"With autism diagnoses at an all-time high, this updated second edition will be invaluable to parents searching for relevant information. Harris and Weiss, both directors of the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, know firsthand the importance of early intervention in autism. The current research they provide highlights the effectiveness of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, an autism treatment program based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for preschoolers with autism. Deciding to use ABA with a child requires research and reflection; this book will assist parents in creating and implementing an ABA program in their home and in selecting instructors and professional consultants. It will also help them evaluate public school programs and the pros and cons of a home-based vs. a center-based program. Most helpful are the personal anecdotes from parents detailing their experiences with autism and ABA. Any parent of a newly diagnosed toddler or preschooler would benefit from the information here when considering his or her child's treatment program. Highly recommended for public libraries, even those owning the first edition."
--Library Journal, April 1, 2007
"Right from the Start, released in 1998, has been a trusted primer for parents who choose--or are considering--an ABA approach for their child with ASD. Authors Sandra Harris, Ph.D. and Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA address critical components of early behavioral intervention programs: expertise of professionals; demands on the family; home-based, center-based, school-based models of instruction; curriculum; program indicators and more.
In this newly updated and expanded 2007 edition, they continue to skillfully guide parents through the complex process of understanding the differences among ABA programs and selecting the right program based on the individual needs of the child and the family. Especially appealing is their attention to old thought and new thought on ABA, coupled with easy-to-assimilate descriptions of what constitutes 'good programming' within today's therapy offerings. Real life stories from parents further impress upon the reader the myriad of program differences that fall under the broad umbrella of ABA and the need for parents to carefully evaluate both people and program components before making a treatment choice."
-Autism Asperger Digest, September 2007
"It is widely recognized that children on the autism spectrum make the greatest gains when they receive the earliest possible intensive behavioral intervention. But, even within the world of behavioral treatment, there exist varying approaches and a wide range of quality.
Written specifically for parents of newly diagnosed young children, Right From The Start provides all the essential information parents need to answer two of the most urgent questions facing them: 1) whether to seek applied behavior analysis (ABA) based treatment, and 2) how to recognize a good ABA program that fits their child’s particular needs.
The authors, professors at Rutgers University with decades of clinical experience treating children with autism, get parents quickly up to speed on all the information they need to make these critical treatment decisions. It is, by far, the single most important first book that parents of young children should read.
Decades of research have clearly established that early and intensive ABA treatment provides with the greatest gains, up to and including recovery for some. So why do so few children receive this treatment?
Too often, parents learn about behavioral treatment after it’s too late to obtain maximum benefit from it. Also, many parents mistakenly believe that their early intervention provider or school system is providing their child with an “ABA program” which meets the quality criteria established by the research. Unfortunately most do not.
Unlike most autism treatment books, this one is short (164 half-sized, large print pages, including dozens of helpful tables and pictures), and written in a clear, accessible style. Despite its brevity, it covers all the most important topics a parent needs to understand in assessing treatment options, including:
1) ABA treatment and the research supporting it;
2) What to teach and how to teach it, including descriptions of the most widely-used ABA teaching methods;
3) The similarities and differences among the various ABA models (i.e. home-based center-based, or school-based);
4) A description of the essential minimal components of any bona fide ABA treatment program.
The authors also delineate the key “common features of excellence” shared by all good quality ABA programs, including:
- adequately trained and supervised staff;
- a rich ratio of adults to children (“it is not uncommon for programs to offer a one-to-one ratio of adults to children during the first year or two of instruction”);
- opportunities for integration with normally developing peers;
- provisions for parental training and involvement;
- intensity of hours (at least 25-40 hours per week);
- a well developed and individualized curriculum.
If any of these components is missing, the program is seriously lacking.
Every parent reading this book will come away with a good handle on the sometimes arcane vocabulary of behavioral treatment methods: e.g. discrete trail instruction (DTI), Natural Environmental Training (NET), Verbal Behavior, Incidental Teaching, Fluency, Errorless Learning, Pivotal Response, etc. Parents also will learn how a mix of these approaches (with different mixes for different kinds of kids) can be optimal for a given child.
The authors effectively address the most persistent myths about ABA treatment (e.g. that it’s not effective for teaching social skills), and are refreshingly candid in their discussion of possible outcomes. While recognizing that some children lose their autistic symptoms as a result of early and intensive ABA treatment, the authors also acknowledge that some small number of children may not make all that much progress at all, however intense the intervention.
Ultimate outcomes are as varied as the children receiving the treatment. But all children on the autism spectrum benefit from some form of early and intensive behavioral intervention.
This is an extensively revised version of a book first published almost 10 years ago. The new edition, which takes account of all the new developments in ABA treatment during the intervening years, is much more up to date than its predecessor.
The huge outpouring of information on autism in recent years--books, web sites, listservs, etc.,--has been a somewhat mixed blessing for parents of newly diagnosed children. The danger is that parents won’t read the most important stuff soon enough to provide their children with the maximum benefits of early and intensive treatment.
Their first forays into the complex world of autism treatment often leave parents feeling confused, overwhelmed and even intimidated. But with Right From the Start as their friendly, supportive, indispensable guide, parents will navigate this journey with more success and less anxiety."
-Connecticut Families for Effective Autism Treatment Newsletter, Summer 2008
"The tasks facing parents of a child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) are overwhelming. This book addresses those factors in a well-documented order and answers numerous important questions, such as how early to start training one’s child, what type of program to use and where to find caring professional help.
The authors have collaborated for many years with colleagues at the Douglass Development Disabilities Center and the Rutgers Autism Program. As proponents of applied behavior analysis (ABA), they outline the ABA program, the techniques and protocol used in teaching and the need cooperation between home-based and school programs.
Each chapter has cogent comments by parents and resources for further information. At the end of the book several reputable organizations are listed, along with the caveat that many web sites exist but are not monitored.
Any therapist reading this book cannot help but regard the professionals who work with autistic children as well as their parents who continue the work at home with highest esteem and humility. The challenge and dedication involved in the programmed steps and repetition are incredible. For those who find paper work daunting, this is the ultimate in documentation.
For the health care worker who meets a family with an autistic child. This book is a true guide, one to be read by the professional to assist the parents in their search and to understand the stresses faced by the child and family. The book is, moreover, a guide which should be given to the parent(s) at the onset so they can independently seek and evaluate the right setting for their child."
-ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners, August 4, 2008
"Written by autism experts Sandra L. Harris and Mary Jane Weiss, Right from the Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism is a guide for parents and educators to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment for children with autism, methods that are ideally implemented as soon as a child has been diagnosed. Now in a revised and expanded second edition, Right from the Start covers the concept of early intensive behavioral intervention; home-based, center-based, and school-based programs; curriculum and teaching programs; choosing the right program for one's child; and much more. Highly recommended as a supplementary resource for anyone involved with or responsible for a child with autism spectrum disorder."
-The Midwest Book Review, August 2007
"This book has been written for both parents and professionals, but its primary goal is to educate parentsabout about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and about the importance of having early, intensive behavior management included in treatment programs for young children with autism. It is written in an easy-to-read format and includes case studies, charts, tables and checklists for parents. It briefly discusses the research which supports the effectiveness of ABA and provides an overview of how a program using its format would run.
In addition to discussing the benefits of early behavioral intervention this book explores the benefits and shortcomings of various models of service delivery including home-based, school-based and centre-based intervention programs. Within these models, The authors have highlighted what they believed to be the hallmarks of quality intervention programs and the social, language and play skills that should be targeted.
This book is a good resource for parents or professionals new to the area of behavioral intervention and for those that are interested in learning specifically about Applied Behavior Analysis. Occupational therapists may find this book to be very narrow in focus and will note that it does not discuss other models/methods of intervention for young children with autism or the shortcomings of ABA-type programs."
-Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, December 2008
