WHAT ABA OUGHT TO BE ™
WHAT ABA OUGHT TO BE ™
Resources and Related Information
Resources and Related Information
Apps
Apps
Communication
Communication
Pick an activity and take pictures of the different choices available to create a choice board that you can use during the activity.
Self-Help (Schedules)
Self-Help (Schedules)
It allows you to create a visual schedule each day along with the visual and auditory steps required for each activity and reminders set to make sure each activity is completed at the correct time of the day.
Self-Help (Telephone Skills)
Self-Help (Telephone Skills)
It provides lessons on using a phone, dialing 911, and speaking to strangers in addition to teaching your child their home phone number and the phone numbers of others using memory games, practices, challenges, and a simulator.
Social Skills
Social Skills
It allows you to create your own social stories through pictures, words, and recordings.
Safety Products
Safety Products
Identification products, like wristbands, personalized tags, and ID cards provide a simple way to reach an emergency contact. This emergency contact information can be customized to create your child’s unique label. These products can be worn or attached to an item of clothing your child wears daily.
This list provides examples of the most common types of safety products. It’s not a complete list, and the items here should not be seen as our recommendations. Parents may use this guide as a starting point for determining the products that suit their needs.
Note: No safety device should be seen as providing 100% security or as a replacement for adult supervision.
Labels
Labels
Removable bracelets or bands worn by a child. They can be worn daily, or used when traveling or on outings. Some are designed to be removed by an adult, intending that the child cannot remove it themselves. Some are single-use, and others are reusable.
Alert Me in + Case + of Emergency, removable and reusable
Reusable Child Safety ID Bracelets, waterproof adjustable travel ID wristbands for kids, One Size Fits All, Blue, Pack of 3
Clear Wrist Identification Band, Briggs Wrist Bands, removable and reusable
Temporary Child Safety ID Bracelets, Tyvek Wristbands, single-use and pre-printed with your details.
Shoe Tags
These tags can be secured to your child's laces for daily wear.
SmartKidsID Child ID/Medical ID Shoe Tag
Tattoos/Adhesive ID
The adhesive identification products can be applied to your child or any item your child will have on their person. Some of these materials are water proof.
SafetyTat QR
ID Cards
These products are printable photo identification your child can place in a lunch box, backpack or pant pocket.
Laser/Ink Jet Child Protection Information, Child Safety Photo ID Kit
QR Code Clothing Patches
These patches can be put on your child's clothing. They are scannable by any mobile device. Once scanned, they provide information for others on how to reach you in case of an emergency.
Locks
Locks
These devices are intended to prevent your child from exiting your home or entering a room with danger. These locks can also be used when staying in hotels. Locks are useful tools, however you should be sure to consult with your local fire department regarding the safety of any lock system you are considering. Seat belt locks provide an extra level of safety when driving with your child. Prior to installation you should consult with your local responders to learn if using such a lock is advised.
Doors (Video and Website)
These tools can be used to secure your door from the inside.
Doors and Windows
These locking devices can be utilized to prevent doors from opening which can be a hazard to your child.
Amazon: Kidco Mesh Window Guard
Prime-Line Products U 9888 Flip Action Steel Door Lock, White Finish
Cardinal Gates Door Guardian, White
Complete Deluxe Bi-Fold Door Lock, 2 Pack
Seat Belts
Amazon: Seat Belt Buckle Guard
Autism Products: Buckle Boss Seat Belt Guard
Seat Belt Cover with Medical Information
Alarms
Alarms
These are examples of devices attached to an individual that alert of their child's location.
Door and Window Alarms
Room Motion Detector With an Alarm
All-in-One Motion Sensor and Alarm
Room Motion Detector With a Pager
Wireless Motion Sensor with Push Notifications
Pool
Locators
Locators
Project Lifesaver: PAL or Freedom4Kids (F4K):
These devices alert parents to a safe zone breech and provide GPS location ability.
The PAL is a lockable wristwatch, smartphone, and a sized-Base unit for parents. They alert sounds when the wristwatch is separated from the base unit within 150 ft or less. It also includes a panic button and has text and email alert capabilities. Both PAL and F4K are identical, except that the F4K comes in different colors and its panic button can be disabled. These devices also report addresses in areas with no GPS. This device cost $299.00 for the Device and $29.99 Monthly.
Project Lifesaver: Personal Locator System
Amber Alert GPS:
This device is a pager GPS device that can be put in a holder for wrist, belt, or lanyard use. Texts and emails are created when entering or leaving safe zones exceeding 1,100 Ft. It comes equipped with two-way communication. The device also sends alerts on registered sex offenders, and speed zones. The breadcrumb feature automatically advises about location and the GPS updates every 5 minutes. There is an app available for monitoring the device. The costs are $125.00 for the device and the activation is $18.00 monthly.
My Buddy Tag (Video and Website)
YouTube: Instructions on How to Use BuddyTag Wristbands
Child “Locator” (Video and Website)
These devices do not produce an alarm sound but do provide live GPS location capabilities for quickly locating a wandering child. The watch features a camera equipped for video calling.
Fit Belt
This expandable waist belt is an example of how identification and locators can be held on the child’s body, on or under the clothes.
Science
Science
Similar to experts from other fields, we are bound to an ethical code and professional standard. We must implement scientifically proven treatment to ensure the maximum success of our clients. It’s important for us to not waste our time with ineffective treatments as it is one thing that we cannot give back to a child’s life.
There are countless treatment methods available for autism. How does a parent make the decision between so many methods? What guides the decision to try one treatment over another or to combine treatments? This is where the difference between science and pseudoscience becomes critical.
What matters is what helps the individual and family the most. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Claims of a cure or recovery from autism draw attention without necessarily demonstrating how improvement is measured. Whatever works is important – what works for each individual is the issue. The illusion of something working can cloud good judgment.
This education section is to address topics, interests, and issues of individuals and parents of children receiving services. It is intended to offer some guidelines on treatment strategies that are able to meet the requirements of science and most importantly – effectiveness. Sections that follow will provide brief guidelines of issues of concern.
Measurement
Measurement
One of the most important issues in behavior change is how we determine if the treatment is working. Many successes are reported as anecdotes and are often powerful emotional statements. To truly determine if a behavior is changing and if that change is a result of the treatment, you must measure the behavior.
Measuring behavior before the treatment is applied (baseline data) and comparing it to behavior during and after treatment (treatment data) is essential. It is also important to consider measuring the validity and acceptability of behavior change.
A change alone does not always represent a good change, just that change was made. Crucial to ABA is the issue of social validity: Does the change improve the quality of life of the client and those involved with the client?
Treatment
Treatment
Treatment strategies range in terms of the premises behind what will change the behavior at issue. These points back to measurement to help guide how we can design a treatment that is ethical, acceptable and measurable.
This is a guideline to detecting the true effectiveness of any procedure. Does the treatment address the behavior and does the behavior change in the desired direction such that there is strong agreement that the behavior change has improved a socially significant behavior? Does the change make life better for the person receiving the treatment?
Is the treatment something that can be continued in the absence of a professional; that is have we been able to teach parents and other caretakers how to use effective strategies? Treatment needs to result in improvements that will be effective in environments other than the treatment environment. This generality of treatment is one of the requirements of ABA.
A highly recommended report for parents regarding the strength of evidence for various treatments for autism can be found in the National Autism Council’s Summary Report.
For an extensive review of research on treatments see the National Standards project.
This used to be a free service but due to the high demand, a fee has been implemented. The report classifies the strength of evidence into the categories of (1) Established, (2) Emerging, (3) Unestablished and (4) Ineffective/Harmful.
Another great organization is Association of Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). They provide resources to families, educators and providers. In addition, ASAT provides up to date research on various autism treatments. ASAT can be accessed at: https://asatonline.org
Intensity of Treatment
Intensity of Treatment
A number of studies indicate that early intervention and lots of it make a clinically significant difference. The more treatment hours a child receives, along with strategies that enable parents to use and maintain treatment, increase the effectiveness compared to lesser treatment.
While professional treatment can bring about significant improvements, significant changes are more likely to happen when parents’ involvement is effective because they have been taught how to continue an effective strategy in the daily routines of their children.
Additional Topics
Additional Topics
A number of links to resources and materials have been reviewed based on the issues above so that these topics can be identified based on their potential effectiveness and parents can use their own criteria for deciding how to help their child and improve the quality of life for their family.
In the end, it’s the parents’ decision and any guidelines offered here are to help parents make the best decisions they can based on the educational information and resources presented.