Thread by @ADHD2ePro

The “Gold Standard” for Autistic Children.

So many Autistic people explain how & why ABA is abusive & harmful, yet many professionals continue to push it.

medium.com/fourth-wave/th…

#ADHD #Autistic #ActuallyAutistic #Autism #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity #Writers #WritersLift

I have heard this line so many times: “They told me ABA therapy was the ‘gold standard’ for Autism.”

medium.com/fourth-wave/th…

#WritingCommunity #WritersSupportingWriters #ADHDSupport #CelebrateNeurodiversity #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #AutisticPride #AutisticPrideDay

Professionals need to explain exactly what they mean by that, because gold standard is subjective; it will mean different things to different people.

Successful supports (as opposed to "therapies") will mean different things to different people.

What does it mean to the CHILD?

The “gold standard” ABA is known for is forcing Autistic children to behave as neurotypical as possible.

ABA uses punishments & rewards to train human beings like puppies under the guise of teaching “skills” needed to succeed in life.

medium.com/fourth-wave/th…

#Autistic #Autism

The problem with how this is done is it’s almost entirely centred around neurotypical adults--what they want from the child and for the child--not what the child wants or needs.

#AutisticPride #AutisticPrideDay #ActuallyAutistic

These approaches are harmful because they only focus on surface behaviours & modifying them to fit some — often unfair & unrealistic — set of expectations, without respect or regard for the Autistic human being.

medium.com/fourth-wave/th…

#Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity #Writers

Be the person in your child’s life who loves & accepts them for exactly who they are & protects them from harm, no matter what. That’s the "gold standard".

“I wouldn’t change you for the world, but I’ll change the world for you.”--Amy Wright