Enterprise residents are now able to take advantage of t Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children and adults with autism.
The Southeast Alabama Autism Center (SAAC), which opened in August, offers appointment-based ABA therapy for children and adults with autism and other neurodevelopment disabilities.
“ABA is the only researched-based therapy that has shown benefits to children with autism,” said Nicole Slay, co-founder of SAAC. “Speech and occupational therapy may have the skills to teach but they’re not versed in the ways to teach. We know how to motivate children and we know how to find their specific way of learning.”
Applied Behavioral Analysis is an effective approach to improving language and communications skills.
Early detection of autism and early access to ABA therapy has show great results.
Slay, former Director of Behavioral Services at the Spectrum Center for Autism in Dothan, started SAAC with Kimberly Stotler, who has worked in ABA therapy since 2006.
The two offer therapeutic services in the office located at 210 East Grubbs Street and also provide therapy at school or in the home.
“We work with several children who come after school,” Stotler said. “Whenever the kids need us, we’ll be there.”
Slay said the therapy focuses on specific skills, which range from basic language skills to adult-level skills such as learning to cook and feed yourself.
Usually a patient gets an individualized plan based on his or her needs, then those goals are pursued individually.
“Sometimes we have to determine if it’s the child or the parents who needs the primary teaching,” Slay said. “Sometimes the child does well, but has behavior problems. Then the parent may need to go through training to learn how to deal with their child’s behavior.”
Stotler said all ages could benefit from ABA therapy, but the therapy is most beneficial when it begins in early childhood.
Slay and Stotler are also working to help fund ABA therapy for families who cannot afford it.
Through the organization’s website, southeastalabamaautismcenter.com, people can support a child’s therapy.
“Alabama is one of the only states that hasn’t had autism insurance reform yet,” Slay said. “There’s no state law mandating that insurance companies must provide ABA therapy, and they’re also not required to reimburse families for it.”
Stotler said early intervention is crucial and a lot of parents will give up anything to make sure their kids have the therapy they need.
The SAAC will host a free training class for parents on Fort Rucker from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Nov. 20.
More information will posted on the center’s website as details on the event are finalized.
For more information on ABA therapy or the Southeast Alabama Autism Center, visit the website listed above.
To make an appointment, call Slay at 360-1158 or Stotler at (706) 889-5464.
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1 comment:
OccupationalTherapist posted at 1:31 pm on Tue, Sep 17, 2013.
Probably best for these ABA folks to tell the world about their profession rather than tell the world what OT and Speech can't do in order to promote their business.
The statement "Speech and occupational therapy may have the skills to teach but they’re not versed in the ways to teach. We know how to motivate children and we know how to find their specific way of learning" couldn't be more further from the truth and reveals how isolated these professionals are when working on teams (which federal law promotes and expects).
Also important to note is that while it's true ABA research supports work with children with Autism, maybe these ABA owners don't know about the research that asked families about the therapy they prefer and found most impactful and helpful they said occupational therapy. I believe ABA came in 3rd or 4th under Speech.