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Lived experiences of ABA
If you are thinking about trying ABA, you might be wondering what it's actually like to experience it day in, day out and how it can help children at different starting points on the spectrum. Here are some first-hand "lived experience" accounts. Some are from parents, representing their children who can only communicate at a more basic level, and others are from people who are autistic themselves. You can also read more from autistic self advocates speaking up in favour of ABA on our ASD advocates page. Please be respectful to all contributors, whatever your own views.
Mia
Mia, aged 14, is autistic and has epilepsy and severe learning difficulties. Her parents share how ABA has helped - especially with her ability to communicate via sign and with a huge decrease in her self-injurious behaviour.
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Mr K
Aged 27, Mr K achieved so much through ABA between the ages of 3 and 12. His family was one of the first to win ABA in the UK at tribunal. He now works both in his old secondary school as a classroom assistant, and in a London theatre.
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Anonymous
A 15-year-old autistic lad - who prefers to remain anon - tells in his own words how ABA has helped him, from being non-verbal in a special school to growing up now into a sociable mainstream secondary school pupil.
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Liam
Liam is a non-verbal 12 year old. He started ABA later in his childhood years. At his autism special school, his parents were told that he couldn't do the most basic activities and had no desire to communicate. After seeing dramatic success with ABA, his parents won ABA for him at tribunal. At his ABA school, Liam has now learnt to communicate.
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Johnny
Aged 17, and autistic plus with a severe learning disability, Johnny has come such a long way since starting ABA at age 3. He's learned many skills that improve both his quality of life and his health - from talking right through to doing his own daily injections for Type 1 Diabetes and not lashing out aggressively or self injuriously when stressed.
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Anon
Anon autistic teen, pictured when much younger, given poor prognosis at age 3 yet with light-touch ABA in mainstream, he's now at one of the UK's top grammar schools with only minimal support. He aims to develop autism-friendly apps and maybe join Microsoft!