Autism Therapy: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH)

I thought this part would be easier. Autism was an epidemic right? Then how could it be so hard to even get someone to recommend an approach. The only approach my team was comfortable with was the typical eclectic approach they used with all of the children. I never heard the words....ABA, Floortime, TEACHH.

 Our diagnostic clinic was afraid to suggest an approach in the event our area didn't have those resources....suggesting that they did not understand that IDEA supports what is best and approapriate for the child and that schools should use RESEARCHED based approaches.  And completely unfair to me as a parent who deserved to know more about what the diagnosis means and what approaches might help her.

But as any parent would, I searched the internet and very quickly found all of those methods mentioned. When bringing that information back to Katie's team, when I mention that, "hey, research shows that 50% of kids can overcome their diagnosis using ABA."  At first my team seemed to suggest they never really heard of it. Then they suggest that they recently read an article in an SLP trade magazine that suggested ABA wasn't all what it's cracked up to be.

I learn a very quick and valuable lesson. I questioned them and asked if I can see the article.....funny thing though, it didn't even mention ABA.

This is the hard part, that I wish someone had let me know about ahead of time. You have to know how to advocate for your child. You have to know that in many places individuals won't want to pursue ABA as an approach. Sometimes is financial....as it is intensive, sometimes it's just someone who is mis-informed.  I remain perplexed that people who consider themselves as advocates for children, people who provide therapy to children would risk that child's development.  Of course, non of them would be forced to care for your child the rest of their lives....hmmmm, wonder if they would be more swayed if that were the case.

Regardless, professionals need to act professionally and recommend and provide information about the options to address a child with autism. And if they don't know how to provide ABA or an ABA styled technique....that's fine, no one can know everything, but don't deny the parent the opportunity for that knowledge. 

It's really like someone saying hey, your child has cancer, but you know, that Chemo is really rough and I don't really understand it, so we are going to try a different approach....no there's no research behind it, but just trust me.

Sound harsh? Might if you are a provider who doesn't like ABA, but truly, my daughter would be sentenced to a life of disability if we did not take the broad step to move to an area so she could get ABA.  And now, WATCH HER THRIVE!!

I'm not one of those who says ABA or nothing. But I can tell you research has compared ABA approach and eclectic approaches side by side and the same amount of therapy time....and guess who won?  For me, I'll stick with what's working for the larger number of kids.  And not just what's working, but what produced the better results.

So there it is....that journey was tough and at a great financial cost and personal cost. My son had gone to 4 elementary schools and he was only in second grade. My other son, 5 preschools and endured an hour ride 5 days a week to katie's school. OH, the state paid for her education, because Maine supports ABA....but the moves, the changes in jobs, the wear on our vehicles and then the extras we provided for Katie. 

Here's something else....I heard it then and now that I'm back in the town we left, "we just have those resources there."  But they did and they do, the chose not to access them. Parents, make phone calls, talk to other parents. Don't know anyone in your area with a child with autism.....FIND them. I asked my team to put us in contact and it didn't happen, find other ways. The best thing I did was talk to other parents. I talked to them about the different approaches they tried....I decided for myself, what I thought would be in my child's best interest. And no, not all kids will get the results we did, but our kids deserve the chance.