't show much improvement from ABA
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule for ABA (or any therapy) that can tell us exactly how much improvement will take place. One of the most significant factors (outside of the child’s abilities) is the quality of instruction, including carryover and frequency. The best thing you can do for your child is to insure quality instruction and therapists and carry over skills learned in therapy by practicing at home. Some studies also show that performance in the first few months of ABA is a good predictor of long-term results.
3. ABA seems like an unnatural way of learning
From the outside, ABA therapy does look unnatural. This is because the therapist is explicitly teaching skills that are often learned implicitly in typically developing children. Skills that are implicitly learned are learned without specific instruction from an adult. For example, a child will typically learn his or her name without repeatedly being told, “You name is _________.” If a child does not implicitly learn this, they must be explicitly taught. This is where ABA therapy can be useful. Repeated drills allow the child to practice his or her name over and over. It may not be the most natural way to learn his or her name, but in this case, it is the most effective. Additionally, as basic skills are acquired, learning through ABA becomes progressively more natural.
4. ABA is all drill work
One common misconception about ABA therapy is that it consists solely of drill work. While drills are a large potion of therapy early on, as it progresses, work aimed toward generalizing skills is initiated. This part of therapy is often completed away from the table. It is important to remember that ABA relies on errorless learning- by teaching in this way, we prevent a child from developing bad habits and problem behaviors. This is accomplished through drills early in therapy.
5. ABA leads to robotic/forced behavior
Initially, the skills learned in ABA may seem forced or robotic. Consider the first time you learned the electric slide. The first time you tried it, your movements were probably awkward, uncomfortable and you likely made a few mistakes. After a number of weddings and parties, however, your movements likely became more fluid and practiced. This principle applies to the skills learned in ABA therapy. As your child practices and generalizes these skills, over time, they will become less forced.
Kaylee Kapalko, Speech-Language Pathology Intern
Labels: ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis, Children, For Parents, Tips
