“It’s my turn.” “Please give me space.” “I need help understanding this.” “I’d like a cheeseburger with french fries.” What do all of these phrases have in common? They are all expressions of self-advocacy – the ability to express one’s needs, make choices, and communicate preferences. Self-advocacy goes beyond just words; it is a critical skill that empowers an individual

Lisa Butler – Jan 16 – 4 min read Growing up, I often thought to myself that I had the worst of both worlds. I had an older brother whose needs had to always be considered, but I didn’t have any of the benefits that come along with a sibling relationship. We didn’t play together. I couldn’t talk to him

Receiving an autism diagnosis for your child can be a significant moment in a parent’s journey. As you navigate this new terrain, effective communication becomes paramount. Discussing autism with your child requires sensitivity, empathy, and an understanding of their unique perspective. Here are some helpful tips to guide you through this conversation. Approaching the topic of autism with your child

Don’t let the cold weather keep you from enjoying this time of year! There are still plenty of fun activities that you can do to enjoy the cold weather together as a family. Here are a few of our favourites: Outdoor Adventures Bundle up and head outdoors for a family stroll. Explore a new park or neighbourhood. Try turning your

Executive functioning encompasses a set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to plan, organize, initiate, and complete tasks. This includes skills such as flexibility, working memory, self-control, and problem-solving. Children with autism may experience difficulties in these areas, making it essential to tailor teaching approaches to their specific needs. Empowering children with autism to develop executive functioning skills requires patience,

The holiday season is ramping up and while it can bring a ton of fun and happiness, it can also signify a lot of change. Shifting from the routine and structure that school brings can be stressful for both children and parents. Here are some tips that can help you and your family transition into the holidays (and back again)

Raising a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, mental illness, or chronic illness is unimaginably hard. Each day comes with new challenges that may seem insurmountable, and the experience of caring for a child with unique needs can be profoundly isolating. It can feel like you are the only one facing this. Adding to this loneliness, is the stigma and shame

Have you ever found yourself puzzled by why your child engages in certain behaviours? Despite trying multiple strategies, do the behaviours persist and you find yourself wondering what to do next? You’re not alone! Social media, books, and family and friends may offer “quick fixes” or suggestions for what worked for their family, but they do not always take into

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 Parenting an autistic child comes with unique challenges and finding the right support for him or her can be one of the most difficult. One approach that has evolved significantly over time is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). The science of ABA has profoundly impacted the lives of autistic individuals by offering a means of communication, teaching adaptive

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 Halloween is an exciting time of year for children as they eagerly anticipate dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating. For some children, however, this holiday can present unique challenges. The unfamiliarity of costumes, sensory overload from decorations, and the unpredictability of trick-or-treating can make Halloween overwhelming. As a parent or caregiver, there are several tips you can

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 School is back in session, the days are getting shorter, and there’s a crispness in the air. That can only mean one thing… It’s time to pull out those pants, coats, hats, and boots! For many, this seasonal change is met with excitement and anticipation of building snowmen and going skating. For some children, however, the switch

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 Do you ever feel guilty when your child is having screen time? We are told over and over that screen time can negatively impact children’s development, but it is nearly impossible to remove all screen time in this day and age. Rather than trying to remove it completely (and feeling guilty when you need to bring it

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 The new school year is just around the corner and that means the opportunity for a fresh start. This could mean new routines, new teachers, and new friends! The thought of making a new friend, however, can be intimidating and scary. Your child might be asking questions like, “Where do I find a friend” or “What if

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 Helping an individual to live a more independent life is one of the main goals of many Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) programs. One way we do this is through what is called “prompting.” Prompting is a form of help that is given to a learner that instructs them what to do next. There are many different types

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 We all need and deserve a good night’s sleep. Not only does sleep help keep us healthy and improve our mood, but it is also crucial for learning! While we sleep, our brains consolidate all the information and events of the day, helping us to remember them in the future. At each stage of life, we need

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 If you have made the decision to start applied behaviour analysis (ABA) services and are wondering now what – you are not alone! Whether you are paying for services out-of-pocket, with funding through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), or insurance, you want to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. This

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 The summer is upon us! Whether you’re the type of person who loves the heat or prefers to stay put in the AC, the summer holidays often mean that our days are more relaxed and a bit less structured. While this can be a nice change from the school year, it can also be stressful for those

Updated: Nov 24, 2023 Does your child only seem to eat chicken nuggets and french fries? Maybe they only want to eat strawberries and yogurt? Perhaps they will only eat the orange veggie straws and the skin of a cucumber? Picky eating is something that most caregivers will experience at some point or another with their children and it is a

With schools closing everyone is settling in at home for the holidays! Trying to balance family commitments, holiday preparation, and keeping your children entertained over the break definitely makes for an overwhelming (most wonderful) time of year. KMBC has put together a list of fun winter activities that will give your children the opportunity to practice a multitude of skills

Hearing the word, “no” can pose as a challenge for many individuals but more so for children. Most adults can manage their disappointment and alter their responses however our children are still learning this skill and while they do the struggle with understanding “no” can result in challenging behaviors. Over the course of our children’s lives, it is impossible to

Back to school can be an exciting time for children and parents alike. It is also a time that can present unique challenges, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Going back to school generally means several major changes for your child, including new teachers, friends, schedules, classrooms, or even a new school. Anticipating these changes can be very

We talk a lot about the importance of reinforcing behaviours we want to see occur in the future. Reinforcement is critical in learning new behaviours as we know that when someone receives reinforcement, if the value of that reinforcement is meaningful to that person their behaviour should increase. Consider a parent who might be trying to teach their child to

As an adult sometimes it can be a challenge to remember how to play! After all, it has been a long time since we’ve been asked to sit on the floor and be silly. So, what are the two most important things to remember when trying to engage with your child during play? Project ImPACT is a parent mediated training

Parent training is really all about empowering parents to be the primary change agent in the life of their child. The essence of parent training is to support the guardian in understanding key techniques and behaviour modification principles that will in turn have a direct and proportionate effect on a more holistic and improved life at home. Given that parents

It often seems next to impossible to understand why our children behave in certain ways. As unclear as it may seem, there is always a reason (or multiple reasons) why we behave the way we do at any given moment. Even if the behaviour our child is engaging in is unfavorable or challenging, that behaviour is meeting a specific need.

The holidays are an exciting time of year, usually filled with family and friends! However, the holidays can also mean stress and anxiety for many children and for you, their caregivers. Holiday parties and other large family gatherings often require significant changes to your family’s daily routine that can be overwhelming, to say the least. Your children are in new

When beginning to think about toilet training for your child, it can seem daunting, and often one can be left with more questions than answers. Not all children respond to the same teaching techniques, and a method that is helpful in one child’s situation may not be successful for another. This process can be made more challenging if your child

1. Myth: ABA providers do not allow clients of their services to make choices Fact: Behavioural professionals are responsible for incorporating the preferences of ABA clients into all therapeutic programs when developing treatment goals. Opportunities for choice-making are also integrated into therapeutic programs whenever possible. In fact, choice-making during therapy can result in better program outcomes! Resources: – https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ethics-Code-for-Behavior-Analysts-210902.pdf –

In July 2021, the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA) released a report summarizing the current state of the research for all ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis)-based interventions. The purpose of this report was to provide accurate information about ABA and review recent ABA research pertaining mostly to autism. The report covers several large topics, but can be summarized into four

With all this talk about vaccinations – sometimes we forget to think about how to prepare our children, especially those who are deathly afraid of the doctor, nurses and those scary needles! Often, parents tell me doctors’ appointments can be extremely stressful! Questions such as, what if I have to hold him down or what distraction strategies can I use

Kerry Maisels Behaviour Consulting Inc., in partnership with private and public providers across the North, Northwest, and Northeast Regions of Ontario are offering Caregiver-Mediated Early Years Programs Pivotal Response Training (PRT) and Project ImPACT to eligible families (program details are included following the list of Partnering Agencies). Partnering Agencies ABA Northern Services & Training Inc. https://www.facebook.com/abanorthernservices/ Located in Sudbury, Ontario,

Positive reinforcement is one of the most important tools in our ABA toolbox. It is an effective, evidence-based strategy that we often use to teach new skills or strengthen existing ones. When first introduced, reinforcement can often be confused for bribery. At first glance, reinforcement and bribery may appear similar to one another since both involve the delivery of something

After a long year of school, both in-person and on-line, your children deserve a break! It’s their time to run around, explore, and try new things. Join in on the fun by planning summer activities that are both fun and beneficial. In addition to keeping your child active, many of these games that you know and love from your own

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines respite as “an interval of rest or relief”. Certainly, I’m sure we can all agree this last year has caused an unimaginable amount of stress for the majority! Many have been required to wear multiple hats as employees, parents, teachers, care takers and more! Respite is critical for so many, but for parents and caregivers

Many of us thrive on schedules! Whether you make a note of all of the things you want to accomplish on a piece of paper or notes app or you schedule your appointments in your calendar all roads lead back to feeling organized and knowing what comes next. Just like adults, children thrive when they have schedules that are predictable.

As children develop language there are many ways the adults in their environment can help support and promote this. One technique we use in ABA is called incidental teaching. You may have also heard the term “naturalistic teaching”. Incidental teaching is a method of increasing communication by waiting for the child to initiate conversation and then helping them to expand

If I were to say that motivation is necessary to learn new skills this might not come as a surprise to you. Like this simple statement, many concepts in ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) are intuitive and are things that we already know to be true. The difference in ABA is that we try to “apply” these concepts in a conscious

Back to school, this year feels a little different to years past, however, one thing remains the same – we all send our children off hoping they get the education they so deserve! Children with autism and other developmental disabilities may have unique learning styles therefore require Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s). An IEP is a written plan, based on an

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a science that aims to improve socially significant behaviour. ABA is used to teach new skills. It can also be used to reduce behaviours that might be interfering with an individual’s ability to learn or participate in their community. ABA is based on the principles of Learning Theory. One of the key components of Learning