Applied Behavior Analysis ( ABA )
2 . Max Sparrow ( formerly Sparrow Rose Jones ) is an autistic author , artist , advocate , and speaker . Max eloquently wrote an article on ABA from parents ’ as well as autistic adults ’ viewpoints , stating that neither of these groups are “ incorrect ” in their thinking . He also includes controversial thoughts on why some therapies are still labeled as “ ABA ” to cover parents ’ fees through insurance . This is a topic that deserves more consideration as parents are paying exuberant amounts of money to cover their child ’ s therapies — if they can be covered through insurance , they will be more sustainable . Thus , more therapies are perhaps being labeled as ABA despite taking a different approach in the hopes of more families receiving support services . Read Max ’ s writing
here
3 . Alexander is an autistic teenager and he writes of his experience “ escaping ” ABA sessions . You can read about his reasons for disliking ABA
here . He felt misunderstood and belittled during his sessions . He believes that ABA therapists are too rigid and will not take into consideration the unique characteristics of each individual . Although there are ABA therapists that will say “ not all ABA is the same ,” it is important to understand that the philosophy of ABA , with the goal to change a child ’ s innate behavior ( to a more socially-acceptable form ), is not respected by some autistic people
4 . Ido Kedar is an author , blogger , and speaker who is nonverbal and on the spectrum . Ido wrote an open letter to professionals , challenging them to look beyond studies on autism and rather at the child in front of them . He mentions that he , too , felt misunderstood and frustrated throughout the years of receiving ABA therapy , but that he was freed when his parents found a way for him to communicate his real desires and display his different type of intelligence . You can read more about Ido
here , where you can also find information on his book , Ido in Autismland
Most of us want our children to voice their opinions , needs , and wants , which we respect . But as parents , we take on the responsibility to provide what we feel is best for our children .
useful . She believes it is helpful to integrate therapy options that are covered by insurance as this is a sustainable option for families in the long run . Her blog can be read
here
As mentioned before , you , the parents , are truly the experts when it comes to your child . Most of us want our children to voice their opinions , needs , and wants , which we respect . But as parents , we take on the responsibility to provide what we feel is best for our children .
When I speak to parents of children that I worked with many years ago who received ABA therapy , they all agree that certain strategies worked extremely well for their children . These were merely
5 . Eileen is a mom with a child on the spectrum . However , I ’ ve included her in this list because she writes a blog with a neutral viewpoint sharing that certain ABA strategies can be