I know as both a parent of a child with autism – as well as a medical professional and a behavior analyst – how confusing problem behaviors are in children with autism. There are a lot of things going on when your child is newly diagnosed or having unusual problem behaviors. Especially if it involves...
Speech articulation problems in children with or without autism can be affected by their feeding, drinking, and other oral motor habits. By adjusting some of these habits, you can get better speech development and articulation in many of your children and clients. Today I'm sharing a small excerpt from a podcast episode with speech and…
Behavior Reinforcement for Children with Autism When your children or clients do something that makes you think, “wow, I'd love to see that more!” Did you know you could actually make that happen? Today I’m going to talk all about behavior reinforcement. I once worked with a boy, I'll call him Roger, who would hit…
Children with autism often experience other medical issues, including anxiety. Today, I'm discussing the different types of anxiety that you may be seeing in your child or clients and I'm also going to give you next steps that you should take if your child has autism and anxiety. Chrissy was one of my clients at…
When my son, Lucas, celebrated his 18th birthday, he officially became an adult. He participated in some autism jobs for a few years prior to his 18th birthday through his IEP at school. The next summer as part of an Extended School Program (ESY), Lucas started volunteering at a local hotel for an hour each…
Hand Flapping in Kids with Autism Hand flapping is a common self stimulatory behavior for kids with autism. Today, I'm talking all about hand flapping and giving you insight on what to do about it. Have you ever been in a lecture where the material is way too easy or completely over your head? Or…
I’ve been consulting with children and a few adults with autism for many years now. I had a revelation soon after I published my book The Verbal Behavior Approach. I now believe that there are three main skills every child and adult with autism needs to be successful. These skills for autism, I believe, are the...
Should You Use Chew Toys for Kids with Autism? Most infants chew on various toys and blankets, especially while they're teething. Some kids with autism - or signs of autism - continue to chew well beyond infancy. Whether they are chewing on their hand, shirts, sleeves of their shirts, or any nonfood items, it can…
ADOS Test for Autism There are different levels of the ADOS. The autism diagnostic observation schedule is mainly used for children. However, it can be used for older kids who you’re not sure have ADHD, speech delays, or obsessive compulsive behavior. There’s also a part of the ADOS that can be used for adults that...
I gave a keynote presentation called “Lessons Learned on my Autism Journey.” One of the lessons is about positive praise. The best part of this lesson is that you will most likely benefit no matter how old you are, no matter if you are male or female and no matter if you know anything about...
