In-home therapy fun

We finally started an in-home therapy program with Bobby this week.  He's not that excited, but I am!!

Yes, this is Bobby whining during one of his therapy breaks.

Bobby met Kathleen last summer when she was a student at WVU.  She has since graduated and only has to take her test to get her BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analysist).  Bobby knew exactly who she was when she walked through the door and what that meant!!! 

As soon as she walked in, they sat down and got to work so that Bobby would know when she is here, they are going to work.  Bobby fussed and whined the majority of the time that they worked together, but he never got up from his seat!!  A major victory. 

Kathleen is working on ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) with Bobby.  She is also teaching me how to work with him and writing programs for me to work on when she is not here.  I have been sitting at this table with Bobby working for the past year and I don't have any idea how to move on to the next step, and that is why Kathleen is here!!  Since Bobby had all of the medicine changes this year, which lead to some major behavioral issues, we took a few steps back starting in spring and focused on just getting Bobby to sit.  I felt successful when I watched Bobby and Kathleen work and he stayed seated. 

You may have noticed the poker chips and cards on the top of the table.  Bobby's work and break cards are velcroed at the top.  During a work card, he has to sit and work, during a break card, he gets a 2 minute break.  When the timer goes off and break is over, Bobby generally comes back to his seat just by hearing the timer.  During each work session, he has 10 poker chips and each time that he correctly completes a task that is asked of him, he gets to take a chip off and after all 10 chips are removed, he gets his 2 minute break.  The work/break cards show him visually how many more times he has to come back to the table and work, while the poker chips visually show him how much work that he has to do during each work session.  Sounds complicated I know, but it really isn't and Bobby loves to pull the cards and chips off of the velcro and for some reason he (and many other kids with autism) need this visual indicator of the work expected of them. 

Kathleen will be coming 2 times a week to work with Bobby and I will be working on the programs every other day.  Since Bobby is also receiving ABA at school this year, I am hoping that he starts improving educationally!!

Happy Bobby-work is over for the day!!  Time for Elmo!!