In the past twenty years, ABA therapy has become a popular, effective, and surgeon-general approved therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD.
What Exactly is ABA Therapy and What Does it Stand For?
ABA stands for Applied Behavior Analysis, which is the science of learning and behavior. Behavior analysis helps us to understand behaviors, why they are occurring, how the environment can influence behavior, and how we learn new behaviors.
It is estimated that 75% of children with ASD have limited food preferences (Maye & Calhoun, 1999). Insistence to sameness, restricted routines, and difficulty coping might be some symptoms of ASD that are directly correlated with restrictive food intake. The good news is that various disciplines (Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists and ABA therapists working alongside Board Certified Behavior Analysts) can offer successful interventions towards increasing food acceptance. When looking at the social validity as to why increase the variety of food in a child’s food repertoire, there are many things to consider.
For example, one might say “leave the child alone; if they want to only eat pizza and French fries, then so be eat”. It’s the parents’ final decision if increasing food variety is significant to their family, but here are some other things that are connected to eating a limited variety of food: vitamin consumption might be lower, GI dysfunction, not enough nutrients, not enough fiber, and/or not enough protein.
Children develop language skills at different times. Language development can also depend on a variety of factors including: their natural ability to learn language, other skills that they are learning at the same time, how much talking they hear during the day and what kind of response is given to when they do speak or attempt to speak ("Late Blooming or Language Problem?")
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), there are several risk factors to consider when analyzing a potential learning delay
Independence is a valuable part of our daily routines and significantly enhances the quality of life. Even at young ages, a child should be encouraged to develop independent living skills . As a children’s motor and cognitive skills increase, their ability to complete these tasks also increases. By fostering independence in a child’s early years, parents can help make daily living skills become part of a routine rather than a difficult chore. To accomplish this goal, parents can encourage their children by creating opportunities, providing choices, and reinforcing behavior.
What is Tactile Sensory Processing?
The tactile system receives information from the environment around us through receptors on our skin that receive touch. Our body then is able to interpret this information and decide how to respond to it. Tactile sensory processing is necessary to develop skills needed for daily activities and social relationships. When the brain has difficulties understanding and responding to tactile information it may be expressed as hyperrosponsiveness or hyporesponsiveness.
With the holiday season around the corner, many families will be thinking about new toys for their toddlers and preschoolers. Toys have the opportunity to be learning tools and can help grow speech and language skills. However, for these toys to support language, caregivers must facilitate the language. Below are some of my favorites, along with skills your child can learn from playing with these toys.
By: Tara Karen, M.S. Ed, BCBA, LBA
Achieve Beyond-Director of Behavioral Services
With September fast approaching, we are all anxiously awaiting the first day of school! The beginning of the school year brings on a host of challenges for both children and parents alike: obtaining school supplies, scheduling after-school activities, checking homework, making friends, strict bedtimes, and meeting new teachers. These all will cause some anxiety for children and parents. When a child has a disability, these challenges may become overwhelming for children and their parents, which may lead to an increase in “problem behaviors.” Below are a few of the strategies we can use in order to relieve the stress of back-to-school and make the transition easier for our kids and for ourselves.
By: Sheryl K. Goncalves, DPT, PT
Achieve Beyond-EI Clinical Director
Tummy time, tummy time, tummy time! Parents hear it and are aware of it but only some practice it with their little ones. There is no magic number of times to practice tummy time throughout the day but the more the better. For example, incorporating time throughout your daily routines such as after every diaper change.