While the word “punish” often conjures up bad thoughts for parents and professionals, punishment and reinforcement are key when looking at behavior change through ABA. Punishment in ABA decreases the chances that a particular behavior will occur again, as opposed to reinforcement which increases the likelihood of behavior. Let’s lookContinue Reading
For individuals on the autism spectrum, a diagnosis from a medical professional is necessary in order to qualify for medical services. One main difference in the assessment is in how the child is evaluated and whether the evaluation is done by an individual or a team. At ACN, we conductContinue Reading
As parents, you have expectations of improving your children’s behavior. Behavior analysts, on the other hand, need to make sure improvements in behavior occur within the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) guidelines. These seven guidelines are called the defining characteristics of ABA: Jennifer AllenA graduate of Abilene Christian University, Jennifer had a longContinue Reading
Autism is described as occurring on a spectrum because the symptoms can vary from a complete lack of communication with others to difficulty understanding others’ feelings. This range of symptoms is why the diagnostic term is referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Aspergers Syndrome, sometimes also called High-Functioning Autism, falls underContinue Reading
If you live in Bexar or Comal county in Texas, and have a child with a developmental disability, this is a must read from Alfred Chavira, the Director of Health and Wellness Programs for the Any Baby Can organization. Introducing “Any Body Can” health and wellness program, offering the entireContinue Reading
The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), published by American Psychiatric Association, was released in May 2013. As you probably already know, the DSM-V significantly revised the diagnostic category under which Aspergers and autistic disorder previously fell in the DSM-IV-TR. Specifically, in the DSM-IV-TR, Pervasive Developmental Disorders wasContinue Reading
The Autistic Mind is different in both function and anatomy. Understanding the function of the Autistic Brain may help you understand, or explain, the different behaviors exhibited by someone with Aspergers Syndrome. In this edition of Top of The Spectrum News doctors reveal studies proving the importance of therapy, explainingContinue Reading
