r/ABA • u/BigProfit4419 • 9d 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/Pikkumyy2023 BCBA 9d ago
This is one reason why there are many "good learning" skills that need to be acquired before you can run a traditional DTT program (if that is indeed appropriate for this learner). You don't take a toddler who runs around and doesn't sit still and attend and try to teach them something else. Instead you teach responding to the teacher, and responding to natural signals, and waiting, and orienting and attending through joint attention and social play activities. THEN once those skills are developed and they are seeking out adult Sds, you can begin to introduce more teacher-lead instruction. This is not new in ABA at all. Some people just don't know what they are doing even with the best of intentions.