What makes a good ABA instructor?

Parents always ask me this question about ABA instructors and what makes a good one. Like any other professional that sees to your child's needs, an ABA instructor has to be very well qualified.

A good ABA Instructor has to possess the following skills:

1) Acquired vast knowledge of ABA from an accredited university program

2)  Has been trained and supervised by a professional from an accredited university program

3) The supervisor that has supervised the instructor must possess a masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and/or possess a BCBA board certification. 

4) Has worked with children with autism for a minimum of 2 years under the supervision of a     qualified supervisor

5) Has attended workshops on professional development in topics such as : shaping, reinforcement, prompt fading, principles of ABA, extinction, etc

6) Has presented posters or research on current topics in Applied Behavior Analysis or the application of it.

7) Has excellent references.

8) Loves working with children with autism

9) Always makes child centered decisions and constantly consults parents for input

10) Always recruits feedback and attends ongoing training to improve skills

11) Instructor fee:

Based on current market research Instructor's with 1 year experience charge MYR 40 an hour, Instructors with more than 2 years experience can charge up to MYR 70 an hour, a masters holder should charge minimum MYR 100 per hour and max MYR 150 an hour.

I advise parents to please be aware of the above requirements when hiring an instructor. We at Little Steps do help parents with this process as well. We can do the interviewing process for the staff that you choose and can furnish you all the requirements. We also do train staff in a systematic process and provide staff evaluation.

Contact us for more details

Shaping workshop in December in full gear !

We got the place confirmed and the workshop is in full swing !!! We are so excited about this workshop because shaping is a procedure that is very important in teaching any skills that you would like to teach your child in order to make them more independent or introduce them to something that may be aversive to them. Shaping is a great tool and we at Littlesteps are so excited to share all our knowledge with you.  Hands on training will be provided on the day of the workshop, articles on current research will be shared and most importantly we will be able to exchange some ideas on how to teach your child or student skills that are important to their development.

Please fill out the form below to register and payment will be made the day of



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Little Steps Malaysia & Workshop

Hey everyone !! it's getting very close to the early bird price which is MYR 100. So if you are  attending please email me at littlestepsmalaysia@gmail.com in order to sign up for the special price, that will be great.

Wanted to give everyone an idea of the services Little Steps Malaysia provides to children with autism:

1) Individualized programming and consultation based on your child's needs
2) Provide training to parents using the science of ABA
3) Setting up the individualized programs at home for your child
4) Help parents troubleshoot behaviors of concern
5) Improving behaviors
6) Creating a positive and fun learning environment for children
7) Increasing independence at home

The services we provide are all individualized and tailored to your child's needs. Our objective at Little Steps is to give parents the relevant tools to help parents help their child achieve their full potential. We follow the seven dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis in order to make programming at home effective.

Little Steps Malaysia is dedicated to all the children diagnosed with autism. We believe that every child diagnosed with autism deserves the chance to grow into their full potential. We believe children with autism can do anything they set their heart to do and most importantly we always operate by having the child's best interest in mind.

If you are interested to learn more, please call me at 010-221 4028, email me at: littlestepsmalaysia@gmail.com or come to the workshop ! :) Hope to hear from you soon !!

What is Autism?

Autism is defined behaviorally by symptoms that appear prior to age 3. According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual ( IV) the criteria for diagnosing Autism are abnormal or delayed development in 3 areas:

1) Impairment and delays in Social Interaction (Social Skills)
2) Qualitative impairment and delays in communication ( Language)
3) Restrictive, repetitive and stereotyped patterns in behavior ( Behavior Repertoire)

Under these three categories there are sub categories as described below. In order to meet the criteria for autism, there has to be a total of of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and
(3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

A total of 6 or more items is required to meet the criteria for Autism in

 1) Impairment and delays in Social Interaction (Social Skills) ( at least 2 from this category)

(a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze,
facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction (e.g., not reponding to name everytime her/his name is called, does not make eye contact)

(b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level. (e.g., your child tends to play by himself/herself in a situation where there are other children present or engage in tantrum behavior when peers initiate play)

(c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other
people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing,lack in joint attention, or pointing out objects of interest)

(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity (e.g., does not like hug, tickles, or show empathy when another child is crying)


 2) Qualitative impairment and delays in communication ( Language) (at least 1 from this category)

(a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt
to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)

(b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a
conversation with others

(c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language (e.g., saying the same word, scripting from movies, making unusual sounds)

(d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to
developmental level


3) Restrictive, repetitive and stereotyped patterns in behavior ( Behavior Repertoire) (at least 1 from this category)

(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that
is abnormal either in intensity or focus (e.g., lining up objects, spinning object in the same way, not playing with toys appropriately)

(b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals (e.g., engages in tantrum behavior when going from one place to the next)

(c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex
whole-body movements)

(d) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects (e.g., constantly playing with the same toy in the same way)

If you read this and think your child has autism, please contact your local pediatrician immediately. Your pediatrician can refer you to someone who can conduct a formal assessment and refer you to a provider that can provide effective treatment. The earlier intervention is sought, the more likely your child will improve. There is no cure for autism but with effective treatment and intervention, your child's autism can improve and in some cases the diagnosis can be taken away.

In choosing a treatment, feel empowered as a parent to take your time and do some research to see what is out there. Like I always say, the best treatments are the ones that report all their outcomes and evidence. Some treatments do report outcomes and evidence but they may not be socially valid, reliable or make any behavior improvements over time.

Please make yourself aware and be aware of fad treatments. Fad treatments claim to "Cure" autism and make your child better. Till date, there is no known cause for autism. There is no cure for autism. Choosing an effective program that is based on improving behavior is they way to go. I hope you feel empowered as a parent to make valid and reliable decisions on a treatment.

Here are two great links to help you think about some treatments out there and also links to help you with your questions on vaccinations, gluten free diets, etc

A Parent's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders

Suggested Links to Research Studies 

Vaccinations and Autism

Gluten and Casein Free Diets & Autism

Malaysian Parent Support Group

Autism Workshop Folks !

Hi Everyone!

I have been asked to do a small informational autism workshop for parents here in Subang Jaya.

Below are the details !

	Autism Workshop Helping my child with Autism.
	Topics that will be covered:  l  Brief Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (A.B.A) l  Relationship Building l  Managing Contingencies using Applied Behavior Analysis l  Increasing your child's independence at home

Autism affects 1:600 children in Malaysia. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects over tens of millions worldwide. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) has been much supported and is widely used in many parts of the world. In general, ABA involves breaking down teaching objectives into the smallest unit and teaching these units one by one.

This workshop will cover topics in the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis and help parents learn more about how they can become effective teachers for their children. Tina Dass is obtaining her M.A in Applied Behaviour Analysis from the United States and has worked with children diagnosed with autism in the United States for 6 years under the guidance of Dr. Kevin Brothers and PhD Candidate Sandra Gomes.

This workshop will be useful for therapists, teachers, caretakers and parents with children with autism.

Workshop Details:

Date:     13^th October 2012
Time:    9 am to 12 pm
Venue:                  1^st Floor, D'Tandoor Restaurant Subang Jaya, No. 7, Jalan SS 15/5A, Subang Jaya 47500 Selangor.

Price:

Early bird price is MYR 100 per person ( by September 25th)
Regular price MYR 130

Prices includes: Coffee/tea with snacks & a workshop packet.

Registration and payment may be made in the following ways: 

1. Scan/Email registration form along with payment receipt to littlestepsmalaysia@gmail.com
2. Payment can be made via transfer/cash/cheque deposit made payable to “Sheila Dass A/P Ranjit Dass” Maybank Account : 112308038289

Please do not hesitate to contact Tina/Sheila by phone 010-221 4028/016 283 7529 or by email littlestepsmalaysia@gmail.com for enquiries.

Registration forms and payment must be received by October 5^th 2012 

 

You can do anything you set your heart to.

Autism affects 1:600 children in Malaysia. 

Autism is a lifelong disability.

By way of comparison, more children are diagnosed with autism each year than with juvenile diabetes, AIDS or cancer, combined. ASD affects over tens of millions worldwide. This is such an alarming statistic. We have to do more for our children here in Malaysia.What can you do if you are a parent?

Educate yourself. Educate yourself about all the services available for your child. Unfortunately in Malaysia there are no government funding and no school systems that support the needs for a child diagnosed with autism. The best way to reach out is through research and empirical evidence.

After spending four beautiful years at Somerset Hills Learning Institute, my director told me to be proud of myself. And I looked at him with tears in my eyes and a breaking heart to leave all my kiddies that I love, and smiled. He added, "It's true, for the past for years, you have made a measurable difference in children's life. And that is something you should be very proud of". My director is a wonderful man. He started his school in the basement of a church with 4 children, 4 teachers and him. From a school of 4 children, he built a school with 30 children, with amazing, wonderful teachers. I realize this, a great program makes measurable differences in a child's life. This means that change is evident through data, observation and in a child's smile. He built a great school with a great mission, to "change the face of autism" and it continues. He is truly an inspiration.

Before I left my life in America, I had the opportunity to see one of our students graduate. He is 21, he is working and he is a tax paying citizen. How wonderful. Below is the link, so please check it out and let us all be inspired to increase autism awareness in Malaysia.

http://www.somerset-hills.org/home.html

Having fun is Important.

When a child is new to intervention, the first thing we do is play with them.

We follow them around the school for 2 weeks and observe what they like, chase them around, hug them, kiss them, tickle them and do things they like with them. This is called relationship building.

Relationship building is a very important aspect to treatment. I can't stress this enough.

Here are some ways to help relationship building.

1. Write down the 5 top favorite activity that your child prefers.

2. Choose a time of day where you can play with your child 1:1 without any distractions.

3. Bring out all the fun activities that you want to do with your child and play with him/her.

4. If your child seems more engrossed in the activity, you can take away the activity, expect eye contact and when he/she give you eye contact give him/her the tangible reward paired with lots of tickles and social praise  What you are doing here is, teaching social consequences by pairing tangible rewards. He/she is learning to appropriately interact with you and not just the item that they like.

5. It is important to pair social interactions. Even if your child's favorite activity is the TV, you can feel free to pause the tv or turn it off , wait for your child to look at you and then give him/her access to the TV once eye contact is given.

6. What if he/she does not look? What can you do? You can use your hands, gently guide his/her head to you and leave your hands there until he/she gives you eye contact. Immediately deliver the tangible reward (e.g., tv, candy, etc.) and pair that with tickles and lots of hugs.

The social component is so important. Many parents say that their children diagnosed with autism don't prefer hugs or tickles. And this may be true. Autism is diagnosed based on social deficits. Therefore, pairing social consequences with those preferred activities, will teach your child to love social consequences. In return, you will be signal for reinforcement (availability for fun stuff) and successfully built a meaningful relationship with your child.

The last component of relationship building  is this: HAVE LOADS OF FUN ! BE A CHILD AGAIN! ENJOY YOUR CHILD'S COMPANY ! :)

What is ABA?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a science that is committed to understanding and improving behavior in the environment. How is Applied Behavior Analysis different from the rest of psychology? The field of ABA focuses on objectively defining behavior and is continuous in discovering variables in the environment that reliably influence behavior. Based on the observation, the results are quantified and described in order to make a socially significant change to the individual's behavior.

When a parent asks me what is ABA?

This is what I say " Our environment is constantly improving and changing our behavior. We eat because we are hungry, we drink when we are thirsty, we work to get our paycheck at the end of the month so we are able to buy all the things we love and we slow down when we see a cop to avoid a ticket. These things in the environment either motivate us to behave or make us avoid punishment  in order for us to live a better life. That in a nutshell is ABA"

This is how we look at behavior:

Antecedent ( What happens before the behavior occurs) 






Behavior ( What is the behavior that is occurring)






Consequences ( What happens after the behavior has occurred)

These is called the three term contingency or the ABC's of a behavior.

How is iABA applied to autism?

Children with autism take time to learn different tasks. Based on the environment, the instructor will help them learn each task (which will be objectively defined) by using little steps at a time and provide reinforcement ( a tangible thing they love) for each step completed correctly and independently. Over time, as the child gets more independent, the tangible reward is faded out and the learner will be able to do the task that is being measure all by himself/herself. This is just a glimpse into how it is applied. There are other ways to teach behavior. All the strategies that are used are derived from the literature that has shown statistically significant improvement of a behavior over time.

There are many treatments out there that claim to "cure" autism. Autism has no cure.  A good treatment should report all it's outcomes and evidence so parents are able to see significant behavior improvement. With good treatment, the diagnosis of autism can be taken away. A great website that I always refer parents to the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. They have great suggestions and amazing resources for any treatment you choose for your child. The most important thing is to be aware and always make evidence based decisions in regards to the treatment you choose.

I hope this was helpful. Email me anytime with questions !!