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 […]
If your child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you might be wondering what the typical milestones are to look out for. While many of these developmental milestones are easily found for neurotypical children, they may not be for children with autism. Part of the reason for this is that autism really does affect people drastically […]
All children need to be taught certain social rules and boundaries. One example is teaching a child what constitutes stealing and why it’s bad. Oftentimes, children who steal don’t even realize they’re doing something wrong. They might see something they want and grab it, whether it’s a toy from a friend or an item from […]
