Wrapping Things Up

Hello everyone, Thank you so much for following this blog! During these few weeks, I have learned so much about ABA therapy and the world of ASD diagnosis and treatment! It has been a great experience, and I am glad I got to share it with you all. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment...

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The World is Overwhelming Sometimes: ABA Sessions

So far in this journey of understanding ABA therapy, I have covered everything from emotions and basic prompting to larger applications like generalization. Many people on the autism spectrum have difficulty processing sensory information. These sensory differences can affect learning and day...

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A Look into Autism Misdiagnosis

Over these last few weeks, I have been analyzing the results to my survey and trying to find the best way to present the most important responses and ideas to the public. For those who may not be familiar...

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Emotions: ABA Sessions

Sometimes it is hard for us to express our emotions to others. May it be because a certain situation, event or even time of the day, it's not always easy to tell someone how you feel. Unfortunately,...

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Wide Awake: Autism and Sleep

Falling asleep and staying asleep are particularly common among those on the spectrum. According to Autism Speaks, 80% of children with ASD have sleep-related problems. Insufficient sleep can worsen behavioral challenges, cause aggression and interfere with learning. Recent studies have opened up...

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Applying What You Learn: ABA Sessions

What is the point of learning a new behavior or skill if it cannot be applied in different situations? Is a skill truly acquired if the student is unable to apply it outside the classroom or house? Generalization is the “spreading” or “expansion” of teaching beyond what was directly or intentionally...

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April is Autism Awareness Month!

With a growing prevalence in ASD diagnosis, The Autism Society was founded in 1965 and is a nationwide campaign that helps raise awareness. The first National Autism Awareness Month occurred in April of 1970. Since then, April is known as the time where people all around the world show their support...

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Routines and Managing Change: ABA Sessions

Change affects us all. Anything from a delayed flight to a broken phone can bring frustration, panic and anxiety to the best of us. When times are chaotic and things go opposite of the norm, it becomes harder to cope and keep calm.   Change is especially hard for a person with Autism. Yesterday,...

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"Oh, You Have a Girl. It's Not Autism."

Over the course of this project, I have talked a lot about the increase in Autism diagnosis and the importance of early intervention. However, an article from the Scientific American suggests that these diagnostic methods often overlook girls. In the article, Kevin Pelphrey, an autism researcher...

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"Practicing Errors Impedes Learning": ABA Sessions

Within an ABA program, a clinician usually employs different types of prompts to help a child achieve a desired behavior or skill. Prompting is extensively used in behavior shaping and skill acquisition....

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Different, Not Less

“Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away”- Derek Jarman Social ostracism is a type of rejection. It’s the feeling of being an outcast, of being judged or ignored by the group, or given the silent treatment. It can mean anything from subtle forms of...

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"To Be" or "Not To Be" That is Echolalia: ABA Sessions

While observing an ABA session this week, one of the things I found common in many children was the way they responded during conversations. They would constantly repeat certain words and phrases and...

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How Is Autism Diagnosed?

Getting a professional evaluation for autism can mean access to the right support and treatment. Since my project is predominantly focused on the communication of a diagnosis to families, understanding...

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Distractions and Eye Contact: ABA Sessions

“I really don’t understand why it's considered normal to stare at someone’s eyeballs” - John Elder Robinson Many children with Autism struggle with eye contact. Making eye contact is an important...

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The Importance of Early Intervention

“I have never met a person with autism who felt that being told of the diagnosis-or becoming aware of it over time- was a negative or damaging experience.” This week I started reading a book called Uniquely Human by Dr. Barry M. Prizant which brought into attention how important early intervention...

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ABA: The Scientific Approach to Autism Treatment

Throughout the last few weeks, I have been hinting at a broader form of Autism therapy known as ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis. Recently, I have talked about PRT which is a form of ABA. ABA is the science devoted to the understanding and improvement of human behavior. “Applied" means practice, and...

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"How Well is an Autism Diagnosis Communicated to Familes?": Introduction to the Questionnaire

As I mentioned in my first blogpost, a major component of my research is understanding how well a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is communicated to families and what can be done to improve the process. Over the next few months as I continue to observe how autism treatment is communicated...

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“Some Things Are More Motivating Than Others”: PRT With Parents

Welcome Back! This week I observed Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) being performed for the first time in a session and it was quite the learning experience! My morning began with an interesting twist to what I was expecting. Instead of going outside to watch therapy sessions with the clinicians,...

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“Does an Autism Diagnosis Change How We Perceive a Behavior?”: Pivotal Response Treatment and More!

Yesterday was my first day at SARRC. Trapped in traffic for a good hour, I still somehow managed to arrive ten minutes before the program started. Fortunately, because of this I able to introduce myself to some of the families and interact with the kids. After greeting everyone, Brittani the supervisor...

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“It's All a Matter of Perspective”: An Introduction to Autism

Hello! My name is Shambhavi Mishra and I am a senior at BASIS Phoenix. At Basis, students conduct a research project which offers them an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and research skills learned and study in the subject area they are passionate about. I have always been interested in...

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