Parents Education As Autism Therapists

Clear, focused, and practical, this book is a useful introduction to ABA for parents and professionals working with children with autism. Successful child rearing is an essential skill for any parent. For most of us this skill is handed down from our own parents and society in general. In real terms this means that rather than relying on any formal instruction to help us, we bring up our children using skills based largely upon common sense and a willingness to do our best. These methods are, by-and-large, successful in everyday situations. However, when it comes to more difficult aspects of developing skills in our children, we need something more dependable than good will. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), the systematic implementation of scientifically proven behavioural principles offers just that. Aimed at enhancing people's lives in ways that they or their carers feel are important, it includes a variety of methods and techniques which can be used to promote, decrease, or maintain skills for daily living. ABA has been used to help children with autism for many years in many countries. In Northern Ireland the PEAT group offers parents the education necessary to become their own child's therapists using ABA. In this book these parents and the professionals involved in their training share their knowledge, experience, and successes.

Currently, the vast majority of empirically supported early intervention programs for children with autism include a parent education component. Despite the ubiquitous nature of parent education programs in autism treatment, relatively few studies directly address how parent education should be conducted. The literature on parent variables for parents of children with autism, such as stress and depression, suggest that treatments that facilitate positive adaptation to the child's disability may be beneficial. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a strength-based approach to parent education. Specifically, an alternating treatments design was employed to compare the effects of therapist statements that highlighted the child's deficits vs. therapist statements that emphasized the child's strengths. These two approaches to parent education were evaluated on the following measures: (1) parent affect following therapist statements, (2) parent statements regarding child behavior, (3) parent affect during parent-child interactions, (4) parent stress during parent-child interactions, (5) parent playfulness, and (6) physical affection. The results indicate that parents displayed improved affect and decreased levels of stress immediately following therapist statements and during parent-child interactions in the strength-based approach. Additionally, in the strength-based condition, parents demonstrated more playfulness and physical affection toward their child. Results are discussed in terms of implications for parent education programs, parent well-being, and parent-child interactions.

This practical book gives detailed guidance on how to develop a tailored Applied Behavioural Analysis programme that includes the key features of ABA: detailed individual behaviour assessment, reinforcement strategies to encourage new behaviours and systematic programme implementation.

Powerful moral, social justice and political arguments have convinced parents that it is their democratic right to place their children on the autism spectrum into mainstream educational environments so that their children may eventually take up their rightful place in a mainstream adult life. But what is really happening for some of these parents when they try to gain and maintain an appropriate education for their child in these mainstream contexts and beyond? What is the educational experience like for these families who are in the midst of this generational change from historical exclusion to inclusion? Current research indicates that while islands of excellent mainstream inclusive practice do exist the educational experience for many students on the autism spectrum can often be one of hostility, inconsistency and unreliability. Without appropriate understanding of best practice educational methods, these students can present an inordinate educational challenge to both parents and educators alike. How do parents deal with such complex educational profiles? How do they continue to maximize their children’s development over time? What are the barriers that hinder their quest? What are the facilitators that help their quest? To answer these questions, this book provides an in-depth, recent examination of the real life journeys of families who attempted to gain an appropriate education for their children on the autism spectrum including the areas of diagnosis, early intervention, mainstream schooling, home education, segregated schooling and transition to work and further study. Jasmine McDonald BA DipEd MSpecEd (Hons) PhD, is affiliated with the Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Her current work includes trialling a peer-to-peer mentoring program for tertiary students on the autism spectrum. This program runs at Curtin University in Western Australia and will be replicated and evaluated at the University of Western Australia. The results will eventually be shared through the Australian Government Autism Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) website (http://www.autismcrc.com.au/).

What is Applied Behavior Analysis? What will happen when an ABA therapist comes into my home? Most importantly, how can ABA help my child? This quick guide answers all of the common questions that parents have when beginning an in-home ABA program. ABA is an effective intervention for children with autism and other developmental disorders, but all of the data collection, reinforcement, and strange lingo can be confusing for parents who are not familiar with ABA therapy. Concise and practical, this handbook explains the ins and outs of Applied Behavior Analysis in a chatty question and answer format addressing everything parents need to know from what a typical session will entail, to how to navigate their relationship with their therapist, to how to get more involved and begin using ABA methods themselves. This book is an ideal introduction for parents to help them understand and get the most out of their child's ABA treatment. It will also be a useful resource for newly-qualified ABA therapists and for ABA agencies to use with clients.

Finding out that a child has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can put an enormous strain on families, and the quality of support offered by professionals at this time can make a huge difference to how they adjust to the news. This book comprehensively sets out the type of support that is most beneficial to families immediately following an ASD diagnosis, and will equip professionals with the information and tools they need to best provide that support. The authors provide all of the key information professionals supporting families at the time of an ASD diagnosis need to know about the diagnostic criteria of ASD, key characteristics, aetiology, prevalence, and prognosis, and explain how to pass on accurate and meaningful information to families, and how to build effective family-professional partnerships. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with 50 families of children with ASD, they provide strategies for helping families understand the options and make informed choices about early intervention programs, set realistic goals, develop effective parenting strategies that build upon the strengths and capacities of the child, and strengthen family support networks. This is an essential resource for any professional involved in supporting families at the time of, or immediately following, an ASD diagnosis, including psychologists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, general medical practitioners, and educators.

This concise, yet practical handbook will aid in supporting the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of autism, including behavioral therapies, current clinical trials, and emerging pharmaceutical treatments. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by disturbance in language, perception, and social skills that affects an estimated 1–2 per 1,000 people worldwide (although the number is as high as 20 per 1000 in the US). While studies have suggested a disturbance in neural metabolism in patients with ADS, the exact cause of the ASD still remains unknown. In 2013, a single indication of ASD, which united several related conditions (ie, classical autism, Asperger’s syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and PDD-NOS), was included in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mood Disorders for the first time in order to support more standardized diagnoses.

If you are considering placing a child with special needs at a new school, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Should you choose a special school, or a special unit within a mainstream school? What will be the involvement of therapists? Maybe home schooling would be best? Whether the child has autism, dyslexia or any other special educational, emotional or behavioural difficulty, this book will help you find the school that suits the child best. From drawing up a list of possibilities and setting up a school visit, to asking the right questions and recording your opinions in order to make an informed decision, Choosing a School for a Child with Special Needs will guide you through this complex and stressful process with confidence and ease. Whether you are a parent seeking a special school, a professional researching a school, or a teacher recommending what to look for in a school, this book is a must-have reference for anyone taking school placement seriously.