ABA in EI-update at bottom

My youngest son has just started EI services about a month ago. He is getting special instruction at a school 2 hours a day, speech 3x30, OT 2x30, and PT 2x30.

We just had a psych eval and the psychologist wrote dx: mild autism with recommendation for ABA therapy.

We have a meeting scheduled for the end of this month to discuss him moving from Special Instruction to ABA so he will receive 10 hours at school. It my understanding we can receive some home hours, but the sessions are usually an hour long?

ABA is new to us. I'm just trying to figure out how all this will work. I was thinking of 2 hours Friday (I get home a little earlier), 2 hours Sat, and 2 Sunday. They said my other children can be there, they actually recommend it.

Will we get parent training also or is the home session the parent training? Any advice? I never suspected autism. We knew he was delayed with speech and socialization.

Message edited 1/9/2016 12:58:56 PM.

Re: ABA in EI

That's good that he is getting the services he needs. When DS got ABA in home they were 90 minute sessions. When he transitioned to a center based program they did them in the morning I think for 2.5 hours each morning? I will say for us it was very stressful trying to schedule the ABA in home so it was a lot better for us when we transitioned him to a center based program. You should be getting parent training through EI. We got 1x a month for an hour.

Re: ABA in EI

Ok. thank you. Yes, I am grateful he is receiving services in the center (except for PT-they didn't have availability so we need to take him 2 nights a week which is a pain).

To be honest, I have no idea how I'm going to squeeze in any of this at home, but they recommend at least little at home they said to help with transitioning. But the psychologist told us quality is better than quantity. We have lives and other children and that is important too.

It's just a lot to take in right now.

Another question, he will be 3 in May so my coordinator sent the information to CPSE so we could have a meeting with them so there is no lapse in service for him. She was saying something like he could receive EI through the end of August and then transition to school in Sept.

I thought wouldn't it be better to go to school earlier, but she was saying something like it is much better to get the services through EI than CPSE because it is more difficult and he probably wouldn't get as much so to keep him in EI as long as possible?

Re: ABA in EI

That's good you were able to get some therapy in the center...Yeah honestly it was really hard for us w/ the home therapy... we could only fit in 4 sessions of ABA at home when he was in EI just due to our schedules. It would have been easier if he was in a daycare full time but he was watched by family and a SAHM on variable days. I would probably keep him in EI through August. CPSE does not automatically grant the summer session... DS turned 3 in August so we were with EI through August (and he went to summer school and rec'd services there) and in September started through CPSE. I have to meet with the CPSE in the spring and request summer services which I am hoping won't be denied.

Re: ABA in EI

My DS started in a half day center based program in EI so he got 10 hours of ABA at home/daycare. He also got speech at daycare, OT at home and we got parent training at home in addition to the ABA, it was a lot to schedule, but it helped him, so it was worth it. ABA sessions were 90 minutes at home.

Parent training for us was separate from ABA, we got 1 hour per week and once a month we had team meetings at our home with the ABA instructors, speech and OT.

ABA sessions at home were often in the playroom with the therapist and DS. If there was something I wanted to work on with her there, like eating new foods, she would bring me into the session. It might be helpful for the other kids to be there. My DS had some of his ABA in a typical daycare, which was great, because they would work on socialization and play skills with typical kids, which helped him.

Re: ABA in EI

Re: ABA in EI

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I already called CPSE since my service coordinator sent them all the paperwork for them to start the process. Of course they couldn't find it and she had to refax everything. I am awaiting my packet. They are so disorganized. If I don't hear after the break, I will definitely be calling them again.

Re: ABA in EI-update at bottom

So my son started ABA. He's getting it 10 hours a week in school. And today the home therapist started. We love her. She really knows her stuff. She actually said my son is extremely high functioning. And he does have delays sure but she is confident he will be a completely different child after the therapy. She actually doesn't think he is autistic but said the therapy for sure will help him and gave us things to work on with him.

I talked to her about CPSE since we are starting the process and about ABA. And she told us not to be so quick to place him in an ABA classroom. He will get ABA until September though EI. She actually thinks by then he will be fin to go in a 10 or 12 classroom. My son does have language but only uses it when forced and has some sensory issues. She's like we have to force him to use his language and he was saying so much today! He said clock when she pulled out a clock! I never even knew he knew what that was. She's like I bet he knows everything here. She's working on the sensory things too. Mainly we need to break him of the behavior. For example, he'll periodically go to the couch and rock. She's like don't let him do that. Redirect him. We did and he didn't cry. She said in time he will learn not to do that.

For the first time I actually feel hopeful!

Re: ABA in EI-update at bottom

Posted by Dolphinsbaby

So my son started ABA. He's getting it 10 hours a week in school. And today the home therapist started. We love her. She really knows her stuff. She actually said my son is extremely high functioning. And he does have delays sure but she is confident he will be a completely different child after the therapy. She actually doesn't think he is autistic but said the therapy for sure will help him and gave us things to work on with him.

I talked to her about CPSE since we are starting the process and about ABA. And she told us not to be so quick to place him in an ABA classroom. He will get ABA until September though EI. She actually thinks by then he will be fin to go in a 10 or 12 classroom. My son does have language but only uses it when forced and has some sensory issues. She's like we have to force him to use his language and he was saying so much today! He said clock when she pulled out a clock! I never even knew he knew what that was. She's like I bet he knows everything here. She's working on the sensory things too. Mainly we need to break him of the behavior. For example, he'll periodically go to the couch and rock. She's like don't let him do that. Redirect him. We did and he didn't cry. She said in time he will learn not to do that.

For the first time I actually feel hopeful!

Re: ABA in EI-update at bottom

Posted by Dolphinsbaby


For the first time I actually feel hopeful!