Behavior Analysts, Inc.

We our proud of our students and staff. Periodically, we will present information about a few of our students and staff. Be sure to check out our page occasionally to learn about some very important individuals!

(Please note that we have placed these descriptions just to share the joy of some of the children we serve. We realize that not all children will progress to the same levels or at the same rate, but our overall goal is to see children acquire new skills)

December 2010

Our Story...

This is Dallin. He is 5 years old. He is my sunshine and my youngest child. He loves sharks and marine animals, has an amazing sense of humor, and he has autism.

Dallin was diagnosed at three and we were referred to the County special education department. He spent a year in their special day class and rode a school bus 75 minutes each way, each day to school. Eventually, my husband and I realized that he was not making progress. We couldn't understand the wording of the goals from the school (there were only 6 of them) and were frustrated that he could not do even the most basic things. He could only function in his own world.

At home, Dallin required a lot of effort for every interaction. Our family started to avoid large events and his siblings stopped trying to play with him. Dallin would scream or yell at them if they tried to engage him in games or conversation. It was not very fun to be around him. Most of the time we hardly noticed he was there because he was in the corner looking at shark figures through the corner of his eyes.

In the classroom, he was not required to participate or even join the group for circle time. He made very slow progress in most of his goals, due to a lack of focus and a methodology that was not appropriate for him. After a year of denial, no real, clear cut answers from the “experts� and an expectation that the school would “fix it�, my husband and I realized that our family desperately needed help.

One week before the 2008 AutismOne conference, we decided that I would leave Dad and our 5 kids to travel to Chicago for this 6 day conference. It was there that I met Dr. Partington and it changed the course of our lives. It is ironic and sad that Dr. P's clinic was two hours away but I had to fly to Chicago to get the help that Dallin needed.

Two months later, we drove to the clinic for a Learner Profile. For three days, five hours each day, the skilled efforts of Dr. Partington and Melissa Brown opened whole new world for Dallin and I learned more about Dallin and parenting than I ever thought I would. (I have been a mom for 17 years and have 5 children!)

In those three days, Dallin learned that if you pay attention to others you can learn new, exciting things.

In those three days, Dallin learned that it was better to hold his mom's hand than run away into the street. (even if it was to get M&M's in the beginning)

In those three days, Dallin learned to say Hi and Good-bye.

In those three days, Dallin learned that he could match items, label things, climb playground equipment, and that he loved puzzles. He was so suddenly so excited to learn new things.

In those three days, I learned that although his condition was absolutely not my fault, he and I had both become accustom to responding in a way that was allowing him to withdraw. I learned that when I asked him to do something, I HAD to be prepared to follow through. I learned that too much talking, is just too much noise for him. I needed to simplify my requests. I learned how to ask questions and make requests, to wait for answers and eye contact, how to organize his toys and how to use motivators to help him learn. In those three days, Dr. Partington taught me that I needed to slow down, take every small victory as a large victory, to be a cheerleader, and a short term candy giver (if needed) and be very patient but firm.

It was hard. Really hard. The simple act of waiting until Dallin asked for a toy appropriately, caused tantrums that would cause any person to give in immediately, let alone wait for the 3 hours before he finally responded. However, it was the best choice that I have ever made for Dallin.

After, as I drove home....by myself, I felt a small panic attack coming as I realized as soon as we got home, I would again be a busy, frazzled mom. How could I keep the everyday tasks from taking away the progress that we had made? How do I keep Dallin from going back to being the lost boy? And could we do this on our own?

I was so excited to show my husband that Dallin could say “Hi “ to him when we got home. Dallin had worked on this skill all week and had gotten pretty good at it. We walked through the door, stood in front of Dad, I prompted Dallin on what to say..... and Dallin wouldn't say it! This was my first test! So for two hours, Dallin and I sat down on the floor in the kitchen, and waited, and waited, and waited, with no dinner, with no toys, with many attempts at cuteness and tantrums until he was willing to say it. But It was an emotional father and a newly motivated mother who finally heard those words from their youngest son.

Since that night, we have battled the school district and the regional center for the services that we know Dallin needs. We've changed methodology, schools, trained aides, talked and talked to people, and written countless letters. October marked our first year with Behavior Analysts and Dallin is on track to be in a typical Kindergarten class (probably with an aide). We have worked so hard and spent so much time but he is an entirely different child and we love to be with him. We have been blessed with glimpses of the real person inside because of the tools that are now available to us.

Those tools include the Verbal Behavior method and specifically the ABLLS assessment tool. It is different than any other program and has been the most effective intervention for Dallin. The visual “map� and its simple explanations allow parents, grandparents, siblings, aides, teachers and administrators to understand current and needed skills. It outlines EACH skill that someone needs to learn (typically learned by 5) in order to progress successfully in the real world. Also, Capturing the Motivation of Children with Autism, is the single most helpful, practical book I have read for all my children. (Who knew that you could use the same concepts on a 17 year old even though it is not labeled as a parenting book?!) I have given out so many copies, I really need a better discount! :)

Dr. Partington and Melissa have truly become part of our family. The knowledge that they have shared is invaluable, the skills our family is learning is indispensable, the caring that they give is genuine and the progress Dallin is making is priceless. Thank you, Behavior Analysts, for sharing your talents and your time. We love you!

Sincerely,
The Stewart Family

June 2008

David and Robert

In May 2005 our family moved to Albany NY in search of establishing a program to progress our twin boys who both had a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. The boys were just 3 at the time. David was completely non-verbal and had such severe behavioral issues that we didn't even dare speak to him most of the time for fear of him biting himself. Robert was able to say words but there was no real communication component. He too had behavioral issues that had us walking on egg shells. We had to have certain things on the television, we could not sing, there were phrases that would send the boys into a tantrum. We were surviving in this prison like atmosphere where noone, not even the boys who we thought we were making more comfortable, was happy.

We started a 20 hours a week home program using applied verbal behavior in June 2005. The team including myself had attended a 3 day training from Behavior Analysts. We followed the ABLLS and worked closely with our BCBA. Within 1 months time David had stopped biting the teachers and had 3 adapted signs he was using to request with. Robert was using his language for requesting.

At the end of the summer the boys were able to enter an all day preschool. David had 7 adapted signs and Robert now was using approximately 50 words with purpose.
During the next year and a half we followed the ABLLS. Dr. James Partington consulted in our home on 3 occasions, we all attended his workshops when he was in Albany.
The boys continued to progress at such a rapid rate is was difficult to constantly come up with new targets for them.

Robert completed the 240 word list within 6 months. David's signing progressed to verbal approximations, then to actual words in December 2005. After those first few words "eat", "up", "puzzle" he just took he had well over 50 words by January.

This school year 2007-2008 the boys were able to enter a typical integrated kindergarten together. They learned to read, spell, write, make up stories, play games, and most importantly they have made real connections with children in their class. They were actually invited to 3 birthday parties this year.

I credit their success to Dr. James Partington. His invaluable tool the ABLLS and the teaching books brought my children out of darkness. They were just existing, none of us were living, every day was spent surviving.

Dr. Partington so graciously showed me that I also needed to change what I was doing. "Walking on eggshells" was getting all of us nowhere fast.

When people talk of heroes and people they admire, I think of Dr. James Partington, he is the man who saved my children. I wish to thank him, and to let the world know that this method of teaching, made the picture above of my boys in baseball uniforms on their way to their game possible. Yes, it is challanger baseball, but even putting on the uniform would not have been possible without this exceptional program.

From everyone who knows and loves Robert and David, thank you Dr. Partington. Thank you for giving them the foundation to learn and most importantly to live.

Sincerely
Julia & John Stiles
Latham, NY