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Building Effective Autism Treatment Plans: A Collaborative and Compassionate Approach
“Treatment plan,” it’s a word one hears over and over again in the field of ABA. Treatment plans are fantastic in helping us guide programming for the clients and families we serve. Although treatment plans can often be received defensively by a client, parents, and other caregivers....
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Finding Independence and Advocacy: A Journey Through Autism and Self-Direction (2021-2025)
As a young, happy baby about to become a toddler, my family noticed I was not progressing as a normal toddler would, so they took me for a psychological evaluation at 20 months. At that evaluation, I was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ever since then, life has been an...
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Nina: A Nonspeaker Who Found Her Voice
Key Points Access to communication is a fundamental human right. Misconceptions about nonspeaking autism can be harmful. Spelling to communicate (S2C) can be a powerful tool for nonspeaking autistic people. Neurotypicals should presume competence and become helpful...
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Demystifying the Evaluation Process for Your Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Child with Developmental Concerns
Suspecting something may be wrong with your child’s development is a scary thought. It can be confusing as to what one does next. If your child is born with an apparent disability, the pediatrician will refer your infant or toddler to the birth-to-three system, where a team of professionals will...
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Interdisciplinary Approach to Obtaining a Medical Diagnosis for Individuals With a Complex Behavioral Profile
Individuals with complex behavioral and medical profiles require an interdisciplinary approach due to multiple specialized areas of need. This approach allows interdisciplinary teams to efficiently address multiple presenting needs simultaneously and comprehensively (Boivin et al., 2021). This...
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How to Create a Safe and Engaging Sensory Experience at the Pool
The pool is a great tool to use to cool down and engage individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over the summer. Not only can water exploration in the pool provide socialization opportunities in a natural environment, but water can meet essential sensory needs as it provides deep pressure...
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Considerations to Accessing ABA Therapy Through Insurance
There are many services that can be beneficial for you to explore for your autistic child, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and applied behavior analysis (ABA), and consulting with your child’s primary care physician or school team for recommendations on services is an important...
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The Critical Role of a Caregiver in Navigating Systems of Care
No one knows your child better than you. When it comes to understanding their unique needs – you are the expert. This is critical for parents and caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive differences. Whether you are navigating systems of care, identifying areas of concern,...
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Telehealth: Is It Right for Parents and Children?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of telehealth for autism and other developmental disorders has exploded. Now that we are mostly post-pandemic, many parents are asking: “Is telehealth still the right choice for my child’s treatment?” There is no single answer. Below are several...
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The Promise of Quality ABA: What Value-Based Care Means for Families
As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, parents of children with autism face significant challenges in obtaining high-quality and appropriate care and services. Delays in diagnosis, waitlists for treatment, shortage of available providers, high staff turnover, and a...
