What is sociopathy, does it relate to high functioning autism and can these conditions overlap, co-occur, or are professionals misdiagnosing autistic individuals as sociopaths, to their detriment? This was an interesting article to take on due to the controversy surrounding these diagnoses. At first, when you start a research project based on sociopathy, or correctly

in Autism Diagnosis by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

Read on for suggestions about which therapies to use for your child  and how much therapy is sufficient. I’ve been working with parents and families for nearly two decades. I have not, in all these years, met a mom or dad that said: “Parenting is a piece of cake!”  It is the most important, yet

in Autism Advocacy, General by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

Here are five ways you can support your child’s social development.  It is a common myth that children on the autism spectrum do not crave social interaction and friendships. The way our children initiate interactions, or, at times, wait for others to initiate interactions, does usually differ from neurotypical exchanges.  Children diagnosed with autism may

in Autism Parenting Advice by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

A look at how using an interest-based approach can effectively aid your child’s learning. I was trained in Verbal Behavior when I started out in the field of autism and related disorders. I loved working with Sue* who was two years old when I met her and “echolalic”. She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

in Autism Parenting Advice by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

Like parents, children on the spectrum have had to adjust to  COVID-19 regulations. Here are some tips for creating a home environment that supports your child’s development. We all know there’s no such thing as a “perfect environment”. But there is an optimum, and it is our goal to create it—not just for us, but

in Autism Parenting Advice by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

To be completely honest I had my doubts when we introduced online services at AIMS Global.  We, just like the rest of the world, had to adapt to a “new normal” and thus created training workshops to help our current therapists transfer their amazing “in-home” support to a virtual platform. With any change, anxiety increases

in Autism Therapies and Treatments by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

Repetitive and restrictive behavior is one of the main signs of a possible autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. However, the mechanisms behind repetitive behaviors in autistic individuals have proven quite challenging to understand. Although some experts suggest that these behaviors in children with ASD result from an attention deficit, others are convinced children diagnosed

in Autism Behavioral Solutions by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a type of therapy utilized for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There are controversial thoughts surrounding this type of therapy, but it has been researched as an evidence-based practice by The American Psychological Association and various studies. There are many forms of therapy that offer more holistic approaches and

in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) by Karla Pretorius, M. Psych and Nanette Botha, BEd