It’s hard for our children on the spectrum to control impulse control and emotions related to frustration. Because of this, asking them to wait is akin to asking them to stop their world from spinning.

One of the first things your Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapist may work on with your child is imitation. This is a program your therapist teaches if your child is babbling and attempting speech but won’t speak when asked a question, or cannot repeat something.

When it comes to Applied Behavioral Analyses (ABA) therapy consistency is key. This is true for all parenting styles; Autistic children are no different from every other child in the world. If they can find a way to get what they want, then they will utilize it. For instance, if a toddler wants a lollipop and you say no, then they ask somebody else and they say yes, they may ask different people until they get candy because it worked before....

Many children with autism suffer from sensory overload. This could be sensitivity to noises, sensations, lights, textures, temperature and more. The issue with these sensory problems is they impede things your child needs to do.

How do you know whether you’re experiencing an ‘extinction burst’ or if your child’s behavior is just getting worse?

Every child, anywhere, regardless of autism, acts a certain way for a reason. We don’t do things out of nowhere. Honing down those reasons are the key to helping a child overcome a behavior that won’t serve them in their adult years. Let’s look at some common reasons people engage in certain behaviors so you notice what makes your child act the way they do!

The behavior of trying to escape a situation in all children is common, but especially so with autistic children who have a lot going on and little to no attention span. In applied behavioral analyses therapy (ABA) avoidance techniques are tackled head on, to build up the child’s tolerance to accept and even enjoy certain situations—such as sitting down to read a book. A child won’t be allowed to escape a situation (since this will re-enforce...

The other week I discussed reasons for why a child would act out. We then went through techniques an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapist uses when a child elopes. But what about techniques for sensory issues? Sensory integration is the process of normalizing sensation and making it easier for your autistic child to cope with them.

It’s difficult navigating the autistic space when a child does something for attention. On the one hand, it’s hard because you want to give them all the attention in the world; on the other hand, they have a lot less ways than other kids of gaining the attention they need.

Prompting is a wonderful tool in applied behavioral analyses therapy (ABA) and probably the reason some children learn to communicate at all. This simple way of moving a child through the motions of an action/response so he/she can see the consequence is so powerful yet so simple. It really answers the question, how do you teach a child that can’t understand language intuitively, what you are asking of them?

We talked about token boards and how they help reinforce good behavior during Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy sessions. But there is a way you can improve on the token boards and other reinforces to make them as effective as possible. Your therapist should use some of the following methods to help your child move forward through their skills quickly.

Applied Behavioral Analyses (ABA) is based on 7 core dimensions. Any interventions your therapist uses with your child will fall within or be defined by these 7 categories. Therapists use the anagram GET A CAB to remember each part of the therapy.

A lot of children who have autism will start their speech journey with something called echolalia. Echolalia is when a child repeats what you have just said back to you. It is done for many purposes, but the main reason a child does this is because they have a hard time with fluent or creative spoken language.

As a parent new to the diagnoses of Autism or with little knowledge of Applied Behavioral Analyses (ABA) therapy, the whole process of researching the therapy and life your child could face is overwhelming. But reading about the nuts and bolts of the therapy and what kids with autism go through, in clinical dry ways, only gives us so much information.

Almost all children struggle with recognizing emotions in others, but for a child with autism, this skill is even more complex. Their inability to read body language or facial expression well lends to even more complications throughout their life, which is why it’s important to teach this skill early. Learning how to recognize emotions impacts all areas of a person’s life, from school, to work, to making friends and strengthening family...

People with autism often struggle with empathy; as a parent of a child who shows little empathy, it may be pretty terrifying to wonder what might happen to your child in relationships or how their morals might develop. A child with little empathy may laugh when another is upset, or take a toy from another child and not understand why they should share, or even be violent with little remorse.

Sometimes Autism isn’t the only diagnoses that a child on the spectrum is diagnosed with. A child who has autism may also be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Anxiety, Depression and more.