Autism affects 1 in 68 children in the United States, which means that most mothers have a connection to autism in some way. Maybe you have a child with autism, maybe you know someone who does, or maybe you’re just starting to learn about it. But no matter what your connection is, there are ways […]
ABA Blogs
Improving Routines at Home with ABA Therapy
Establishing routines at home can take a lot of time, effort, and commitment. So why put in the work? Over time, setting routines can prevent and reduce stress for all partakers, promote independence, and set expectations for children. It provides its own signal for what is coming next! Think of a time when you were […]
An Individualized Toilet Training Program
“Can we please start toilet training?” This is one of the first things I hear once a child turns 2. But contrary to customs, it is not age that matters but what skills the child has. In today’s blog we’ll cover those prerequisite skills and a successful (and efficient) potty training method. Before embarking on […]
Increasing Food Preferences and Reducing Mealtime Challenges
Food selectivity is common among children with developmental disabilities, particularly those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It has been estimated to be as high as 72% (Schreck et al., 2004). Unfortunately, picky eaters face a greater risk of nutrient inadequacy relative to children with a varied diet (Bachmeyer, 2009). In addition, parents of children […]
Choosing the Right ABA Company as an RBT
In today’s blog we will be going over 5 tips that will help RBTs choose the right ABA company! Finding an employer that fits is tough, especially in the ABA field. Based on past personal experience as an RBT living in Miami, FL, I have worked for amazing companies that raised my ethical and practice […]
ABA Therapy: The Verbal Operants
In our previous blog (read it here), we reviewed verbal behavior. In today’s, we will be diving further into the verbal operants. But first, let’s talk about how verbal responses begin! Verbal behavior (or responses), includes various forms of communication such as vocal, gestural, and picture exchange. Today, we will focus on vocal-verbal communication since […]
ABA Therapy: Understanding Verbal Behavior (VB)
There is a huge focus on verbal behavior in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and for a reason. When you hear the words “verbal behavior” you may think vocal speech. But verbal behavior is so much more than that! The formal definition of verbal behavior is a response that is reinforced through the mediation of others. […]
The MHPAEA Federal Law: A Must Read for Parents
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) was established in 2008. It is a federal law that protects individuals with disabilities by requiring commercial insurances to provide mental and behavioral health services without limitations outside of medical necessity. In other words, if an individual has a diagnosis, medical insurances must allow mental health […]
10 Facts Regarding Autism
Here are 10 facts for parents and professionals seeking to understand and learn more about autism and treatment. Please refer to our literature references below for fact-checking purposes! Fact: 1 in 54 children in the United States receives a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Boys have a 24% higher chance of receiving an autism […]
Trauma-Informed ABA Therapy: The “My Way” Approach
This blog post is written by our wonderful RBT, Cristina! Read below to learn about an approach called “My Way” and its benefits of eliminating challenging behaviors while strengthening trust and cooperation between caregiver and child. Dr. Greg Hanley (a well-known BCBA-D in the field of Behavior Analysis) developed a Functional Communication Request, FCR, and […]