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The Importance of Socialization for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined by three main components/deficits. These are deficits in Communication (receptive/expressive speech and language delay), Behaviors (aka self-stimulatory behaviors or stimming) and Socialization. Communication: these individuals have difficulty with...
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Using Media as an Effective Tool to Teach Social Skills to Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Media is a powerful educational tool for adolescents and young adults in general; however, for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) it provides a unique opportunity to learn social skills. Popular television shows, movies, YouTube clips, and other social media sites are a vehicle to...
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Social Problem Solving: Best Practices for Youth with ASD
Joey, age 9, has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and due to his high functioning has been mainstreamed into a fourth grade classroom with a shadow. His challenging behaviors typically center on his peer interactions in spite of adequate academic performance. When in a group...
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PEERS: A Parent-Supported Evidence Based Social Skills Intervention for Adolescents with ASD
Martin is a 14-year-old boy who has recently starting expressing increased levels of anxiety, particularly about his impending transition into high school starting this fall. Martin was diagnosed with ASD as a younger child and finding a place among his peers has always been an obstacle. Although...
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Summer Offers Opportunity for Skill Development for Children and Young Adults with ASD
Summer can be a perfect time for children and young adults to leave their everyday environments and discover new opportunities for skill development. Yet parents of children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often struggle with the idea of immersing their child in a new...
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Summer Break and Skills Development: The Heat Is On
You work hard to make sure your child is progressing toward his goals and to effectively manage an interdisciplinary team and your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) during the course of the year. That work requires significant resources (fiscal, emotional, and temporal), the...
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Planning Ahead to Maintain Skills During Summer Vacation
Summer is coming and it’s time to start preparations. We know most children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from a structured schedule and environment, so much so that they usually know their schedule better than the adults who care for them. But what happens come summer? Schedules...
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Summertime Games and Simple Strategies to Reinforce Social Skills
Summertime is fun time for most children. School routines give way to relaxation, perhaps at summer day or sleep away camp – and there’s no studying. While most typically developing children welcome this, it can become problematic for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). That’s why...
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Summer Vacation: A Prime Opportunity to Develop Social Skills for the Workplace
For many students, the end of the school year represents a time to relax, celebrate the change of pace, and enjoy leisure time. However, each year, there are many individuals who approach the end of the school year and find that this is a time of transition; a time for entering the unfamiliar world...
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Maintaining Social Skills Over the Summer
Summer is a time for relaxation and fun, however certain skills acquired during the school year can be lost if they are not practiced consistently over the course of the entire year. One of the first things parents should identify, are IEP goals targeted by school staff to be maintained over...
