Proper diet and nutrition are crucial for all children, but they hold particular significance for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many children with autism exhibit food selectivity, which can adversely affect their health, development, and behavior. In this blog, we will explore the intricate relationship between diet and autism, delving into nutritional deficiencies, dietary…
By: Brittany Cephas, M.Ed., LCPC, NCC As parents of children with autism, we often find ourselves caught up in the whirlwind of daily responsibilities, therapy sessions, and the unique challenges that come with raising a child with special needs. It’s all too easy to overlook our own well-being amidst the demands of caregiving. However, prioritizing…
Verbal Beginnings wishes you a very Happy Thanksgiving filled with abundance and bright moments. We hope you have a wonderful day celebrating all there is to be thankful for! To help make the day extra special, we have some food tips, crafts, and ways to donate in your community! The most memorable Thanksgiving traditions…
Many families have a veggie-loathing, chicken nuggets-only, no-foods-touching, picky eater in their midst. But families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are even more likely than most to experience mealtime struggles. It’s estimated that 44% to 89% of children with ASD have feeding challenges such as food selectivity, disruptive feeding behaviors, gagging, or overeating.…
Halloween is known by all as a spooktacular day full of tricks and treats, but if you have a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder it can be a scary day full of challenges and stress – even though it’s just for fun. Children of all ages are usually eager and excited to be celebrating…
In this edition of ABA Behind the Scenes, Jami Hardy, MS, BCBA, LGPC, talks about listener responding in early language development. Listener responding is following directions given by others—for example, stand up, walk to the table, find mom, touch the chair, and pick up book. This is an important skill to discriminate between multiple items,…
In this edition of ABA Behind the Scenes, Jami Hardy, MS, BCBA, LGPC, will be walking us through what happens before and after a particular behavior occurs and how it affects future behavior. To understand why behavior occurs, we need to know what happens before, during, and after the behavior. In ABA, when we discuss…
In this edition of ABA Behind the Scenes, Jami Hardy, MS, RBT, LGPC, will be unpacking the concept of “Behavior” as part of the term “Applied Behavior Analysis.” In ABA, when we talk about behavior, we really mean anything a person says or does. Behavior includes observable actions—all the things other people can see—as well…
Travel can be physically and emotionally challenging for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and sensory processing disorders. They may have difficulty with routine changes, over-stimulating environments, and feeling a loss of control. However, there are things you can do before and during your travel that can make things easier on the whole family. Planes,…
The holidays are a happy and exciting time of year. As parents, we want to be able to give our children all the fun and magic that comes with the season. There is little more rewarding than a child’s holiday smile, however, with all the cold weather, schedule changes, and loud noises, every family is…
If you’ve begun your journey to receive an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, or other pediatric behavioral diagnosis, you may have come across other parents, teachers, and caregivers who have warned you of the dreaded waitlist process. Autism waitlists are currently a universal barrier to medical diagnoses and effect families living in both rural and urban…
It is a scenario that parents have experienced again and again: someone says your child may benefit from a diagnostic evaluation. Perhaps you went into your pediatrician’s office for your child’s well visit and walked out with a referral for a diagnostic evaluation, or perhaps your child’s teachers have expressed some concern about his or…
I’ve had the opportunity to meet many children of different ages since I began working with selective eaters. In 2016 I became the Director of the Healthy Beginnings program and since then, the most common request that I receive from parents as we plan to work on behavior at mealtime is; can we come for…
Setting up an in-home ABA program for your child is easy given the right supports. Typically, a program is viewed as therapy provided by a BCBA and a Registered Behavior Technician. These positions are the heart of your program and should require your full attention. However, the process of setting up and managing your program…
If you’re a parent with a very picky eater at home, meals can easily become a dreaded time of day for both you and your child. Over the years, many parents have reported to me that the dinner table transforms into a battle ground when green veggies are present or if the pasta is elbow…
For most children, summer is a time for playing in the sun and learning through play. The fun times had in the sun with other children are key to children’s development of social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. As typically developing children play they tend to spontaneously learn skills from one another and from the…
At Verbal Beginnings, intervention focuses on increasing a variety of areas within each learner’s repertoire, including verbal behavior, social skills, functional life skills, and group instruction skills. Within this blog, we will focus on the development of speech and language, or verbal behavior as we, as behavior analysts, refer to it. Both children and adults…
Summer is here, the kids are out of school, and it’s time for that family road trip! But let’s not kid each other – road trips make for great memories, but can also come with stressors. Often times your family is packed into a vehicle for hours, if not days, at a time. Hotel rooms…
Summer is upon us again! And for parents that means one thing – school is out, and the kids are at home. On one hand, that means the morning rush of getting the kids out of the house is done for the foreseeable future. You may even get to sleep in a bit, and enjoy…
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school districts are required to provide services outside of the regular school year to qualifying individuals. In order to qualify for ESY, a child must already have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in place, and demonstrate either a regression in skills, or show evidence of emerging pivotal skills…