The topic of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy most likely has came up in discussion with your child’s doctor as a therapy for autism. There is so much aba therapy controversy across the internet. From autism advocates to actually autistic adults that discuss aba therapy horror stories, their experiences on why is aba harmful reddit. it is still one of the only main therapies covered by insurance for children with autism.

If ABA therapy is your only option currently, there’s a few red flags to be aware of when choosing the best therapist for your child. We trialed over 7 months of ABA therapy (because we didn’t know better). In this blog post, we will discuss some of the red flags we noticed with our son’s ABA clinic, why I left ABA, and what to look out for when it comes to your child’s ABA therapy, so that you can ensure that your child is receiving the best possible care. Get to know more about my son Drake here!
How to Tell if an Autism ABA Therapy Center is Harmful

Extreme Hours
No child needs 40 hours a week of therapy. If the clinic director won’t budge on hours and insists on an all-or-nothing approach, run in the opposite direction. At the end of the day, you are your child’s best advocate. Take this with a grain of salt, as it’s the government and they’re always looking for ways to cut costs, but the DoD also released a study back in 2020 that dependents enrolled were not seeing significant progress in ABA Therapy. The following are just some of the top reasons why 40 hours a week of therapy can be harmful.
- Overwhelming and exhausting for young children, who may not have the stamina or attention span to sustain this level of engagement over an extended period of time.
- May lead to burnout, resistance to therapy, self injury behavior, and negative emotional reactions, such as frustration, anxiety, or depression.
- Can be overly rigid and focused on compliance, rather than encouraging children to develop a sense of autonomy and self-determination.
- May lead to a child feeling that they are being controlled or manipulated, rather than supported in their development.
- Can be a barrier to socialization, play, and other important aspects of childhood, as it may take up a significant portion of a child’s day and limit their opportunities for other activities.
- Can put a strain on the family’s schedule, resources, and emotional well-being, as parents and caregivers may need to make significant adjustments to accommodate the therapy schedule.
- May not be necessary or effective for every child, as each child with autism has unique needs and strengths that may require a tailored approach to therapy.
Backed By a Hedge Fund
This was the most shocking to me when I found out my child’s ABA clinic was owned by a hedge fund. It felt like the company made it this huge secret where you had to dig. And, it’s not just happening locally in San Antonio. Hedge funds are buying up ABA clinics all over the country. From personal experience, which you’ll read on below, I’ve found that these types of centers only have two things in mind – How much they can bill insurance, and how much they can triple their profits and continue buying up small clinics.
Forces Makeup Hours

If the clinic insists on making up hours for a drs appointment, holidays, vacation, wants you to come in on a Saturday, etc..drop the clinic immediately. The clinic only cares about how many hours they’re billing to insurance and not the well-being of the child. Don’t accept any guilt trips that RBT’s won’t get paid or any excuse that the “insurance requires make-up sessions.” They don’t. At all. Your child deserves to have regular breaks, just like their school age counter-parts do, or even just a mental health day, without being forced to extend their therapy days over missed hours.
Forces Eye Contact

This is something that I’m 100% against in any of my child’s therapies. Forcing eye contact isn’t needed to function in society, so why are we forcing children with autism to comply? Not only do neuro-typical adults find eye contact often awkward, but it’s also proven in study after study with children with autism it being uncomfortable, overstimulating, or even painful. Some children may also struggle to maintain eye contact due to sensory processing differences, anxiety, or other factors, which can make this task even more challenging and stressful.
Expecting Kids to Perform on Demand
I saw this first-hand with one of my child’s RBT’s and it instantly made sense why we were seeing an increase in meltdowns every morning going to ABA. Drake was having meltdowns every morning when we transitioned from his PT/Speech over to the ABA clinic next door. Meltdowns that made me feel so helpless as a parent to watch. One day the RBT came out to “help” transition Drake and made it 100% worse. I witnessed them shove flashcards in-front of his face, during a meltdown, expecting him to read and understand the sentence on the flashcard and comply with what was being asked of him…completely ignoring the signs that Drake was stressed and shutting down.
No Stimming

You’d be surprised how many clinics, just in the San Antonio area still follow this outdated approach. Stims like flapping hands, jumping up and down, clapping, spinning etc are not harmful and shouldn’t be restricted. in fact, it’s how many kids with autism self-regulate, express happiness, and interact with the world. The only exception should be if the stim is harmful/injuring to themselves or others. In that case, the therapist should be looking for a replacement stim instead of restricting the child altogether.
No Drop-in Observation Allowed

If you’re not allowed to drop in to observe your child’s therapy.. an immediate red flag. As a parent, it is your right to check in on your child. You may be given a reason that it’s “distracting. to the child, however ABA is the only therapy I have found so far that guards observing so much. Any other therapy encourages observing. If your child is having behavior changes after starting ABA, there’s most likely a reason and it’s not because they’re being defiant or don’t want to work. Choose a center that has an open door policy.
Multiple Wet Clothing Changes a Day
This one drove me insane. If your child is going through multiple 3-4X sets of clothing changes per day, and soaking 1/2 pairs of shoes a day, that is neglect on the clinic and not your child’s fault or potty training. Pull your child immediately and don’t accept any excuses.
Behavior Changes

Pay close attention to your child’s behavior. All behavior is a form of communication and a flag that there could be something going on at the clinic/with a specific therapist. For us, Drake suddenly started having meltdowns to the point of self-injuring behavior that didn’t start until starting ABA and only increased in intensity. He also would come home with full lunch boxes, which was not normal at all for him. The behaviors were blamed on Drake as being defiant, and not to worry. We pulled Drake immediately.
In conclusion, starting ABA for your child can be a difficult decision
I’m not going to say whether or not ABA is the best therapy or force my opinion on any parent. We already get judged enough as caregivers of special needs children. For some families, this truly is the only therapy option that’s covered, and alternative therapies cost hundreds to thousands of dollars out of pocket per month. It’s simply unrealistic for the majority of middle class families to afford these alternatives therapies and we receive zero assistance.
By watching out for the warning signs we discussed, including changes in behavior, extreme hours with no flexibility, forced eye contact, and other restrictions on the child’s individual needs and preferences, parents can help ensure that their child is receiving the best possible care.
If you do observe any of these red flags, it’s important to speak up and advocate for your child’s needs and discontinue services. Remember, as a parent, you know your child best, and you have the right to be an active participant in your child’s therapy and care. By working collaboratively with your child’s therapist and staying attuned to your child’s well-being and progress, you can help ensure that your child receives the support and resources they need to thrive. In the next post, we’ll discuss the alternatives to aba therapy and what we have Drake enrolled in now.
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