Reddit reviews The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children With Autism and Related Disorders

If you have the ability to start ABA, take advantage. I've been a therapist for the last decade, and I have seen world's change for these kids with the right therapy. I worked with a little girl who came to the clinic a little older than two. She wouldn't let her dad touch her and she screamed all of the time. Her poor father had never hugged his daughter. Now she is in a typical class and has tons of language. Her life got completely turned around by ABA therapy. One little boy came to us at age two and he only like to watch lint fall and he had no language. He is also mainstreamed and was able to have his diagnosis removed. Another young man was functional in high school, but was completely rigid and did not engage in conversation. After his senior year and three years of ABA, he got an internship st a hospital and was able to carry on simple conversations. ABA, when implemented properly, is as close to magic as I've ever seen.

I highly recommend this book:
The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children With Autism and Related Disorders https://www.amazon.com/dp/1843108526/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Hhtywb1FT6Y8S

I'm sorry you have to go through this. All is not lost, your son is so young that early intervention can have a profound effect. Find a support group and educate yourself on the rights of your child. It won't be easy, but you're his mother and you can do it.

The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children With Autism and Related Disorders
http://amzn.com/1843108526
This is a fantastic place to start. It will provide you with a new framework for understanding and addressing behavior.

If you are feeling ambitious:
Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd Edition)
http://amzn.com/0131421131

This is the "bible" for ABA. It can be a little technical, but not beyond the average adult's comprehension. At the very least it will give you a reference.

Start with the VB-MAPP. It’s really not that difficult to understand. Buy yourself 1 copy of the workbook and use it as a guide to write individualized treatment plans. Not everything in it is useful for every child though, particularly higher functioning kids so you will need to come up with your own goals as well. Just get out there and start gaining the experience and confidence. You will get there eventually. Also, if you need help studying, The CBA Learning Modules helped me tremendously to pass the test. They are expensive but worth it. Here are some more good resources I found helpful when I was in school.

Teaching Language to Children With Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981835651/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_knMqAbP298N1D

The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children with Autism and Related Disorders https://www.amazon.com/dp/1843108526/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9nMqAbDP5Q2SP

Both of these are fairly easy reads with good information. The second book I have given to parents as part of their training to help them understand basic concepts they can apply at home.

Good on you!

You can't become a "registered behavior technician" and work with your own child but you can absolutely get the 40 hour training and have a consulting BCBA that trains, supervises, and updates the program for you.

Some other useful resources for implementing your own program are the classic Maurice and Green book and Mary Barbera's book and courses for "gung ho parents."

I'm in the opposite situation- did ABA for several years, now in residential. Look into this book. It's short and sweet, but a great step-by-step introduction into how to work with children with autism, esp. non-verbal children, on developing age-appropriate language. It's such a great and rewarding job, but remember to find joy in the small accomplishments. It's slow, incremental progress, but the end result is so incredibly worth the hard work. Good luck!

This is one I give to many of the parents I work with.

https://www.amazon.com/Verbal-Behavior-Approach-Children-Disorders/dp/1843108526