If your loved one has behavior challenges due to Autism Spectrum Disorder or other related challenges, this post is for you! If you’ve been contemplating starting ABA therapy with your loved one, but are hesitant because of so much negative feedback about it, then this post is too for you!
For quite some time, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy has been scorned by many from all over the world, particularly by Autistics that underwent the labeled “torturous and inhumane” treatment—believed to be the cure for behavior challenges of those diagnosed with disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, some parents or guardians, caretakers, and even physicians around the world—refute such claims and embrace the concentrated sessions as a “Holy Grail” or panacea for the life-long developmental condition.
What is the first thing that we do when we want to know something about anything? You guessed it…we search for it on the internet. Everywhere you search on the internet, you will find people sharing their opinions on ABA, it’s everywhere. This has caused quite a confusion for people, even myself who is willing to try ABA due to the overwhelmingly negative reviews.
But get this. I have seen innumerable contents made by persons who have claimed to have had challenges with ABA—be it Autistic, non-verbal, aggressive, anxiety, suffering from SPD (sensory processing disorder), and so on—pleading on their self-created YouTube channels, conducting televised interviews, well written published books, blogs spaces, social media platforms—all painting the most vivid and thorough explanations as to why ABA therapy is downright abuse and should be avoided, banned or discontinued.
Did you see what I did there? Yes, I did put emphasis on the now-existing independence and profound intellect carried out by those individuals that are calling out the treatment or (behavioral engineering) that is somewhat basically responsible for their abilities to now function independently and intellectually in society, even to the extent of indicating and insinuating such horrendous claims of ABA. The irony, right?!
Where does that leave parents like myself that is on the other end of the kicks, punches, bites, and grabs from their own child?
I’d say my child’s behavior challenges have gotten worse since his diagnosis. He is four but looks five. He is 44 lbs and 44 inches. He forms his little hand into a fist and punches to the mouth and face. He bites, grabs, pushes, pulls, kicks, and would even throw his arms around your neck. Sure, you may be saying that he is only acting out due to his inability to communicate and that he is just a kid now, and that he’ll grow out of it, but what if he doesn’t grow out of it? What if these behaviors turn into habits (due to his OCD) that he never outgrows and grows to be a menace to society—all because of a condition that he did not ask for, but rather being told by a particular community to just accept.
I’ve researched and tried so many different tactics to divert the displayed anger. I finally could not take the behavior challenges any longer and took my son to see his specialist—who got a firsthand experience of his uncontrollable aggression and was nearly brought to tears. Along with a referral to restart ABA therapy, she placed him on a medication that was supposed to assist him with his sleep pattern—Melatonin (as he too has challenges with going to sleep on his own) and for his behavior (Risperdal).
I’ve been holding out and weighing my options for a bit now about ABA. Truthfully—I prefer my son to write books and blogs, conduct televised interviews or create vlogs and tell the world of his terrible experience with ABA therapy, as opposed to falling victim to his own uncontrollable behaviors as an adult because of a lack of timely, intense intervention on my behalf as his Mother.
I say you should weigh your options. Keep in mind that not everyone responds to the same treatment in the same. Go with what works for you and your family. The internet doesn’t always have the best answer.
Leave a comment