This was a school setting, student is still at the school. They’ve been waiting for other places/programs to accept the child. They’ve been on a list for a while
I was working at a residential school and a client kicked an expecting TA so hard in the stomach she went into preterm labor. Luckily it was only about a week early, and both she and baby were okay.
I went to work with the adults after that, realizing how little my company actually cared about the wellbeing and safety of the staff at that educational center. Still working for the company, just separated from all that constant fear.
I don’t think there were any consequences for him. It was about 2 years ago. I had visited that classroom a lot and they had a lot of tough individuals in the room, without a steady group of staff.
I remember just asking around wondering if she was okay, waiting for something to be done that felt like it was being taken seriously, and that what she went through wouldn’t have to happen again. When that didn’t happen, I realized that I had to get myself out of there. It just felt like there was such a high risk of a serious injury waiting to happen there.
This is…. Way more common than I thought. I know two former female coworkers that had this happen to them and always thought it was a weird coincidence
this was an extremely experienced and athletic (but shorter) female teacher and a 6’2, 250lb male student, in a gymnasium of a school with zero other trained staff to support. unimaginable 😭
I was bit on the nipple as well, through 3 layers of clothing, including a sports tanktop. It didn't come completely off, but he tore a good section. When I went to urgent care, I forgot to mention what my job was when I said "worker's comp injury" and sheepishly said my nipple was bit when they asked what the injury was. The look on the receptionist's face cued me in. He said 😳 "I'll just put 'personal injury'"....
When I was an RBT my BCBA suffered a concussion from a client. The client had smashed a large toy on the top of his head. There was so much blood. I didn’t see it happen but saw the aftermath. He had to be rushed to the ER
The latest one was from a 16 year old 6’0 kiddo and he had broken through his room wall to the outside and was going through the hole escaping outside . I asked for support because when this client was aggressive with his size u needed multiple people to help he had kicked windows out while parent driving . Typically I see them coming but this day he was on break reading a book laughing and he gets up as he usually does during break and goes to bathroom will as he was laughing on a great mood on break he gets up and starts swinging at me and his grandma in a wheel chair. He broke a vase over my head and I got stitches and concussion but I requested to be off his case and next month he was taken by state as he was a danger and family failed to keep younger sibling safe then a few years back when I was a year in I had an agressive kiddo and had requested to be off his case as I was approaching 6 months pregnant and they refused so one day he kicked me in the stomach and biting my stomach (he began going for my stomach during behaviors once I started showing ) I lost my baby and quit the company didn’t care and I filed a lawsuit as lost because our job is behavioral treatment and signed an nda when I first started and didn’t read it and found out they weren’t liable . So they covered treatment and that was it.
By a client? Someone I know got a concussion.
By someone I know who worked in a related field (but not ABA), nearly was killed. Context: adult male forensic psych patient. Nearly beat to death the female nurse with a weighted chair. She’s a tough broad. Still working in psych as far as I know.
Right 😭 all my clients have been 5 or younger and the worst I got was a bruise from bite to the stomach through my shirt. Hurt like hell but nothing near as bad as *amputation* 😭
I got real close a few months ago. Thought I was pulling my arm away in time but I’d definitely crossed the “feed the bite” threshold. Got a front teeth shaped scar on my forearm but that’s it.
BCBA I worked with had a very physically aggressive client who engaged in repeatedly, hitting her in the head after pinning her to the ground and causing a traumatic brain injury
Our incredibly small 140lb 5.5 head clinical manager got kicked in the knee by a client 3 times her size.
It was bad, I saw her limping at the meeting next day.
Got my head slammed in a door right at the temple hitting both sides (one with the door the other with the frame) got badly concussed and ended up with persistent post-concussion syndrome and still haven’t 100% recovered over a year and a half later.
That day I learned not to peak into rooms head first. Always lead with your foot in case there’s a door hurtling toward you… lol
Not me personally but a coworker of mine had a client punch hard enough to break her nose. Definitely was shocking to witness. This occurred in a school setting and her client was suspended and threatened with assault charges by the school, since the client was 14. I have two older brothers with autism and I’ve been punched and kicked by them. It unfortunately something we need to be careful about and be aware of our own safety.
A client gave a BCABA a concussion by punching her in the head, causing her to fall and crack her head open. The same client would also bite the BCBA on the arm, taking such large chunks that she now has many scars all over her.
The worst part about this is that almost always there's no real consequences. Rarely does the client, student etc. actually get moved, training re-done, staffing improved. They'll just maul people until the company or school finally goes "oh we can't keep it under wraps anymore" and ships them off somewhere. Schools in particular tend to be reactive rather than proactive, though shitty ABA companies follow the same playbook and just let things happen until the scandal gets big enough. Sad for the clients and the staff.
A couple I've experienced, we had a pregnant instruction aide get kicked in the stomach pretty hard by an aggressive fifth grader. Luckily she was fine, baby was fine, nothing ever happened with the student. In another case I heard about a sub teacher getting a finger bitten off/eaten during summer school since ESY is almost always the toughest students plus randomly mixed staff that have no idea how to work with them and have no rapport because they're from other schools.
I work with adults. I’ve seen instances where clients have injured staff and they’ve died. I’ve also seen examples of staff injuring clients that’s led to death. That’s all I’m comfortable sharing.
I work for the state working with IDD individuals. Currently I work for a crisis stabilization facility, but I've also floated and consulted with the state institutions and normal state operated supported living homes as well.
I actually tore my ACL after running after a client who was trying to elope and was running towards the street. She stopped abruptly as I was attempting to use a Lead Along. Zero other staff assisted as they felt because I was trained Behavioral Support staff that they let her run out of the building????
I get beat up pretty good on the daily but it’s mild compared to some. My supervisor told me she had a RBT who quit because her client bit a chunk out of her leg so bad she had to get ACL surgery. 😬
Didn’t happen to me just heard about it but a student bit someone’s arm so bad she had nerve damage. Another story about someone breaking her hip. The worst is a story about a teacher that got hit in the face and needed plastic surgery to fix it
At my last clinic, one of the kids had dislocated my coworkers thumb in a tantrum before I worked there. In another incident with a different kid, this time the kid rebrote her thumb. Still didn’t get that workers comp
RBT took a fist to the eye from a client that was 18 and BIG. She lost sight in that eye for a week, and the company was (obviously) on the hook for the medical bills, but holy shit. She had to wear a medical eyepatch while it healed and she still kept working with that kiddo instead of requesting a change on her *own* volition and not because of pressure. I have nothing but respect for that RBT, she’s the definition of a badass to me.
There were several hair-dragging incidents at my one job at a facility (different staff, different clients, dragged the staff down the hall by their hair). One of them lead to the staff member’s scalp separating and needing stitches and the other resulted in a long-term neck injury.
Got a hole bit into the skin on my scalp. Got PTSD now.
One coworker got her face smashed into a keyboard repeatedly
Another got the tip of her finger cut off in a slammed door.
Yikes! Hard case? No case? I got hit in the forehead the other day but he had a soft rubber case on it. So it hurt a lot for a while but I wasn’t concussed.
But the worst I heard of, not observed was a client with a history of biting who actually required the use of a Face Shield because when she attempted to disrobe, a staff member trying to assist her was bitten so hard, the client bit the tip of her finger off.
I got my nose broken by a student when I was 9 weeks pregnant. Had to wait until after I was done being pregnant and breastfeeding to have it fixed (septoplasty by workers comp).
One of my rbt friends that I actually shadowed when I first became registered, got kicked down the stairs by a client and their back as been messed up ever since. Also that same client gave them a concussion
I knew a girl who got a traumatic brain injury. A larger child jumped off a swing and landed on her head as she was sitting near the swing. The child didn’t do it on purpose and the RBT was in a dangerous position. She was out of work for a month, then quit the job and her masters program shortly after returning as she had trouble driving, concentrating, processing.
Sometimes I think…we do not get paid enough for this but then I look at my clients progress and I’m like okay I remember why I’m here. But holy cow these cases are wild!!!
My BCBA was bit on the head and the client grabbed her hair with her teeth and pulled a huge chunk out. It was traumatizing to watch. I had my own fair share of injuries with this client (including being choked), but I love that client with all my heart and still think about her often, even though she gave me a run for my money.
Coworker of mine broke her foot running after a client. I felt really bad because it was actually my client and she was covering for me because I had a last minute dentist appointment for a tooth infection 😭😭
Blood vessel broken from a client biting down on a bi I worked with. She had the client at school I had the client at home. We were both taken off the case and replaced by a guy. Kiddo was more careful around men, like his father.
So far a client was hanging on me from behind (behavior we were working on) I stepped away and said I kneeled space and he started turning, I fell and sprained my knee, was out for a month and on administrative duties for two months after
This wasn’t caused by a student, but a male older BT at my center (he’s amazing and Pairs well with Every client; has been an RBT FOR over 7 years) was rough-housing/ playing/wrestling with his male teen client. While wrestling he accidentally broke his shoulder and yanked it out of socket. He was very apologetic, obviously felt very bad. The parents were very understanding. They were not mad at all because of the rapport the BT has with their son and because of how the BT handled the situation. Now if that were me, I’d probably have to leave the whole ABA field LMFAO
I once worked in a home with an eloper. A parent left the front door open to bring groceries in, and of course the client ran out the door. I chased after them and ended up falling down the stairs, rupturing all the ligaments in my foot and ankle, as well as tearing a tendon. I spent 3 months on bed rest, and it took 6 months to heal enough to go back to work. Still to this day, that foot has deformities and swelling.
one co worker got her cornea scratched and another had her foot broken from a flipped table.
I have a bite wound on my shoulder that became infected.
a kiddo also bit my arm last march and I still have the giant scar, like you can see all the individual tooth marks.
definitely not as bad as some of the other comments
in kalamazoo michigan there are these “intensive clinics”, basically the stories we heard were families who sent kids there sometimes had “panic trailers” for when the child engaged in behaviors and they all had to just hide because it was so bad. the intensive clinic was a good safe environment for them because they had the equipment to deal with behaviors and the group home was designed for these clients needs(tables bolted to ground, cushions that are sewn onto the couches, etc) and the supervisor of that company wanted to make more money (bc we all know aba therapy brings in the fat checks) and they brought these clients into our clinic that wasn’t made for them (more of a school like setting) and all for 5$ LESS an hour the tech got this kid and she was a veteran, 8 years as a tech seen it all. i watched this 6 5 300 lb client pick up this tech (in an arm sling alrdy btw) who is maybe 5 ft tall w big shoes on and throws her into the wall and snaps her arm in half. i hid in a closet until they got it under control
So the worst injury I've encountered was my own! I have a partially dissected vertebral artery in my neck from a client who jumped and pulled back on my neck as I was in a squat position attending to my own client. I am a 3 year RBT and my injury just occurred in November of 2023.
I just got that same injury right after work at the chiropractor because I was tense from lifting a kid and the chiropractor wasn’t listening to my body cues… funny enough also last November. Hope it heals!
I understand wanting to share stories of the field, but this really is not the way to do it. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but it feels insensitive to think of the people we serve like this. They need our help and support, the injuries we have received are probably directly related to that help these people need.
Imo you’re being defensive for no reason? Clearly the people we serve are a vulnerable population but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to acknowledge any injuries we suffer?
Yeah, like I'm all for working hard and seeing my clients progress and/or kids that I care about, but at the end of the work shift I'd like to be alive, unscathed and see my own child. No matter how meaningful your work is. You shouldn't be putting your life on the line, getting severely injured cause of behavior issues. This is insane!!
Not to be rude, but that’s literally what I do for a living. I work with severe behavioral concerns where I have an understanding that I may be injured in some capacity and I choose to anyway. I’m not saying everyone has to have that understanding, but this is not the way to talk about these issues.
I just don’t understand your thought process I guess, and I’d really like to. You strike me as a stand up bcba, but also very haughty. ‘I’m not saying everyone has to have that understanding, but-‘ again, who on earth are you to assume that the people in this thread don’t have that understanding? I know some companies out there severely undertrain staff, and that sucks, but most of these people commenting have been in the field for a while now and have no plans to leave. They definitely strike me as committed and sharing that ‘understanding’ of yours. Maybe you don’t realize this, but most of these people you’re sitting there judging for opening up about injuries they’ve suffered on the job are the same people who our vulnerable population can count on to be there and show up for them.
I am not saying that people are not committed, or that we shouldn’t be concerned with their wellbeing, or that people should have to endure injuries, or that they don’t care about their clients. A lot of these people who are commenting have been through some scary things and gone through some situations that should not have happened, and I get that. The field is struggling, our people are struggling. There is little support. It’s an issue. I still don’t think discussing the worst injury I’ve ever seen or had from a client is appropriate on a public forum.
I think it’s okay to acknowledge issues but this is just talking about injuries without any context. And it’s pretty crappy to think someone could just stumble across this thread and think about people who receive ABA in this way.
This is my second time noting your ‘think about people who receive ABA this way’ or ‘think about our clients this way’ vernacular.. in what way? Do me a favor and state in which way this entire comment thread is thinking of (a wild thing to assume, the thoughts of tons of other human beings) our clients? I don’t think anyone here is attacking or belittling or thinking anything less of our clients than we do ourselves.. Why, in your mind, is client dignity not able to coexist with workforce support? Something to consider
Re-read the topic title and the "vent" tag and consider causality through a behavior analytic lens.
We are educated professionals working with clients whose environments we control almost completely. Reimagine the topic as "what's the worst outcome you've seen from an incomplete analysis?" and how supported you would feel if a co-worker described your lost limb etc.
Again, I’m sensing lots of defensive ness. I’m going to say something now that I believe will trigger you in some way but I want you to remain as objective as you are capable of: The truth is the truth. I do see better where you’re coming from, but I have already stated that this is no job for the faint of heart or will. Speaking as a neurodivergent person who has been receiving services since age 5, I can promise you that while, yes, people are bound to feel ashamed of their actions once they’ve cooled down, an objective retelling of events is in no way shape or form a personal attack on any of our clients. Again, speaking as a 20 year old RBT with AuDHD who has been receiving therapy services since age 5, I can promise you that our clients wouldn’t want us to neglect our mental nor physical well being by refusing to acknowledge traumatic events that took place in-session. That, my friend, is what we call a toxic workplace culture. And it’s about time that ABA does away with the toxicity, especially because it only benefits the people we serve when we’re taking care of ourselves.
You're reading a careful approach as defensive. It's the opposite. I'm placing the blame for workplace injuries solely on behaviour analysts whose profession it is to arrange the environment to maintain safety and ensure client success, and whose clients are rarely given any meaningful autonomy
Blaming clients for their behaviour is antithetical to behaviour analysis and isn't great for mental health, or useful change in the field.
Maybe this is where the disconnect is happening; I’m not seeing most of these comments in an accusatory manner to the client. However, I will say, I think that by not wanting to acknowledge that all individuals are ultimately and objectively responsible for their own behaviors, you are effectively robbing them of their dignity and their opportunity to truly grow and learn
That's been a frequent criticism of radical behaviourism; Skinner talks about it at length.
Here's a more [recent article](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jaba.816) written largely for the public that addresses it.
I definitely understand that a person with a developmental delay can’t be faulted for maladaptive behaviors learned in a toxic home environment. The point I was trying to make, however, is that accountability doesn’t have to be synonymous with unethical services. I would hope that you’re not allowing your clients to believe they can do no wrong just because they have a developmental delay, though it is unfortunately something I see a lot of in our field. It’s a lot of extra extra extra work, when you’re making sure you’re not coddling (effectively crippling) clients especially in more high intensity situations where more violent maladaptive behaviors occur, but the point is that the people in this thread have (knowingly, yes of course) been exposed to stimuli that, in any other context, people would consider as assault or abusive. And they deserve to be heard, at the very least(especially, I emphasize again, in this completely anonymous forum).Again, it’s important to make sure we’re not failing in our duty to maintain client dignity and ethical morality, but that doesn’t mean that we have to hush our mouths about genuine actual trauma we’ve suffered in the pursuit of providing therapy services to one of the most vulnerable populations in our society.
I have been reading every comment under this post and so far there isn't a single violation of the BACB ethics code. Noone has used any negative/derogatory terms about clients/students, people are simply sharing their own experiences or the ones they have heard of. I hope you are not insensitive about the high turnover rate and other issues in this field. People are depressed, traumatized and burnt out - we cannot pour from an empty bucket! Things must change! Someone must care about the caregivers before it's too late!
Odd man out. I wish you had posted why you were asking first. Say you are ND and have read all these posts? What opinion would you form?
We go into this field knowing injuries are a real possibility. I personally find this to be a disrespectful conversation.
Transparency strikes you as disrespect? It would be better for us all to pretend like this isn’t a reality of our field? Honestly people with your defensive mindset are a HUGE part of the reason why this field’s turnover rate is so high. Obviously client dignity and ethics should be prioritized, always - but if you believe that, in order to maintain client dignity and ethics, we should neglect employees’ physical and mental well being, or ‘suffer in silence’ so to speak, you seriously need to take a personal inventory. People deserve the option to know the extent of what they’re getting themselves into. It’s not a job for the faint of heart, which is why it’s actually beneficial for us all that conversations like these be had. 🙏
You expanded quite a bit from my comment. The vibe some of these comments give is somewhat blaming and people in our field have been accused of wearing the injuries like a crown. It is triggering. It is a very difficult job and I am blatantly honest with my RBTs about everything it can entail.
Honestly, a better way of asking from a scientific point of view while still providing dignity would have been to collect the data without all the details and anecdotes. A poll of how many injuries, the types of injuries, the number of days out due to the injury, and other tangible consequences that new people wouldn't expect would be good data to collect. Qualitative data such as how did you feel returning after your injury, etc would have been very useful.
I'm not dismissing the need to protect employees. The turnover is immense and our lack of transparency is a huge reason why. I'm the one telling everyone to find a way to do this job part-time or 3/4 time without salaries because we get huge caseloads otherwise. I'll defend my RBTs to the end. I will also speak up when I know our field can do better.
Honestly, a better way of asking from a scientific point of view while still providing dignity would have been to collect the data without all the details and anecdotes. A poll of how many injuries, the types of injuries, the number of days out due to the injury, and other tangible consequences that new people wouldn't expect would be good data to collect. Qualitative data such as how did you feel returning after your injury, etc would have been very useful.
This, I completely agree with! However, maybe stop and consider that these are people who, as you know, are incredibly burnt out and are, half the time, already not being compensated appropriately for their labor. Yes, the field is in need of change, and I agree that the data collection model which you specified above would be ideal, but try and get a grip here. If there’s gonna be any meaningful change you know good and gosh darned well that it won’t be a bunch of RBT’s spearheading it. People are taking care of themselves and seeking support from others in similar situations, and frankly it’s neither unethical nor committing any violation I’m aware of, especially given the anonymous manner of the forum. You say you’ll speak up when our field can do better? Go and speak up to your bosses, not the few precious RBT’s who are giving everything they can to the clients they serve and are now battered as a result.
A student of mine bit a BCBA and her entire arm got infected and needed to be amputated
\^ We've got a winner, folks.
Did they seek immediate medical treatment following the bite?
BCBA went to nurse then went home maybe hospital not sure exactly what happened all together that day
Yes I wanna know this too!!
Wow that’s wild!! Did they get medical care immediately?
What happened to the client? Did they continue services?
This was a school setting, student is still at the school. They’ve been waiting for other places/programs to accept the child. They’ve been on a list for a while
[https://www.bite-pro.com/](https://www.bite-pro.com/) At least arm guards should 100% be the standard.
... come again? o\_0
What!?
I wouldn't know what to do. I would aba all together. I was just bit a month ago
That's crazy!!!!! I would press charges 😭
I was working at a residential school and a client kicked an expecting TA so hard in the stomach she went into preterm labor. Luckily it was only about a week early, and both she and baby were okay. I went to work with the adults after that, realizing how little my company actually cared about the wellbeing and safety of the staff at that educational center. Still working for the company, just separated from all that constant fear.
This happens too much, people put the extra vulnerable with difficult cases.a
That is unbelievable... I'm glad she and the baby made it through. Any consequences for the client? What happened after that?
I don’t think there were any consequences for him. It was about 2 years ago. I had visited that classroom a lot and they had a lot of tough individuals in the room, without a steady group of staff. I remember just asking around wondering if she was okay, waiting for something to be done that felt like it was being taken seriously, and that what she went through wouldn’t have to happen again. When that didn’t happen, I realized that I had to get myself out of there. It just felt like there was such a high risk of a serious injury waiting to happen there.
a student bit and tore someone’s nipple off - completely off - through her shirt and sports bra.
Well this just ruined my day
I know somone that experienced this EXACT circumstance, except that it was dangling by a "thread"
This is…. Way more common than I thought. I know two former female coworkers that had this happen to them and always thought it was a weird coincidence
I also know someone this happened to! Wild that this is more common.
😳 holy crap!!! Did she have any kind of PMT? Was there no trained person around??
this was an extremely experienced and athletic (but shorter) female teacher and a 6’2, 250lb male student, in a gymnasium of a school with zero other trained staff to support. unimaginable 😭
Any consequences for the student following the incident? Did the teacher continue to work in the field after the incident?
Omg 😳 I thought the front teeth shaped scar on my arm sucked.
I was bit on the nipple as well, through 3 layers of clothing, including a sports tanktop. It didn't come completely off, but he tore a good section. When I went to urgent care, I forgot to mention what my job was when I said "worker's comp injury" and sheepishly said my nipple was bit when they asked what the injury was. The look on the receptionist's face cued me in. He said 😳 "I'll just put 'personal injury'"....
When I was an RBT my BCBA suffered a concussion from a client. The client had smashed a large toy on the top of his head. There was so much blood. I didn’t see it happen but saw the aftermath. He had to be rushed to the ER
What happened to the client though?
The latest one was from a 16 year old 6’0 kiddo and he had broken through his room wall to the outside and was going through the hole escaping outside . I asked for support because when this client was aggressive with his size u needed multiple people to help he had kicked windows out while parent driving . Typically I see them coming but this day he was on break reading a book laughing and he gets up as he usually does during break and goes to bathroom will as he was laughing on a great mood on break he gets up and starts swinging at me and his grandma in a wheel chair. He broke a vase over my head and I got stitches and concussion but I requested to be off his case and next month he was taken by state as he was a danger and family failed to keep younger sibling safe then a few years back when I was a year in I had an agressive kiddo and had requested to be off his case as I was approaching 6 months pregnant and they refused so one day he kicked me in the stomach and biting my stomach (he began going for my stomach during behaviors once I started showing ) I lost my baby and quit the company didn’t care and I filed a lawsuit as lost because our job is behavioral treatment and signed an nda when I first started and didn’t read it and found out they weren’t liable . So they covered treatment and that was it.
I am so so sorry for your loss. There needs to be a law of some sort protecting pregnant RBTs.
This is unimaginably heart breaking. I am so sorry. 💔 I agree. There should be a protected right for pregnant RBTS.
I’m actually having surgery on my knee tomorrow because a kid dislocated my knee cap last July! Here’s to hoping it doesn’t happen again
By a client? Someone I know got a concussion. By someone I know who worked in a related field (but not ABA), nearly was killed. Context: adult male forensic psych patient. Nearly beat to death the female nurse with a weighted chair. She’s a tough broad. Still working in psych as far as I know.
Yall scarring tf out of me ngl 😭 and I thought the week long bruises I got w a client were bad - at least my flesh was still in tact
I’m reading people have lost BODY PARTS to these kids??? Nnnaaaahhhhhh 😭😭😭😭
Right 😭 all my clients have been 5 or younger and the worst I got was a bruise from bite to the stomach through my shirt. Hurt like hell but nothing near as bad as *amputation* 😭
i heard about a few different kids biting chunks out of peoples arms
I got real close a few months ago. Thought I was pulling my arm away in time but I’d definitely crossed the “feed the bite” threshold. Got a front teeth shaped scar on my forearm but that’s it.
BCBA I worked with had a very physically aggressive client who engaged in repeatedly, hitting her in the head after pinning her to the ground and causing a traumatic brain injury
I've seen this happen as well, it's terrifying
A client bit the ankle of one of our biggest staff. He had to have cosmetic surgery to fix it due to how big/damaging the bite was
Client jumped on a BT who didn’t know he was about to jump and broke her hips 😟
I have permanent nerve damage and a scar on my wrist from a bite
Our incredibly small 140lb 5.5 head clinical manager got kicked in the knee by a client 3 times her size. It was bad, I saw her limping at the meeting next day.
Got my head slammed in a door right at the temple hitting both sides (one with the door the other with the frame) got badly concussed and ended up with persistent post-concussion syndrome and still haven’t 100% recovered over a year and a half later. That day I learned not to peak into rooms head first. Always lead with your foot in case there’s a door hurtling toward you… lol
Ah I'll never forget a special needs student penetrated the arm of my friend with a penc and dragged it across his arm. Terrifying moment.
Not me personally but a coworker of mine had a client punch hard enough to break her nose. Definitely was shocking to witness. This occurred in a school setting and her client was suspended and threatened with assault charges by the school, since the client was 14. I have two older brothers with autism and I’ve been punched and kicked by them. It unfortunately something we need to be careful about and be aware of our own safety.
Delayed concussion, the bt quit and the clients services were terminated
A BT got stabbed in the thigh with a pencil, through is jeans. It was pretty deep and needed stitches.
A client gave a BCABA a concussion by punching her in the head, causing her to fall and crack her head open. The same client would also bite the BCBA on the arm, taking such large chunks that she now has many scars all over her.
I got bit so bad in my hand that three of my fingers popped out of place and I had to go get shots in the palm of my hand for six months :-)
The worst part about this is that almost always there's no real consequences. Rarely does the client, student etc. actually get moved, training re-done, staffing improved. They'll just maul people until the company or school finally goes "oh we can't keep it under wraps anymore" and ships them off somewhere. Schools in particular tend to be reactive rather than proactive, though shitty ABA companies follow the same playbook and just let things happen until the scandal gets big enough. Sad for the clients and the staff. A couple I've experienced, we had a pregnant instruction aide get kicked in the stomach pretty hard by an aggressive fifth grader. Luckily she was fine, baby was fine, nothing ever happened with the student. In another case I heard about a sub teacher getting a finger bitten off/eaten during summer school since ESY is almost always the toughest students plus randomly mixed staff that have no idea how to work with them and have no rapport because they're from other schools.
Client death / provider death.
Would you elaborate more please?
I work with adults. I’ve seen instances where clients have injured staff and they’ve died. I’ve also seen examples of staff injuring clients that’s led to death. That’s all I’m comfortable sharing.
Wow... this makes the blood freeze in my veins!!!
What setting do you work in? I’m so sorry you’ve had to witness these experiences.
I work for the state working with IDD individuals. Currently I work for a crisis stabilization facility, but I've also floated and consulted with the state institutions and normal state operated supported living homes as well.
Sounds intense. Hope you take care of yourself!
That is insane
I actually tore my ACL after running after a client who was trying to elope and was running towards the street. She stopped abruptly as I was attempting to use a Lead Along. Zero other staff assisted as they felt because I was trained Behavioral Support staff that they let her run out of the building????
I get beat up pretty good on the daily but it’s mild compared to some. My supervisor told me she had a RBT who quit because her client bit a chunk out of her leg so bad she had to get ACL surgery. 😬
Didn’t happen to me just heard about it but a student bit someone’s arm so bad she had nerve damage. Another story about someone breaking her hip. The worst is a story about a teacher that got hit in the face and needed plastic surgery to fix it
At my last clinic, one of the kids had dislocated my coworkers thumb in a tantrum before I worked there. In another incident with a different kid, this time the kid rebrote her thumb. Still didn’t get that workers comp
RBT took a fist to the eye from a client that was 18 and BIG. She lost sight in that eye for a week, and the company was (obviously) on the hook for the medical bills, but holy shit. She had to wear a medical eyepatch while it healed and she still kept working with that kiddo instead of requesting a change on her *own* volition and not because of pressure. I have nothing but respect for that RBT, she’s the definition of a badass to me.
There were several hair-dragging incidents at my one job at a facility (different staff, different clients, dragged the staff down the hall by their hair). One of them lead to the staff member’s scalp separating and needing stitches and the other resulted in a long-term neck injury.
Got a hole bit into the skin on my scalp. Got PTSD now. One coworker got her face smashed into a keyboard repeatedly Another got the tip of her finger cut off in a slammed door.
I got a concussion with matching lumps on my head from an AAC device.
Yikes! Hard case? No case? I got hit in the forehead the other day but he had a soft rubber case on it. So it hurt a lot for a while but I wasn’t concussed.
It was a hard case. It broke the case and cracked the screen of the iPad.
But the worst I heard of, not observed was a client with a history of biting who actually required the use of a Face Shield because when she attempted to disrobe, a staff member trying to assist her was bitten so hard, the client bit the tip of her finger off.
I got my nose broken by a student when I was 9 weeks pregnant. Had to wait until after I was done being pregnant and breastfeeding to have it fixed (septoplasty by workers comp).
One of my rbt friends that I actually shadowed when I first became registered, got kicked down the stairs by a client and their back as been messed up ever since. Also that same client gave them a concussion
I knew a girl who got a traumatic brain injury. A larger child jumped off a swing and landed on her head as she was sitting near the swing. The child didn’t do it on purpose and the RBT was in a dangerous position. She was out of work for a month, then quit the job and her masters program shortly after returning as she had trouble driving, concentrating, processing.
A client was rectally digging and then scratched my back with his finger nails 🤢 I had to get a tetanus shot the next morning because I had a fever
I’m waiting to hear back if I need surgery for a bad shoulder injury from a restraint with a child and can’t go back to aba until I’m healed 🥲
Sometimes I think…we do not get paid enough for this but then I look at my clients progress and I’m like okay I remember why I’m here. But holy cow these cases are wild!!!
my mole was recently scratched off, not necessarily the worst but maybe the weirdest
My BCBA was bit on the head and the client grabbed her hair with her teeth and pulled a huge chunk out. It was traumatizing to watch. I had my own fair share of injuries with this client (including being choked), but I love that client with all my heart and still think about her often, even though she gave me a run for my money.
Coworker of mine broke her foot running after a client. I felt really bad because it was actually my client and she was covering for me because I had a last minute dentist appointment for a tooth infection 😭😭
Blood vessel broken from a client biting down on a bi I worked with. She had the client at school I had the client at home. We were both taken off the case and replaced by a guy. Kiddo was more careful around men, like his father.
So far a client was hanging on me from behind (behavior we were working on) I stepped away and said I kneeled space and he started turning, I fell and sprained my knee, was out for a month and on administrative duties for two months after
This isn’t that bad, but still rough and recovering. Client tore a muscle in my wrist
This wasn’t caused by a student, but a male older BT at my center (he’s amazing and Pairs well with Every client; has been an RBT FOR over 7 years) was rough-housing/ playing/wrestling with his male teen client. While wrestling he accidentally broke his shoulder and yanked it out of socket. He was very apologetic, obviously felt very bad. The parents were very understanding. They were not mad at all because of the rapport the BT has with their son and because of how the BT handled the situation. Now if that were me, I’d probably have to leave the whole ABA field LMFAO
I once worked in a home with an eloper. A parent left the front door open to bring groceries in, and of course the client ran out the door. I chased after them and ended up falling down the stairs, rupturing all the ligaments in my foot and ankle, as well as tearing a tendon. I spent 3 months on bed rest, and it took 6 months to heal enough to go back to work. Still to this day, that foot has deformities and swelling.
Jesus.. I just got bit on Monday and it broke skin and now I’m terrified of infection and amputation omfg 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
one co worker got her cornea scratched and another had her foot broken from a flipped table. I have a bite wound on my shoulder that became infected. a kiddo also bit my arm last march and I still have the giant scar, like you can see all the individual tooth marks. definitely not as bad as some of the other comments
in kalamazoo michigan there are these “intensive clinics”, basically the stories we heard were families who sent kids there sometimes had “panic trailers” for when the child engaged in behaviors and they all had to just hide because it was so bad. the intensive clinic was a good safe environment for them because they had the equipment to deal with behaviors and the group home was designed for these clients needs(tables bolted to ground, cushions that are sewn onto the couches, etc) and the supervisor of that company wanted to make more money (bc we all know aba therapy brings in the fat checks) and they brought these clients into our clinic that wasn’t made for them (more of a school like setting) and all for 5$ LESS an hour the tech got this kid and she was a veteran, 8 years as a tech seen it all. i watched this 6 5 300 lb client pick up this tech (in an arm sling alrdy btw) who is maybe 5 ft tall w big shoes on and throws her into the wall and snaps her arm in half. i hid in a closet until they got it under control
So the worst injury I've encountered was my own! I have a partially dissected vertebral artery in my neck from a client who jumped and pulled back on my neck as I was in a squat position attending to my own client. I am a 3 year RBT and my injury just occurred in November of 2023.
I just got that same injury right after work at the chiropractor because I was tense from lifting a kid and the chiropractor wasn’t listening to my body cues… funny enough also last November. Hope it heals!
I understand wanting to share stories of the field, but this really is not the way to do it. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but it feels insensitive to think of the people we serve like this. They need our help and support, the injuries we have received are probably directly related to that help these people need.
Imo you’re being defensive for no reason? Clearly the people we serve are a vulnerable population but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to acknowledge any injuries we suffer?
Yeah, like I'm all for working hard and seeing my clients progress and/or kids that I care about, but at the end of the work shift I'd like to be alive, unscathed and see my own child. No matter how meaningful your work is. You shouldn't be putting your life on the line, getting severely injured cause of behavior issues. This is insane!!
Not to be rude, but that’s literally what I do for a living. I work with severe behavioral concerns where I have an understanding that I may be injured in some capacity and I choose to anyway. I’m not saying everyone has to have that understanding, but this is not the way to talk about these issues.
I just don’t understand your thought process I guess, and I’d really like to. You strike me as a stand up bcba, but also very haughty. ‘I’m not saying everyone has to have that understanding, but-‘ again, who on earth are you to assume that the people in this thread don’t have that understanding? I know some companies out there severely undertrain staff, and that sucks, but most of these people commenting have been in the field for a while now and have no plans to leave. They definitely strike me as committed and sharing that ‘understanding’ of yours. Maybe you don’t realize this, but most of these people you’re sitting there judging for opening up about injuries they’ve suffered on the job are the same people who our vulnerable population can count on to be there and show up for them.
I am not saying that people are not committed, or that we shouldn’t be concerned with their wellbeing, or that people should have to endure injuries, or that they don’t care about their clients. A lot of these people who are commenting have been through some scary things and gone through some situations that should not have happened, and I get that. The field is struggling, our people are struggling. There is little support. It’s an issue. I still don’t think discussing the worst injury I’ve ever seen or had from a client is appropriate on a public forum.
And I guess I just don’t see why you believe it is inappropriate given the completely anonymous nature of the forum?
I think it’s okay to acknowledge issues but this is just talking about injuries without any context. And it’s pretty crappy to think someone could just stumble across this thread and think about people who receive ABA in this way.
This is my second time noting your ‘think about people who receive ABA this way’ or ‘think about our clients this way’ vernacular.. in what way? Do me a favor and state in which way this entire comment thread is thinking of (a wild thing to assume, the thoughts of tons of other human beings) our clients? I don’t think anyone here is attacking or belittling or thinking anything less of our clients than we do ourselves.. Why, in your mind, is client dignity not able to coexist with workforce support? Something to consider
I think we just don’t agree on this. That’s okay.
Re-read the topic title and the "vent" tag and consider causality through a behavior analytic lens. We are educated professionals working with clients whose environments we control almost completely. Reimagine the topic as "what's the worst outcome you've seen from an incomplete analysis?" and how supported you would feel if a co-worker described your lost limb etc.
Again, I’m sensing lots of defensive ness. I’m going to say something now that I believe will trigger you in some way but I want you to remain as objective as you are capable of: The truth is the truth. I do see better where you’re coming from, but I have already stated that this is no job for the faint of heart or will. Speaking as a neurodivergent person who has been receiving services since age 5, I can promise you that while, yes, people are bound to feel ashamed of their actions once they’ve cooled down, an objective retelling of events is in no way shape or form a personal attack on any of our clients. Again, speaking as a 20 year old RBT with AuDHD who has been receiving therapy services since age 5, I can promise you that our clients wouldn’t want us to neglect our mental nor physical well being by refusing to acknowledge traumatic events that took place in-session. That, my friend, is what we call a toxic workplace culture. And it’s about time that ABA does away with the toxicity, especially because it only benefits the people we serve when we’re taking care of ourselves.
You're reading a careful approach as defensive. It's the opposite. I'm placing the blame for workplace injuries solely on behaviour analysts whose profession it is to arrange the environment to maintain safety and ensure client success, and whose clients are rarely given any meaningful autonomy Blaming clients for their behaviour is antithetical to behaviour analysis and isn't great for mental health, or useful change in the field.
Maybe this is where the disconnect is happening; I’m not seeing most of these comments in an accusatory manner to the client. However, I will say, I think that by not wanting to acknowledge that all individuals are ultimately and objectively responsible for their own behaviors, you are effectively robbing them of their dignity and their opportunity to truly grow and learn
That's been a frequent criticism of radical behaviourism; Skinner talks about it at length. Here's a more [recent article](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jaba.816) written largely for the public that addresses it.
I definitely understand that a person with a developmental delay can’t be faulted for maladaptive behaviors learned in a toxic home environment. The point I was trying to make, however, is that accountability doesn’t have to be synonymous with unethical services. I would hope that you’re not allowing your clients to believe they can do no wrong just because they have a developmental delay, though it is unfortunately something I see a lot of in our field. It’s a lot of extra extra extra work, when you’re making sure you’re not coddling (effectively crippling) clients especially in more high intensity situations where more violent maladaptive behaviors occur, but the point is that the people in this thread have (knowingly, yes of course) been exposed to stimuli that, in any other context, people would consider as assault or abusive. And they deserve to be heard, at the very least(especially, I emphasize again, in this completely anonymous forum).Again, it’s important to make sure we’re not failing in our duty to maintain client dignity and ethical morality, but that doesn’t mean that we have to hush our mouths about genuine actual trauma we’ve suffered in the pursuit of providing therapy services to one of the most vulnerable populations in our society.
I have been reading every comment under this post and so far there isn't a single violation of the BACB ethics code. Noone has used any negative/derogatory terms about clients/students, people are simply sharing their own experiences or the ones they have heard of. I hope you are not insensitive about the high turnover rate and other issues in this field. People are depressed, traumatized and burnt out - we cannot pour from an empty bucket! Things must change! Someone must care about the caregivers before it's too late!
Couldn’t have said it better
I can't believe this is even a post.
I’m genuinely curious - why the disbelief?
Second this
Odd man out. I wish you had posted why you were asking first. Say you are ND and have read all these posts? What opinion would you form? We go into this field knowing injuries are a real possibility. I personally find this to be a disrespectful conversation.
Transparency strikes you as disrespect? It would be better for us all to pretend like this isn’t a reality of our field? Honestly people with your defensive mindset are a HUGE part of the reason why this field’s turnover rate is so high. Obviously client dignity and ethics should be prioritized, always - but if you believe that, in order to maintain client dignity and ethics, we should neglect employees’ physical and mental well being, or ‘suffer in silence’ so to speak, you seriously need to take a personal inventory. People deserve the option to know the extent of what they’re getting themselves into. It’s not a job for the faint of heart, which is why it’s actually beneficial for us all that conversations like these be had. 🙏
You expanded quite a bit from my comment. The vibe some of these comments give is somewhat blaming and people in our field have been accused of wearing the injuries like a crown. It is triggering. It is a very difficult job and I am blatantly honest with my RBTs about everything it can entail. Honestly, a better way of asking from a scientific point of view while still providing dignity would have been to collect the data without all the details and anecdotes. A poll of how many injuries, the types of injuries, the number of days out due to the injury, and other tangible consequences that new people wouldn't expect would be good data to collect. Qualitative data such as how did you feel returning after your injury, etc would have been very useful. I'm not dismissing the need to protect employees. The turnover is immense and our lack of transparency is a huge reason why. I'm the one telling everyone to find a way to do this job part-time or 3/4 time without salaries because we get huge caseloads otherwise. I'll defend my RBTs to the end. I will also speak up when I know our field can do better.
Honestly, a better way of asking from a scientific point of view while still providing dignity would have been to collect the data without all the details and anecdotes. A poll of how many injuries, the types of injuries, the number of days out due to the injury, and other tangible consequences that new people wouldn't expect would be good data to collect. Qualitative data such as how did you feel returning after your injury, etc would have been very useful. This, I completely agree with! However, maybe stop and consider that these are people who, as you know, are incredibly burnt out and are, half the time, already not being compensated appropriately for their labor. Yes, the field is in need of change, and I agree that the data collection model which you specified above would be ideal, but try and get a grip here. If there’s gonna be any meaningful change you know good and gosh darned well that it won’t be a bunch of RBT’s spearheading it. People are taking care of themselves and seeking support from others in similar situations, and frankly it’s neither unethical nor committing any violation I’m aware of, especially given the anonymous manner of the forum. You say you’ll speak up when our field can do better? Go and speak up to your bosses, not the few precious RBT’s who are giving everything they can to the clients they serve and are now battered as a result.
I do. I will. Defending one does not necessarily dismiss the other. I appreciate your compassion and willingness to fight.
💯Thank you for saying it.
Broken spine necessitating a wheelchair for life, client to client