The New Normal ASD In The Covid-19 Era
Over the last 12 to 15 months, all of us have gone through the effects of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has completely altered the way we live, dress, socialize, entertain, work, play and more. While massive inoculation drives across most countries has given everyone the hope of an eventual reopening of communities, a return to the old “normal” still seems elusive at this stage. For families dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the big question is, “What is the new normal for children with Autism?” Many are wondering whether life will look the same in different settings for learning, shopping, dining, recreation, community cultural events, and more.
Behavior Pioneer’s Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy providers at Fort Worth, TX offer expert tips on how children with ASD and their families can cope with the evolving situations in the COVD-19 era.
Navigating a New Way of Living with ASD during the Coronavirus Pandemic
More than a year into the pandemic, most children are aware of the additional safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it is the use of face masks and sanitizers, a cautious approach to touching things in a store aisle, or temperature checks and form filling outside doctors’ offices, children understands the newer routines. However, it is important to talk to the child and discuss the heightened hygiene and safety measures at periodic intervals. For families dealing with ASD, it is also important to find innovative ways to give the child a sense of comfort and predictability. If your child with Autism has not been out much during the pandemic, familiarize them with the new ways of doing things before taking them out for any chores or activities.
Here are some aspects to consider:
- Procuring or making masks with their favorite colors, patterns, or designs will encourage them to wear them correctly and keep them on when most required.
- Getting the child used to a rigorous hand wash routine, or helping them understand that the watery, slippery texture of hand sanitizers evaporates quickly will build greater acceptance of the additional safety measures that are imperative in the current times.
- Calling stores or looking up their websites before going shopping will help you give the child clarity on whether it is going to be a curbside pickup or in-person shopping. Higher the predictability of the routine, better the chances that your child feels comfortable during such outings.
- Teaching the child the importance of social distancing through social stories will help them distinguish between interacting with people in your own bubble versus greeting or communicating with friends, teachers, or other people in various settings.
Besides sensitizing the child on social distancing and safety measures, help them understand the volatility of routines in a COVID-19 era. Various activities may continue to open up or shut down due to the peaks and troughs in the nature of the pandemic. If infection rates rise or new variants wreak further havoc, your child will need to adapt to the changing rules and measures around study, play, and social activities.
For example, schools may shift between online and in-person learning, based on the evolving situations during the pandemic. There may be new protocols related to partitioned seating, restricted breaks, or a ban on food sharing to keep the children safe. Discuss such changes with your child in order to give them a better sense of control. If you think that your child may not be able to cope easily with the changes, discuss this with the school and let your child remain on an online learning schedule for an extended timeline.
Everyone is anxious to get back to a pre-pandemic “normal” life. However, at this point, it is unclear on when and if that will happen. Preparation, planning, and explanation are key in helping your child with ASD cope during and beyond the COVID-19 era. Simplifying and easing the transition to the evolving “normal” will help families dealing with ASD cope better with change and help children with Autism thrive despite the pandemic.
About the Authors
Behavior Pioneers, LLC, is a leading Autism diagnosis center and trusted ABA provider in Fort Worth, TX. Besides individualized sessions for behavior therapy in Dallas, TX and Fort Worth, TX, they also offer programs for autism therapy Richardson TX at their centers in Richardson, TX and Carrolton, TX.
Led by Clinical Director Brian Tanenbaum, their team of ABA specialists comprises qualified and experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) who hold top-notch credentials. Their goal is to bring about meaningful, long-lasting changes in the lives of children with ASD and their families.
Call 877-725-8397 or contact them online to learn more about their Autism therapy offerings near you.
The Importance of Social Skills Development in Children with Autism
Child Behavior Therapy Specialists in Dallas, TX Offer Insights
One of the most prevalent childhood developmental disorders in the U.S., Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts about 1 in 54 children every year. As a complex, neurological condition, ASD manifests itself differently in every individual. While the challenges, severity of symptoms, and impairments may vary for every child, one aspect that usually needs attention and intervention is social skills. Any deficit in this skill tends to impact the way a child interacts with others and builds relationships. In fact, the lack of social interactions and limited social-emotional reciprocity often impacts the quality of life of the entire family.
For parents of children with Autism, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the child behaves in a more neurotypical manner and assimilates better in society. This is where a powerful, evidence-based Autism treatment, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy comes into play. ABA therapy focuses on improving skill deficits, enhancing function, and promoting independence in children with ASD.
The ABA therapy experts at Behavior Pioneers discuss the importance of social skills development and share some strategies that specifically address the gap in this skill set.
Social Skills Development with ABA-Based Programs and Interventions
Children with Autism usually have a difficult time participating in social activities or interacting with peers, parents, teachers, siblings or other people in day-to-day situations. Whether it is starting a conversation, making friends, playing, attending events, or other social interactions, they may need additional support in developing these abilities.
Why is Social Skills Development Critical?
Studies1,2,3 show that social competence may have an impact on the child’s academic skills and educational performance. In fact, there is sufficient research4 that social adjustment indications can help predict academic performance.
While social skills development is critical for the academic or professional endeavors of individuals with ASD, it also plays a key role in:
- Bolstering self-confidence and preventing peer victimization (in the form of bullying, shunning and isolation)
- Promoting companionship, emotional support, affection, and a sense of belonging
- Creating opportunities to share hopes, fears or interests
- Enhancing learning of the outside world
Building the social skills and abilities of children with Autism is all about helping them:
- Share with others and be empathetic
- Build trusting relationships and enjoy companionship
- Consider others’ perspectives and resolve conflicts
What Strategies Help with Social Skills Development?
Here is a glimpse into some of the ABA-based strategies that can potentially enhance the social skills index of children with Autism.
1. Pivotal Response Training (PRT): These are direct child-specific interventions that consist of instructions and positive reinforcements. The ABA therapist teaches the child self-monitoring techniques, while also practicing stimulus control and behavior modification prompts. PRT aims to increase the frequency and quality of social behaviors displayed by children with ASD.
2. Social Stories: An increasingly popular intervention, social stories involves individualized stories that teach appropriate social behaviors to children with ASD. This is a highly targeted approach, where each story contains specific activities or situations that the child finds challenging.
3. Peer Mediated Interventions: Peer mediation involves training the neurotypical peers to interact appropriately with children with Autism. Whether it is developing meaningful relationships, treating their peers with dignity and respect, or decreasing stigmatizing behaviors, the neurotypical peers learn how to contribute to the development of social skills in children with ASD. Designed to increase the child’s social initiations and communicative interactions, peer mediated interventions involve parallel play, cooperative play, close proximity observations and verbal or physical response to initiations.
4. Social Scripts: Social scripts apply prompting, reinforcement and modeling techniques to teach the child how to interact in various social situations. Once the child starts using the scripted techniques spontaneously in real-life interactions, the therapist begins script fading and discontinues this approach.
Typically, ABA practitioners apply the principles of ABA to design personalized social skills plans that cater to each child’s unique abilities and developmental goals.
About the Authors
Behavior Pioneers, LLC, specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis therapy near me for treating individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With clinic-based therapy in Richardson, TX and Carrolton, TX, along with in-home ABA sessions throughout Dallas, TX, they aim to bring about meaningful, long-lasting changes in the lives of families and children living with Autism. Led by Clinical Director Brian Tanenbaum, the Behavior Pioneers’ team includes experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), who hold master’s degrees in Child Development, Early Childhood Disorders, Educational Psychology, and Low Incidence Disabilities and Autism.
At Behavior Pioneers, the focus is on creating customized, flexible, high-impact ABA plans that build essential skills (including motor, social, verbal and cognitive), decrease challenging behaviors and enhance the functioning and independence of individuals with ASD.
For more information on child behavior therapy in Dallas, TX, get in touch with the ABA therapist near me at any of their Autism treatment centers. You can also call 877-725-8397 or contact them online.
One of the most prevalent childhood developmental disorders in the U.S., Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts about 1 in 54 children every year. As a complex, neurological condition, ASD manifests itself differently in every individual. While the challenges, severity of symptoms, and impairments may vary for every child, one aspect that usually needs attention and intervention is social skills. Any deficit in this skill tends to impact the way a child interacts with others and builds relationships. In fact, the lack of social interactions and limited social-emotional reciprocity often impacts the quality of life of the entire family.
For parents of children with Autism, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the child behaves in a more neurotypical manner and assimilates better in society. This is where a powerful, evidence-based Autism treatment, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy comes into play. ABA therapy focuses on improving skill deficits, enhancing function, and promoting independence in children with ASD.
The ABA therapy experts at Behavior Pioneers discuss the importance of social skills development and share some strategies that specifically address the gap in this skill set.
Social Skills Development with ABA-Based Programs and Interventions
Children with Autism usually have a difficult time participating in social activities or interacting with peers, parents, teachers, siblings or other people in day-to-day situations. Whether it is starting a conversation, making friends, playing, attending events, or other social interactions, they may need additional support in developing these abilities.
Why is Social Skills Development Critical?
Studies1,2,3 show that social competence may have an impact on the child’s academic skills and educational performance. In fact, there is sufficient research4 that social adjustment indications can help predict academic performance.
While social skills development is critical for the academic or professional endeavors of individuals with ASD, it also plays a key role in:
- Bolstering self-confidence and preventing peer victimization (in the form of bullying, shunning and isolation)
- Promoting companionship, emotional support, affection, and a sense of belonging
- Creating opportunities to share hopes, fears or interests
- Enhancing learning of the outside world
Building the social skills and abilities of children with Autism is all about helping them:
- Share with others and be empathetic
- Build trusting relationships and enjoy companionship
- Consider others’ perspectives and resolve conflicts
What Strategies Help with Social Skills Development?
Here is a glimpse into some of the ABA-based strategies that can potentially enhance the social skills index of children with Autism.
1. Pivotal Response Training (PRT): These are direct child-specific interventions that consist of instructions and positive reinforcements. The ABA therapist teaches the child self-monitoring techniques, while also practicing stimulus control and behavior modification prompts. PRT aims to increase the frequency and quality of social behaviors displayed by children with ASD.
2. Social Stories: An increasingly popular intervention, social stories involves individualized stories that teach appropriate social behaviors to children with ASD. This is a highly targeted approach, where each story contains specific activities or situations that the child finds challenging.
3. Peer Mediated Interventions: Peer mediation involves training the neurotypical peers to interact appropriately with children with Autism. Whether it is developing meaningful relationships, treating their peers with dignity and respect, or decreasing stigmatizing behaviors, the neurotypical peers learn how to contribute to the development of social skills in children with ASD. Designed to increase the child’s social initiations and communicative interactions, peer mediated interventions involve parallel play, cooperative play, close proximity observations and verbal or physical response to initiations.
4. Social Scripts: Social scripts apply prompting, reinforcement and modeling techniques to teach the child how to interact in various social situations. Once the child starts using the scripted techniques spontaneously in real-life interactions, the therapist begins script fading and discontinues this approach.
Typically, ABA practitioners apply the principles of ABA to design personalized social skills plans that cater to each child’s unique abilities and developmental goals.
About the Authors
Behavior Pioneers, LLC, specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis therapy near me for treating individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With clinic-based therapy in Richardson, TX and Carrolton, TX, along with in-home ABA sessions throughout Dallas, TX, they aim to bring about meaningful, long-lasting changes in the lives of families and children living with Autism. Led by Clinical Director Brian Tanenbaum, the Behavior Pioneers’ team includes experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), who hold master’s degrees in Child Development, Early Childhood Disorders, Educational Psychology, and Low Incidence Disabilities and Autism.
At Behavior Pioneers, the focus is on creating customized, flexible, high-impact ABA plans that build essential skills (including motor, social, verbal and cognitive), decrease challenging behaviors and enhance the functioning and independence of individuals with ASD.
For more information on child behavior therapy in Dallas, TX, get in touch with the ABA therapist near me at any of their Autism treatment centers. You can also call 877-725-8397 or contact them online.
Help Your Child with Autism Flourish and Be Successful
Tips from ABA Therapy Experts in Dallas, TX
Some children have the gift of being able to see and interpret the world very differently than others. Understanding their thought processes and distinct perspectives can be a truly enriching experience for any parent. If your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), you know that you are going to be a special kind of parent for the rest of your life. In fact, parenting a child with Autism is not all about challenges or stumbling blocks. Instead, it is an opportunity to defy convention with innovative parenting solutions.
As for tackling the day-to-day obstacles, there are numerous treatments and interventions that can help you and your child lead a balanced lifestyle. One such powerful, evidence–based treatment is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which is customizable to your child’s unique needs. In-home ABA therapy in Dallas focuses on:
- Increasing attention, memory and academics
- Improving language, communication, and social skills
- Promoting independence
- Decreasing problem behaviors
ABA therapy can also empower you or your child’s caregivers with useful tools and interventions that encourage desirable behaviors in your child.
At Behavior Pioneers, the leading provider of Autism services in Dallas, we use ABA-based interventions to reduce the challenging behaviors and increase the critical skills of children with ASD. Our team consists of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), who specialize in Educational Psychology, Child Development, Early Childhood Disorders, and Low Incidence Disabilities and Autism. Our experienced and well-trained behavioral specialists offer some useful tips that will help you steer your child towards a successful future.
Top 5 Suggestions for Parenting a Child with Autism
Selecting an evidence-based therapy, such as ABA, and lining up appropriate medical care are some of the foremost steps in your journey of parenting a child with Autism. While some additional parenting cues will come from your child’s therapy itself, here are other everyday aspects that can improve your family’s interactions, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
1. Keep it Positive: Children with ASD tend to respond well in a positive environment. Encourage every member of the household to praise them when they see desirable behaviors. Be specific in your feedback so that the child understands exactly what you liked. Top up the praise with extra playtime, a prize sticker, or some other thoughtful reward.
2. Be Patient: After the initial diagnosis, there is going to be some experimentation with different treatments, techniques, and approaches to understand which one is working best for your child. Remember, what worked wonders for another child may not necessarily apply to yours. Keep an open mind and give it time. Try not to be discouraged during the process, even if certain techniques do not produce the desired results.
3. Establish Routines: Many children with ASD like routines. Try to maintain consistency in your interactions, teachings, and guidance by aligning with the techniques and methods that are part of their therapy. This will help your child learn new skills and behaviors easily, even outside of the therapy sessions.
4. Expose your Child to Everyday Activities: Even if your child’s behavior is unpredictable, don’t shy away from involving them in routine activities or errands, including visits to the grocery store, bank, post office, and such. Start with short trips, keep your child warmed up to what is coming next, but try to go about your business, as much as possible. By exposing them to everyday activities and interactions, you are teaching them coping skills and allowing them to get used to the real world.
5. Find Your Stress Coping Mechanisms: Whether it is talking to a close friend or relative, getting formal counseling, joining a parent support group, or practicing mindfulness, pursue activities that help you cope with the stress of parenting a child with Autism. Consider using respite care and calling in a temporary caregiver in order to get some time for yourself. Reducing your stress will help you maintain a positive environment that helps your child thrive.
Expert ABA Behavioral Therapists in Dallas, TX and Surrounding Areas
At Behavior Pioneers, our goal is two-fold. We want to bring in meaningful, long-lasting changes that help your child become independent in all areas of life. Similarly, we want to build your armory of skills for parenting and caring for a child with Autism, which will help you lead them into a bright and secure future.
Whether your child is a toddler or teenager, we offer center-based therapy at our Autism Service Centers in Carrollton, TX and Richardson, TX. If your child needs a more familiar environment to flourish, take advantage of our in-home ABA therapy in and around Dallas, TX or Fort Worth, TX. You can also adopt a hybrid approach (in-home as well as center-based therapy options) to get the best of both worlds.
Our expert ABA behavioral therapists work closely with you to create a tailor-made ABA curriculum that helps decrease your child’s challenging behaviors and increase your family’s overall quality of life.
Considering ABA therapy for your child? Connect with our behavioral specialists for a free consultation at an Autism Service Center near you. Our Autism services in Dallas are accessible 7 days a week from 8 am – 8 pm. Call 877-725-8397 or contact us online.
This Dallas Autism Treatment Center Takes a Human Approach
For
many families, especially those with children that have been newly
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the number of options,
resources, and recommendations available can be overwhelming and even
downright nerve-racking. A quick browse of the internet can turn up
thousands of people’s accounts and reviews of different therapies,
products, and strategies that often conflict and contradict each other.
However, it is important for information-seekers to know that Applied
Behavior Analysis (ABA) is currently the only therapeutic treatment that
has been scientifically proven to make meaningful changes in the lives
of individuals with Autism. But will this type of treatment be too
harsh for children? Will a science-based therapy be too inflexible and
disregard human emotion?
Many parents seeking child behavior therapy in Dallas have
continually expressed a desire to receive services that place a heavy
emphasis on upholding their children’s dignity and consider all the
emotions that accompany intensive or focused ABA therapy. And these
parents will be relieved to learn that appropriate and effective ABA
does just that. Research shows empirically that fostering a positive
learning environment rich in potential reinforcement drastically
increases the likelihood of success. Specifically, it has been proven
that programs and interventions focused on building skills and
reinforcing positive behaviors consistently produce significantly more
improvements and beneficial life changes than those focused on punitive
procedures. Excessive punishment has been shown to cause long-term
trauma or emotional damage, and typically only culminates in short-term
behavioral changes that do not maintain for long periods of time.
Additionally, punitive interventions alone are not usually effective
because the person delivering the punishment needs to be present and
consistent with their delivery of consequences 100% of the time. Think
about speeding tickets, a punitive procedure intended to get drivers to
slow down. Do they work? Is everyone driving under the speed limit?
Of course not, and the reason is that there isn’t a police officer
delivering the ticket in 100% of speeding instances. If you got a
ticket every single time your speedometer hit 66 miles per hour, I’d bet
you’d probably slow down. But it’s not feasible or realistic, and
therefore speeding tickets do not have the intended effect.
According
to Brian Tanenbaum, Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Clinical
Director of Behavior Pioneers, a major component of ABA therapy provided
at their Autism treatment center in Dallas is
a concept known as pairing. In this procedure, behavior technicians
pair themselves with reinforcing items and activities that the children
enjoy from the start of services in order to build rapport with the
children. This helps build trust between the child and therapist and
leads to a teaching environment in which kids can learn while having fun
so that they view ABA sessions as fun rather than work.
Language
acquisition and social skills are most effectively targeted during
play, which can be broken down into smaller subcategories in order to
target different areas. Functional pretend play (i.e., make-believe) is
a great way to teach and encourage children to use their imagination,
answer questions, make appropriate comments, share and take turns, all
of which contribute to a decrease in challenging or inappropriate
behavior, such as tantrums, shouting, aggression, self-injurious
behavior, and repetitive physical or vocal behavior. Construction play
(building with blocks, Legos, etc.) is another fantastic way to unlock
creativity, while simultaneously enhancing visual learning and
sequencing skills, and gross motor games (sports, hide-and-seek, tag,
etc.) help children build essential imitative skills and the ability to
follow instructions more efficiently.
If you are interested in finding out more about positive person-centered ABA or in home ABA therapy in Carrollton TX or
surrounding areas, contact Behavior Pioneers at 877-789-9659 or visit
the website for more information and a free consultation.