Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges in school environments that their neurotypical peers may not. In addition to social and communication deficits, they may also struggle with repetitive behaviors, restrictive interests and sensory sensitivities. With well-thought-out plans and approaches, inclusive classroom environments can be created to better support children on the autism […]
Children spend the early parts of their life surrounded by adults. Even if they have other siblings in the house, adults are the ones they have meaningful interactions with every day — for feeding, changing, comforting and playing. At some point as the child gets older and begins to become more aware of their surroundings, […]
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that children are born with and that affects them for their entire lives. One of the hallmark symptoms of autism is a deficit in communication. Yet, autism is not the same thing as a child experiencing a delay in speech or language. In fact, speech delay, language […]
In the early stages of development, children will often imitate what they observe others doing. Smiles, glances and early gestures are usually all imitations of their parents, caregivers, siblings and others they are around a lot. Imitation is actually a building block for cognitive and social skills. It has a profound influence on a child’s […]
When children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), doctors usually recommend that they receive specialized applied behavior analysis treatment. Also known as ABA therapy, it’s a science-based approach to learning that helps children with autism build the social, communication and daily life skills with which they tend to struggle. As the leading treatment option […]
Spotting the early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are key to providing children with the help and the support they need. The earlier these signs are identified, the earlier children can undergo full autism evaluations by a trained professional. Studies have shown that the earlier interventions can be started, the more effective they can […]
Joint play is a major opportunity for development in children, as it fosters the building blocks of social skills and communication. Children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), though, can struggle with joint play because they have trouble with joint attention. This is defined as the ability to share focus with another person on an […]
Applied behavior analysis, or ABA therapy, is the gold standard of treatment options for children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a science-based approach to learning, ABA therapy helps children gain the social, communication and daily life skills with which they often struggle, while also helping them with negative and/or harmful behaviors. Using targeted […]
If your child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) starts to regress in their development, it can be quite concerning. After all, it’s likely they’ve made great strides overcoming challenges with communication, social interactions and daily life skills they’ve faced for much of their lives. But, if your child loses words they once had, or other […]
