Blog
How Does Senate Bill 946 Affect Individuals with Autism in California?
Senate Bill 946, passed by the State Assembly and the State Senate on September 9th, 2011 and signed by then Governor Brown and filed with the Secretary of State on October 9th, 2011 is a monumental step for individuals with Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) in California. The new law took effect on […]
What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)? An elaboration
Applied Behavior Analysis is the applied science of behavior formalized by B.F. Skinner. It is sometimes referred to as Behavior Modification, ABA, or Behavior Analysis. The theories, laws, and techniques have their foundations in years of basic research and describe some of the most fundamental things we know about behavior. Some early influences on the […]
Some Considerations and Strategies for Students with Autism in Classroom Settings
When creating an educational program for students with ASD, each student’s unique characteristics present unique challenges for administrators and school support staff. An effective classroom must include a physical structure that enhances learning opportunities and instructional approaches that facilitate learning, language acquisition, behavior management, social skills, and academic goals. We can apply many of the […]
What is ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis)?
Applied Behavior Analysis is a scientific approach to understanding behavior. Behavior Analysis is a theory with principles and laws that are derived from research. All of the practices in Applied Behavior Analysis are derived from basic research. ABA is considered an evidence-based practice, which means that ABA has passed scientific tests of its usefulness, quality, […]
The Advantages of Applied Behavior Analysis (Podcast Episode)
A team of knowledgeable professionals from The LeafWing Center share their expertise about applied behavior analysis. They discuss the basics of the technique, what a good ABA program entails, reasonable expectations and the many benefits to be gleaned from this type of treatment. This is an in-depth tour of what ABA is and how it […]
What Constitutes Effective Intervention for Individuals with Autism? The National Research Council’s report on Effective Treatments for Autism Still Stands True
In 2001, the National Research Council published findings effective treatments on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism from birth to age 8. The committee set out with the question “What are the characteristics of effective interventions in educational programs for young children with autism spectrum disorders?” The findings were published in a comprehensive book titled, […]
How to teach your child to wait and what you could do before and after telling your child “no”
Two common difficulties that we encounter when working with families over the years are regarding waiting and when a child is told no. These two scenarios can be overwhelming as they are often accompanied by the most intense challenging behaviors. We will go over these on this this post. First off, the skill of requesting […]
Using Structure and Scheduling for Your Child and Taking Much Needed Time for You
When you arrive home with the kids after school and work, the first thing you may want to do is relax! Turning on the television for your child, letting her watch a movie, or allowing her to engage in her repetitive behaviors to her heart’s content is very tempting. You have had a long day […]
How to Teach Children with Autism How to Play Independently
Do you ever wonder how you make it through each day, getting your child dressed and to school? What about shopping, laundry, house cleaning, and dinner? Somehow you do it, and that is enough for anyone to be proud of. We want to provide you with some additional techniques that may help with the time […]
What should you do IN RESPONSE to your child engaging in challenging behavior?
Remember those four reasons why people may engage in challenging behaviors discussed in the previous post? People may want attention from other people, may want something, may want to get out of something, or may enjoy how the behavior feels. If you haven’t already read it, we suggest reading the prior post so the information […]
What approach should caregivers take with challenging behaviors?
Managing challenging behaviors can be quite stressful. Most of the time, parents just do what they can to get through the situation with as little fuss and fighting as possible. Unfortunately, this often times involves strategies that may be counterproductive, increasing the chance of these behaviors occurring in the future. If the goal is to […]
When You Start an ABA program, What Should You Reasonably Expect from Your Service Provider?
The following are things that you should expect as a parent when you begin treatment for your child with Autism. You and your child have a right to a therapeutic environment. This means that the teaching environment set up to help your child is one in which socially significant learning occurs. As a client, your […]