How many hours per week are recommended?
The original Lovaas research was done based on 40 hours a week and it is recommended that each child is tutored between 30 and 40 hours a week, in two or three hour sessions. Some families run a 5 day a week programme (and work on generalising skills on weekends), other families combine nursery placements and behavioural intervention and therefore run the programme on weekends too. It is important to realise that this programme is flexible and can incorporate the individual needs of children. Younger children may still need a nap or breaks to `run in the garden’. The team can help parents decide which activities the child benefits from and should continue with, and which may need to be postponed or stopped. Consistency in ABA programmes is important. You will need to discuss hours with your case manager/consultant to find the optimum for your child.
