There's pushing kids to try a little harder, to go a little further, than would on their own. Then there's pushing them past their tolerance limit, pushing them into pain or panic. One is a healthy part of raising or teaching a child. The other is child abuse... I know that much of the damage done by therapists is done without malice. Most of it is done with good intentions, even. I don't bring these things up to make anyone feel bad about what they are doing or have done. I do it to help you learn, as I learned, for the sake of the kids we're all trying to help.
Tag: autism therapy
Yet Another Volley in the Battle over ABA, part 1
The report is well worth listening to, because there are some very good quotes, a wide range of opinions from an interesting variety of sources, and a more nuanced conversation than we usually hear about how ABA should change if it's going to continue to exist. I also found it frustrating to listen to, because it begins and ends with pro-ABA statements from a particularly problematic source.... How is there such a vast chasm between what autistic people keep writing and what so many non-autistic people believe about autism? It's almost as though we are using the same words but speaking different languages. I think this is because the two sides start the conversation from such different perspectives that they can't even understand each other's arguments.
Behavior diagrams and flow charts
I often think of things from the perspective of a scientist or engineer trying to solve a problem. It can help bridge the gap between different communication styles, such as autistic and non-autistic, in a way that respects both. Here is an example: Autistic children are often taught to look up and make eye contact… Continue reading Behavior diagrams and flow charts
A “Dear Researchers,” post
I have an idea for you! ( And I hope this will be the first of many such posts.) In any social science, there are so many questions that go unasked, so many unnoticed assumptions, and so many ways that data can be interpreted. Sometimes, you need an outside perspective. Here's one for you to… Continue reading A “Dear Researchers,” post
Just Amazing
Sometimes my job is difficult, frustrating, or annoying. Sometimes it makes me feel like the luckiest person in the world. This day was the second kind. And not just because I got to wear a bathing suit to work! *** Less than a year ago, I would arrive at his house, pile into the car… Continue reading Just Amazing
Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 3; Some Advantages of ABA Methodology
This post continues from part 2 *** Let me note, before I start, that the advantages I'm talking about here are a matter of applying scientific and behaviorist principles to a situation. This doesn't necessarily require an ABA program-- it's just that, currently, ABA is the primary program in which these methods are used. ABA… Continue reading Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 3; Some Advantages of ABA Methodology
Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 2: Goals and Underlying Philosophy
[A note, December 2021: Time passes and I learn things. I hope we all do. I ran across a link to this series of posts recently, and came back to re-read them. And realized that they contain statements I no longer agree with. I have, multiple times, defended limited use of Behavior Modification methods, including… Continue reading Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 2: Goals and Underlying Philosophy
Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 1; Ethics, Standards, and Side-Effects
[A note, December 2021: Time passes and I learn things. I hope we all do. I ran across a link to this series of posts recently, and came back to re-read them. And realized that they contain statements I no longer agree with. I have, multiple times, defended limited use of Behavior Modification methods, including… Continue reading Breaking Down ABA, Again: Part 1; Ethics, Standards, and Side-Effects
Breaking Down ABA, Again: Introduction
[A note, December 2021: Time passes and I learn things. I hope we all do. I ran across a link to this series of posts recently, and came back to re-read them. And realized that they contain statements I no longer agree with. I have, multiple times, defended limited use of Behavior Modification methods, including… Continue reading Breaking Down ABA, Again: Introduction
Open Letter to ABA Folks: On the Word “No.”
If you have not done so, please read the introduction to this letter series before continuing: https://restlesshands42.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/an-open-letter-to-aba-folks-intro/ Overview of this letter: Section 1: About the word "no" and why it is important Section 2: Observed ABA practices in teaching "no" and why they are problematic Section 3: Brief recap of section 2 Section 4: Practical… Continue reading Open Letter to ABA Folks: On the Word “No.”
Restless Hands 