Articles that focus on changing behavior (used to be called behavior modification) using positive reinforcement; applied behavior analysis is a teaching method used to help children with autism learn to their full potential.
The Internet has been a game changer. It is estimated that 95% of teenagers aged 12-17 are online.While the Internet has connected us to others and made information much more accessible, it also poses a tremendous potential threat to your child’s safety if left to his/her own devices.Essentially, the Internet presents us a means by […]
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Jeannie married and had her first child by age 18. Carlos was a quiet, sweet natured baby. The year was 1998. For this first time parent, the word autism didn’t mean much. Unfortunately, it didn’t mean much to Carlos’s teachers or pediatrician either. As an only child for the first six years of his life, […]
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What is Pivotal Response Training? Pivotal Response Training (PRT), also known as Pivotal Response Treatment, is an evidence-based intervention developed by Dr. Robert Koegel, Ph.D. and Dr. Lynn Koegel, Ph.D. to provide a more naturalistic approach to the principles of applied behavioral analysis (ABA). PRT is child-led and rewards positive behavior with direct and natural […]
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Although video modeling can be a highly beneficial strategy to support individuals with autism, many teachers and parents have not implemented the use of this evidence-based practice. Research has shown that video modeling can be used to help individuals with autism adapt to situations and learn new skills, yet the technology aspect of video modeling […]
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Applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions have been proven to be extremely effective for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), increasing their skills and reducing problem behavior (National Autism Center, 2015). There are a variety of ways ABA can be provided, but the way it is often delivered, through intensive 1:1 therapy, has come to be […]
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He began to flap as the speech therapist cleaned the room dry of anything that would distract the little boy. Then she began her session, today’s lesson: pronouns. She began to struggle. She showed him stick figures pointing to themselves and pointing to other people. “My redshirt,” she repeated to him. He stared at her, […]
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A Conversation with Patrick… Patrick, now 27, is a kind, candid, and wickedly funny young man. I counseled him beginning in his teens, and was later able to share his story in The Loving Push, which I coauthored with Dr. Temple Grandin. Patrick and I spoke recently by phone. We hope some of his story […]
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As the years have progressed in my career working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families, I have had the privilege to work with more and more teenagers. I have met some remarkable young men and women with autism who have taught me a lot, and I have had the honor of […]
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The new school year can be a source of stress for many children and even more so for children with autism. There are new people to meet, new routines to learn, and all the while having to navigate this real-world environment we call school. Communicating with your child’s teacher is critical to your child’s success. […]
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I am a broken record when it comes to talking about learned helplessness! I think it is one of the most dangerous and damaging traps that kids or parents can fall into. Learned helplessness may be a term unfamiliar to you as well, so let me give you the basics, and 10 practical ways to […]
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