Today, I am going to be talking about the Coronavirus and how it is affecting the autism world as we speak. I'm also going to be giving some really practical tips on teaching hand washing to kids with autism. Each week I provide you with some of my ideas about turning autism around. So if…
We all want our children or clients to be successful with vocal language, but it doesn't always happen right away. For kids that are not yet talking, things like sign language, picture exchange or AAC devices can be implemented and often serve as a springboard not only to better communication but also to vocal language.…
I’m fortunate enough to have Dr. Amada Kelly (AKA: Behavior Babe) back on my podcast! As a BCBA and autism ethics expert, she still has much to share with you and readily addresses tough questions, such as: should a BCBA accept gifts from parents?
Today is all about how to get vocal imitation, or echoic control, to enable kids to talk - or talk more if they are already talking some. I see a constant struggle with people who report - both parents and professionals - that their kids have pop out words or have words here and there,…
Teaching real-world skills to children with autism can be very difficult for parents, teachers and even trained behavioral analysts. I, for one, had to teach my son, Lucas, the same and different in 16 different trials. Dr. Janet Twyman is an expert in instructional strategies and shares how reinforcement shaping, critical discrimination, observing and testing helps with effectively teaching academics and real-world skills to kids with autism.
Deciding on an Autism School No matter what you call it, whether you call it ABA, verbal behavior, non ABA, floortime, or a typical school, how do you tell if a school or a center is a good program? I mostly look at the big three concerns. 1. Is the child safe? When Lucas was...
The interview I have for you today is unlike any of my previous interviews: my guest is Eileen. Not only does her son have severe autism and is nonverbal, but she herself has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. Eileen openly shares her story with me, and does not shy away from the truth.
This is part five of our five-part series on getting kids unstuck. This blog is going to focus on when you are stuck having a child with problem behaviors that you don't know how to reduce, prevent, or eliminate. In Part 1 I talked about assessing language when a child or client is nonverbal. Part…
Jim Christy is an award-winning playwright and filmmaker. He is also a husband and the father to a son with autism. Jim bravely shares his fall into the autism world; the diagnosis that changed his life; and the strain that it put on his marriage and his family.
The fourth area where people get stuck is self care. In this five-part stuck series, I want to talk about the five areas that I see parents and professionals get the most stuck. In Part 1 I talked about assessing language when a child is nonvocal. Part 2 was about teaching receptive language skills, and…