In simple terms, ABA therapists change a behavior by changing what happens before and after the behavior occurs to make it either more or less likely to occur again. The idea is to make sure when desirable behavior occur, they result in a favorable outcome and when undesirable behaviors occur, they do not result in a favorable outcome. The technical…
One of the mostly common questions parents with a child with Autism asks is what it means that Autism is a Spectrum Disorder. Essentially, it means that every child diagnosed with Autism is different. No two children have the exact same interests, strengths or weaknesses. Some children will develop into talented artists and musicians. Some will excel in math while…
When dealing with tantrums, it always helps to be proactive rather than reactive. Tantrums are unpleasant for everyone, including your child. It is always better to just to avoid them. Us behavior analysts have a fancy term for proactive strategies– antecedent modifications. Antecedent modifications are things that you do before a behavior occurs to make it either more likely or…
It is natural for a parent to want to give their child a consequence for having a tantrum. This is never a bad idea. It will help make sure that it does not occur again. However, it only works if consequence matches the function of the behavior or the reason the behavior occurred. Parents often consider what a child does when deciding on a consequence. In contrast, a behavior analyst looks at why a child engaged in a behavior or the function of the behavior. There are five main functions of behavior: Social positive reinforcement in…
Imagine the following scenario. It is is a hot summer day and you have a million errands to do. You have been running back and forth from store to store trying to get home in time to get your child off the bus. You are parched but there is no way you have time for to stop and get an…
If your child is like many of the dozens I have potty trained, you can probably relate to my friend Renée. Her son is just about to turn four and while most of her friends are carrying around posh new handbags, she is still stuck lugging around a diaper bag! Her son Benjamin has Autism. If you are reading this…
Shaping is one of the many teaching procedures used by ABA therapist. In this week’s video Jessica will explain what shaping is and how it is being used by your ABA provider. Photo: Morguefile Sound effect: Incomputek Intro: Graeme Kan Video Production: Highlander Productions Disclaimer: This video is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or…
One of the most common problems that parents ask me about is how to help their child transition out of the house without a meltdown. It must be extremely frustrating when your are running late and your child just won’t leave the house. You would be surprised how much easier this simple modification can make the process! Don’t forget to…
In this short video, Jessica explains why some children with Autism do things like lining up toys and whether or not it is something you should interrupt. For more information about Autism symptoms in toddler visit my blog at https://hopeeducationservices.com Is your Autistic child starting school soon? Check out my free e-book: Http://www.schoolwithautism.com Are you frustrated no matter what you…
ABA is classically thought to help young children with Autism learn to talk. But is it for older learners with more advanced skills? A new video will be posted to this series weekly. Subscribe so you do not miss a video and send video requests or questions to [email protected] Credits: Photo: Morguefile Sound effect: Incomputek Intro: Graeme Kan Video Production:…