So Many Therapies My Son Now Needs, Where Do I Start ? | MyAutismTeam

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So Many Therapies My Son Now Needs, Where Do I Start ?
A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question đź’­

My almost 5 year old son has recently been diagnosed with ASD (severe on the spectrum). The doc recommend i start him with Occupational Therapy, Speech, Aba , and Nutritional. Whats the difference between Aba and occupational? He supposed to start school soon but isnt potty trained. Im just so lost with everything. Therapies are gonna cost quite a bit and i dont think i can afford all of them at once. Just need guidence with it all please.

posted March 26, 2018
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A MyAutismTeam Member

When he starts school he can get Occupational therapy and speech therapy in school free. In special education classes they also help with potty training or change them until they are ready.

posted March 26, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

First understand you are not alone. It's a bit scary I know it was for me. Don't worry my son is 6 goes to school and still wears diapers. Any Special ed teacher or helper knows or should know diapers are apart of it. Occupational is going to help with things like eating with spoon, or drinking from a cup, walking upstairs , things we need to do on a daily. At least that's what I see my son do at therapy. ABA is a bit more complicated. I can't explain it except I'll tell you our experience. My son started a summer ABA program and it was 9 am until 3 pm for 8 weeks. He didn't speak much meltdowns no interest in other kids by the end of summer he had so much more vocabulary he still had meltdowns but he learned how to kinda center himself to calm down he played with the other kids. He just seemed to improve with the one on one attention he had. Everything will fall into place for you. Good luck

posted March 26, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Are you on state funding insurance? Now that he has a proper diagnosis you should qualify for social security disability checks, or ssi. Look into Medicaid or Medicare they pay for everything if not all you are responsible for at little cost. Look into all that. But keep all your documents if at all possible. Take one day at a time, I know it is over welming.

posted March 26, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Occupational therapy will help with physical things—spatial awareness, building strength, modulating pressure, coordination—while ABA assesses what motivates your child’s behaviors/choices and how best to sculpt them. Good providers should provide some overlap between these therapies, though: For example, my son’s OT sessions reinforce the ABA calm-down strategies he learns, in a different setting.

posted March 31, 2018
A MyAutismTeam Member

Occupational therapy tend to work on fine motor skills such as writing, cutting with scissors, etc. and ABA focuses on behavior. My daughter has been in speech and Occupational therapy and it has helped tremendously. She gets school services also (even though she does not go to school yet) and also gets therapy that works with social skills through the school so she goes to 6 therapies a week

posted March 27, 2018

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