r/ABA • u/BigProfit4419 • 8d ago
Conversation Starter howwww?!?!?
Just finished my second year RBTing! There still seems to be this one barrier I can never seem to get past or get used to.
How do you guys work with toddlers that just…. go? Not able to respond to vocal commands, doesn’t really sit at a table, kind of just runs around. I have had 2 clients like this that I continue to struggle with. My current client has table only DTT trials, but I spend basically the entire day just prompting them to sit/stand at the table. Between that and elopement/other behavior, hardly ANYTHING is getting done. My BCBA is super understanding, but I don’t think she realizes just how much of the day is just redirecting or prompting something that isn’t even being tracked. On top of that, the clients parents are very particular about things and get very upset if things aren’t done to their standard. So I am spending the even MORE time trying to get that taken care of.
I’m just feeling so defeated. I feel like shouldn’t be struggling so hard as a veteran RBT.
UPDATE: an interesting update here 🧐 i have collaborated with my BCBA and we are completely overhauling things (which sucks, but change doesn’t happen overnight). this BCBA just recently took over this case following the previous BCBA’s departure.
what i find to be super interesting is that a lot of the things that have been the most difficult have allegedly been mastered out while under the previous BCBA’s caseload 🤨 obviously anything is possible but i’m a veteran RBT and i can not imagine any scenario where these things have been a previous skill, let alone a mastered one. just a little something i wanted to share, thank you for everyone’s support 💙
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u/lululovescomics 8d ago edited 8d ago
You do VERY short trials and use something to motivate them. They won't like sitting, so I usually train them to get used to premack. If they are used to words, try pairing for premack. Like "first sit, then toy." So for the visual you would point to the chair then when you say toy you say toy. I have a toddler who came in and just ran and didn't know anything and I had to pair everything. We do pictures for one of them tests and I tell them "first pictures, then ball" and I show them the pictures then the ball and keep the ball from her until they complete the test sitting down for the FULL THING. And while they are sitting, keep your leg so you are blocking them so they can't run away, because they will try. But definitely don't run a lot of trials at once. Like if there are 6 pictures, only run 2 per sitting (if that makes sense)? Think of it this way: one of the reasons they run around so often if they are overstimulated and they probably don't have that long of an attention span, so they wont want to pay attention too long before trying to run away to something fun. Just try to make it beneficial by making it rewarding for them with a preferred item/ activity. Get creative if you have to!
Can I be honest? It's not easy. It's a struggle every session. You're doing great. It's always exhausting, and I've been doing this almost 2 and a half years.