Looking for Input for my Job as an Autism Line Therapist

[neuropsyance]

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Hey everyone,

I've been working a new job as a line therapist for a child on the autism spectrum. Since I have completed training, my sessions have been a bit difficult as I am now working solo with the child. The job requires you to run through several programs a day, while playing with the child on down time. I have no trouble getting the child to work on the programs, but his way of challenging me, has been to refuse to let me interact with him in play.

I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on how I could get him to let me into his play. He literally shuts his closet and yells that I'm not allowed to play with him. Any input would be appreciated.

Also, I'm working on a therapy bag (filled with toys, candy, etc.) to help pair myself in a positive way. Any ideas about what I could fill it with would be great.

Neuropsyance

 

[Cobblestone]

I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on how I could get him to let me into his play. He literally shuts his closet and yells that I'm not allowed to play with him. Any input would be appreciated.

Also, I'm working on a therapy bag (filled with toys, candy, etc.) to help pair myself in a positive way. Any ideas about what I could fill it with would be great.

Neuropsyance

First of all, congrats on your new job!

My background: ABA Therapist for 3 years, BCABA level for another 6.

I'm assuming you're doing Applied Behavior Analysis or something similar? If you are, the first place I would start would be to talk to your supervising BCBA. If you're a line therapist/ABA therapist, then you should be under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst or Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (or the equivalent if you're in a licensure state). They most likely have ideas as to how the play should look, and I'm sure they would be happy to demonstrate it for you. They also would have some ideas for what to put in the therapy bag, or they may have the results of a recent preference assessment.

Based off my experience, sometimes it just takes a while for the kid to get to know you and for you to pair yourself with enough positive reinforcement--sometimes longer than you would expect. I've had a lot of new staff go through this, and I appreciate the ones who ask me for help as opposed to suffering in silence--it shows me that they care about their job enough to want to do it right! 🙂 This is what we do as BCBAs and BCABAs (or whatever your supervisor's title is), so I'm never upset when staff honestly ask for help or clarification.

Advice from people who don't know the student might not be that useful. I can think of times when I've given contradictory advice to different ABA Therapists, because they were in different situations with different students. I might tell some staff to play near the student, but not directly interact with them, while I would tell others to directly engage the student by making statements about what they're playing without asking the child questions (as adults so often do when they play with children). Other times, being left alone & not bothered for a while was the reinforcer that the student worked for! The person who would best know which strategy to apply would most likely be your supervisor. I would start there.

Good Luck! We need more people like you who can do this well! 👍

 

[P5YcH010gy]

Background: ABA therapist.

I agree with the above poster (and was excited to find a fellow ABAer here!). Talk to your supervisor if you have one, or maybe even with the client's parents. My client's parent is super-useful because she knows her child so well, and she is very familiar with ABA so she gives great advice.

Something I've done with my client in these situations is to find something that's very interesting/reinforcing to him that also requires two people; for example, a board game he likes or, in the case of my client, the swingset (he has to have someone push) or the trampoline (he loves to jump with someone else because he goes higher). I get him interested in it and while I'm playing with him, I'm not his "therapist," I'm his "friend;" in particular, a friend about his own age. He needs practice working with peers, so I tailor my actions to things an eight year old would say and do.

Once he realizes I'm actually a very fun person 🙂, we share a friendship, and I can do some actual therapy work with him with the promise of more awesome fun if he does the work.

 

[neuropsyance]

Thanks for the input. I'd ask my supervisor but they haven't been very helpful through the training process. It was sporadic if anything. I'm sure the child just needs some time before he gets used to me. Unfortunately it's already been a few sessions and I feel like my inability to engage the child in play, at least for now, has been making me look like an ineffective therapist.

 

[chasingadream]

Hey everyone,

I've been working a new job as a line therapist for a child on the autism spectrum. Since I have completed training, my sessions have been a bit difficult as I am now working solo with the child. The job requires you to run through several programs a day, while playing with the child on down time. I have no trouble getting the child to work on the programs, but his way of challenging me, has been to refuse to let me interact with him in play.

I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on how I could get him to let me into his play. He literally shuts his closet and yells that I'm not allowed to play with him. Any input would be appreciated.

Also, I'm working on a therapy bag (filled with toys, candy, etc.) to help pair myself in a positive way. Any ideas about what I could fill it with would be great.

Neuropsyance

I feel your pain. I worked with the same population and once had a child that would either scream like I was killing him for an entire session or would drag my toy bag to the door and say "bye" ( the only word he would use!) I felt defeated for some time but it got better and we eventually had productive sessions.

There are a few things that can work depending on how high functioning the child is:

1) Let them come to you. Start playing with toys they love and make it seem like you are having a blast he'll slowly creep out of the closet when he gets bored of being in there

2) Along the same lines- ignore the child and play with a sibling or parent so they can see that someone they trust trusts you or their jealousy of the sibling takes over and they will play with you so they can't ( not the best scenario but it'll get your foot in the door)

3) Try to blur the lines of programs and play. You can use the objects in your last program session for play. An example might be: If the child had to put pegs in a board then after he accomplishes the task try having them use a toy bear do it, then use the bear in a play game.

4) try to parallel play with them for a while then ask for help. If, for example, they are playing with a car or train set start playing near them, then closer, then say "hmmmm my bridge wont work I need help" and try to get them to come into your play space and not invade theirs.

As for toy bags: TJ max and yard sales are a life saver if you are paying yourself. BUBBLES will save your life! they sell great ones at target in a green a purple container that work soooo well. Pop beads are a must with young kids and you can stick them to your face and get them to sign or speak to pull them off and say pop! Sensory toys are great like gel koosh balls, even things like pom poms. If you tell me more about your age group I can give you more suggestions.

Just be sure to ask your colleages for help and do your best. I know how hard it can be. Good Luck!

 

[Cobblestone]

I feel your pain. I worked with the same population and once had a child that would either scream like I was killing him for an entire session or would drag my toy bag to the door and say "bye" ( the only word he would use!) I felt defeated for some time but it got better and we eventually had productive sessions.

Above all, don't take it personally! I used to work with a student who would spout the biggest frown on their face when I would walk into the classroom. She would groan "No Mr. Cobblestone today! I want Ms. Smith!" I though I had to be her least favorite person in the world, until we had a team meeting and it turns out this was how she greeted everyone on the team. Ms. Smith thought that the student had to absolutely love me, because every time Ms. Smith walked in the room, the student would say "Oh NO! Not Ms. Smith! I want Mr. Cobblestone!"

Sorry that your supervisor isn't much help, that does make everything a bit harder. You'll have to walk the line of not giving up with trying to engage him in play, but not becoming an aversive presence at the same time.

 

[neuropsyance]

I actually just had a great session. Everything went well, and the reinforcers I brought helped a lot. I think I've figured out why the child won't let me play with him, but can't share details for confidentiality reasons (it's pretty specific). Basically I think some of the advice given to me from my supervisor has been inadvertantly pairing me in a negative way.

Thanks for the help,
neuropsyance