Blog

What is Autism?

Autism is truly a spectrum. Child’s abilities and challenges vary based on a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There are several subtypes of Autism, and it can range from a child requiring immense support in daily living, to a child able to live independently. Autism is typically accompanied by medical issues including sensory sensitivities, gastrointestinal issues, seizures, sleep disorders and occasionally depression and/or anxiety.

The Importance of Play

Play is crucial to a child’s development, as it enriches their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. Not only does play aid children in comprehensive development, but it also allows parents to connect with their little one at the child’s level, creating a bond throughout childhood. Play is largely based in interaction. As a child plays, they are interacting with the people and environment around them. They can learn how objects work and how others may react to certain activities. As the interaction grows and develops, a child’s confidence and resiliency also build as they are beginning to master their…

What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?

Occupational therapy (OT) is an evidenced-based profession utilizing a holistic approach to consider all components of the individual and their goals. OT focuses on increasing an individual's capacity and/or modifies the environment and activities for greater participation. OT utilizes direct observation, assessment conducting and analysis of results between the child's development and the environment.

What is a Speech Language Pathologist?

A speech-language-pathologist (SLP) is a trained professional certified to provide speech/language therapy services by having obtained the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). A CCC-SLP evaluates and treats children and adults who have difficulty with communication.

SLP and ABA Collaboration

Speech therapists can play a major role in helping individuals with Autism learn to communicate and engage with other people. They can help the individual with autism build communication and social skills in different settings like home, school, and work. SLPs may work with the person alone or in small groups.

Functional Communication Training (FCT)

Functional Communication Training (FCT) teaches children to replace undesirable behaviors with more appropriate responses. The purpose of FCT is to teach an acceptable response that serves the same function as the problem behavior with the goal of decreasing the problem behavior. These responses can be in the form of vocalizations, sign language, gestures, or responses from a communication device. Caregivers, teachers, and service providers can use this strategy across settings to promote generalization of skills.

ABC Data

The term “ABC” refers to the antecedent, behavior, and consequence that describe a behavioral event. ABC data collection allows us to better understand the function of a behavior and identify any behavior patterns. ABC data can be collected by caregivers, teachers, and service providers in the child’s natural environment.An antecedent is what occurs immediately before the behavior of interest. Common antecedents that can produce an undesirable behavior include demands, transitions, or denied access to a preferred item or activity. The behavior is anything that the individual does. It is important to describe behaviors in observable and measurable terms. In other […]

Token Boards

A token economy, or a token board, is an effective behavior change system that has been applied to various settings. This system uses positive reinforcement to increase the future frequency of a desirable behavior. A token board consists of three components: (a) target behaviors; (b) tokens that are earned for demonstrating the target behaviors; and (c) back-up reinforcers. Token boards can be used across settings (e.g. school, home, or clinic) to promote generalization of skills. The first step in designing a token board is to identify a list of target behaviors. These behaviors need to be measurable and observable with […]

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a well-developed, research-based, scientific discipline among the helping professions that focuses on the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of social and other environmental modifications to produce meaningful changes in human behavior. ABA includes the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional analysis of the relations between environment and behavior. The practice of ABA is rooted in data, which serves as a fidelity check for the effectiveness of recommended strategies and procedures. This ensures that the client’s ABA program is dynamic, never-stagnant, objective and, most importantly, effective. It utilizes changes in environmental events, including antecedent stimuli (what happens before a […]

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