ABA therapy has worked so well for Andrew. In June of 2009, Andrew knew about 6 words. He now speaks in sentences of 3 and 4 words and sometimes in full sentences and can understand so much more when you speak to him.
Yet, so much work remains to be done.
In a classroom, he needs to be able to:
-follow the teacher's instructions.
-be able to engage socially with his peers, speak to them, show them things, share his toys, invite them to play with him, ask them questions
-be able to transition from one activity to another without tantruming or without having to physically be carried to another place in the classroom.
These are things that for the most part, a typical child can do fairly easily. For certain children with Autism, and for Andrew, these are things he cannot do yet.
His ABA therapy teaches him the verbal and social skills to engage with others. He also currently attends a preschool with typical children where one of the therapist comes with him. She teaches him how to listen and helps him socialize with others.
Andrew needs one more year before he goes to Kindergarden. With this therapy, he will have significantly less difficulty in a public school classroom. The classroom is where he will spend 80% of his life in the next 13 years. It is essential that he gets all the help he can get NOW while he is still young and his brain is maleable like play doh.
I am so hopeful for the future, yet so scared that he is not able to get the help he needs.
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