Quick reminder that most ABA therapists and RBTs don't take autistic people's traumatic experiences seriously or actually listen to us.

If they Really want to help autistic kids,

and someone says they could be potentially hurting them,

Shouldn't they want to know?

#SayNoToABA
Asking an ABA therapist or RBT to consider consent and ethics, and asking them to read the research showing ABA is ineffective,

Often after entering the conversation of their own volition,

Should not result in a block. 🙃
In fact if they really wanted to help, they would consider working WITH autistic people instead of treating those with opposing opinions as "misunderstanding" what ABA is or not having "proper ABA."
And no, I'm not going to let people who identify as autistic off the hook if they are current ABA therapists or RBTs.

No one should be harming autistic kids. They may have been indoctrinated more easily into behaviorism, esp. if growing up that way,

But it's still not okay.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with AutisticSciencePerson #StopShockingDisabledPeople

AutisticSciencePerson #StopShockingDisabledPeople Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @AutSciPerson

23 Sep
I think I just realized why autistic burnout is so bad.

It's because when neurotypical people reach their limits, they can't go on.

When autistic people reach their limits, they continue because they know they have to continue to be considered valuable.
1/
I was told that if I get burnt out, I won't be able to do anything, so I should rest.

What I didn't say because I was still thinking it through,
is that when I get burnt out, I go on for weeks or months more because that is expected of me and I Cannot Let People Down.
2/
And so often autistic people are constantly pushed to their limits even at 4, 5, 8 years old. Constantly.

We are so often already at a level of stress from NT expectations and our environment that neurotypical people don't even comprehend it.
3/
Read 18 tweets
22 Sep
Hi .@learnmeaba

You are an ABA provider.

Why did you follow me?

Maybe consider checking out #SayNoToABA

or my article where I show that ABA causes trauma, and is -at the very least- ineffective here -
autisticscienceperson.com/why-aba-therap…

You can't support autistic people and be pro-ABA.
You cannot pretend to listen to autistic people when you obtain money for specifically hurting and traumatizing autistic people.

Maybe see my thread from 3 days ago?

Would you do this to a non-autistic child?
And if you are an "ABA provider" that does not do ABA therapy but are advertising it as such -

Then stop advertising as ABA if that's what you're doing.

I wish I could believe that's what these centers are doing but I have a feeling they really are doing ABA.
Read 8 tweets
21 Sep
I'm worried that I'm going to burn myself out to finish my PhD and if I get to that point of stress,

I'm not sure whether I'll decide to do it anyway, or hope it's good enough/get a masters.

I honestly don't know what I'll do. But it's really not been great lately.
I see-saw between "I'm never going to get this done I must work constantly" and "maybe I should sleep 15 hours today" and I don't know how to do anything between those two things.
The other thing I have to remember though, is if I decided to stay in the spring (which I really really don't plan on doing whatsoever),

I'd just continue to be in this state of stress until it was done anyway. It's not like the pressure would get better.
Read 4 tweets
20 Sep
Here's a short thread on ambiguous instructions, and the energy autistic people have to spend to figure out what someone or something is really saying.

I'm currently cooking dinner, this dinner -

I want to focus on step 1.

#ActuallyAutistic
1/6 Cooking instructions. Cook only one bag at a time. For food
Step one says "Heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add meal to skillet."

However, the picture is only of someone pouring a box of food into the skillet itself.

I spent an actual 1 minute staring at that picture being confused.

2/6
You see, if I were to write those instructions, heating up the skillet until hot "about 2 minutes" would have been its own step. Because there's no picture of it here. All that is shown is pouring food into the box.

3/6
Read 8 tweets
20 Sep
Kid: Tells an adult they are getting bullied.

Adults: Post this online and bully the kid more.

Yea that's a pretty good summary of what being autistic is like...
Things grown adults are saying about this child:
"Square ass"
"Smart ass"
And most common - "snitch."

The mixed messages adults give kids about bullying and telling adults,

With the implicit message that you should not do it or else you're "weak"

Is huge.
People are even saying this kid should be spanked or whipped for "snitching."

Noting his "strange" body language and how he ended the conversation. Saying he must have other motives.

This is why and how autistic black boys go to prison for doing nothing criminal.
Read 8 tweets
20 Sep
Literally Discrete Trial Training (or DTT as they call it):

Is just going
"Where's the blue square? Touch the blue square"

And if the kid doesn't do it -for any reason-

they just KEEP ASKING.

Imagine hearing "Where's the blue square?"
30 or even 60 times in a row.

1/3
Imagine getting driven to a building, being asked to sit down in a chair, and getting the question "Where's the blue square? Touch the blue square"

every day for weeks on end.

People still try to say "but they don't do punishment."

Doing that to children
Is
Punishment!!
Not getting to stand up out of the chair, not getting to stop hearing "Where's the blue square? Touch the blue square."

Not being able to get this stranger out of your face.

Not being able to take a break and do something else you like when you want and need it

Is
Punishment.
Read 10 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(