Talk with Me: Enhancing Communication through Natural Family Routines
As parents, we want to hear about our children’s days, talk about issues of importance, and simply connect with our kids. Unfortunately, sometimes the ways in which
Behavior
Appropriate – Where Do You Draw the Line: Teaching Social Behaviors for Independent Living
Teaching Social Behaviors for Independent Living As I sit on the beach, I reflect on our son’s success. I start to fall into a transcendental moment of pride. I even...
Crying in Therapy: Important to Understand Why
For many parents, family members, and therapists, crying can be a big obstacle to overcome when teaching and working with a young child. While it may be difficult to manage...
Success on the Potty: Is Your Child Ready?
Potty Training Children with Special Needs It is not uncommon for children with special needs to have difficulty with potty training. This may be because they cannot recognize bodily sensations...
Promoting Executive Functioning Over the Summer Vacation
Understanding Executive Functioning According to the Encyclopedia of Autism (2013), individuals on the autism spectrum have a pronounced impairment in executive functioning. Executive functioning (EF) impairments are not unique to...
Engaging Siblings to Build Social Skills: A Relative Solution to a Complex Problem
Engaging Siblings Play is a primary context for children to learn important skills and to interact, but it tends to be “messy”. Children with special needs often find playtime with...
Relationship Rescue: Expressing Feelings Appropriately
Question: “How do I assist my special needs teen/adult to express their feelings appropriately”? Advice: Not an easy answer to say the least. I have found that, typically, the parent/adult...
Expanding Food Options for the PICKY EATER
Expanding food options for the picky eater Javier eats a couple of bites of his chicken nuggets, pushes his pasta around on his plate, turns up his nose at his...
Music Is Feeling
Music Is Feeling Riley sits cross-legged on the floor, banging a big, round drum. It’s the beginning of his music therapy session with Noreen Donnell, Clinical Director of Music Therapy...
Avoiding Power Struggles
Avoiding Power Struggles After throwing away meat wrappers, Suzy asks her son, David, to take out the trash before she leaves the room to make a phone call. When Suzy...
