Receiving an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis for your child often comes with a detailed roadmap of therapeutic options. Among these, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy) stands out as the gold standard of care, helping children sharpen communication, build social skills and foster everyday independence.1 15 However, when a child engages in challenging behaviors such […]
When a child exhibits challenging behaviors such as severe tantrums, aggression, elopement or self-injury, it is often a sign that they are struggling to communicate their needs. For parents of children on the autism spectrum, watching a child experience distress without knowing how to help can be overwhelming. In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy), behavior […]
Starting Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for your child is a major milestone. It marks the beginning of a dedicated, highly personalized journey toward building meaningful life skills, improving communication and fostering independence.⁸ ¹¹ ¹² However, before sessions officially begin, families must navigate the intake process. For many parents, taking those initial steps can feel […]
Updated September 2026 People who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges in life. Just like the name of the neurodevelopmental disorder suggests, the signs and symptoms as well as severity certainly spans a wide spectrum, with people affected in significantly different ways. Some of the most common challenges that people on the autism […]
When a child receives an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, parents are often eager to begin early intervention as soon as possible.1 Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy) is widely recognized as a gold-standard treatment for children with autism, offering structured, evidence-based care tailored to each learner’s unique needs.2 However, after securing a diagnosis and receiving […]
Communication is a fundamental part of how children learn, build relationships and express their thoughts and feelings. However, not every child develops language in the exact same way. While many children learn language by building from individual words to complete sentences,2 some clinicians use the term Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) to describe a proposed pattern […]
Communication takes many forms. For children on the autism spectrum, expressing thoughts, needs and emotions doesn’t always follow a predictable path. Parents often notice their child repeating phrases, sentences or entire dialogues heard hours, days or even weeks earlier from a favorite cartoon, a parent’s gentle reminder or a classroom instruction. This pattern of speech […]
Understanding developmental healthcare trends begins with looking at the numbers. As awareness surrounding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) grows, data collected at both national and state levels provides crucial context for families, clinicians and educators. In Utah, tracking autism prevalence helps healthcare providers and community leaders better understand the needs of local children and allocate key […]
Selective mutism (SM) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two distinct conditions that can significantly impact a child’s ability to communicate and interact with the world around them. While they share overlapping features such as social difficulties and communication challenges, they stem from different underlying causes and require specialized support strategies. For parents, educators and […]
