Turn Autism Around

Mary Barbera welcomes back Michelle, a parent and autism coach, to share her daughter Elena's remarkable journey. Michelle discusses recognizing early signs of regression, receiving an autism diagnosis, and navigating therapy shutdowns during COVID-19. She shares how implementing at-home teaching strategies helped Elena progress from two words to 180 words and phrases in just 33 days. Now eight ye...

Mary Barbera interviews longtime collaborator Tracy Rasmussen about helping her 16-month-old granddaughter, Cece, who was showing signs of a speech delay. Tracy shares the strategies she learned through Mary's program, including language sampling, modeling words, repetition, structured table time, and reducing pressure around speaking. She also discusses Cece's early progress with new word approxi...

Dr. Mary Barbera explains why "free" autism advice and therapy can still carry a cost when they delay real progress. Mary shares two parent stories: Ruth, who spent 150+ hours piecing together free content without a step-by-step plan, and Kelsey, who had funded therapy in place but watched her son work on the wrong goals. Both stories point to the same lesson: parents need to become the "Captain o...

When a child has words but speaks too quietly to hear, low volume may be connected to confidence, fluency, and how difficult the word feels. In this coaching call excerpt, Dr. Mary Barbera explains how to increase talking and voice volume by giving the answer, modeling words clearly, slowing down practice, using 3D objects, matching, microphones, mirrors, songs, outdoor play, and weekly word lists...

Dr. Mary Barbera shares the story of her sons Lucas and Spencer, two boys who looked very similar as toddlers but had very different outcomes. Through their journey, she explains why parents can't predict a child's future with a "crystal ball," but should still take action early when they notice speech delays, autism signs, or developmental concerns. She also introduces her 5 Weeks to More Talking...

Dr. Mary Barbera interviews Amol Deshpande, creator of the Frontera app and father of a son with autism, about his mission to improve early autism detection and access to care. They discuss biomarker testing that may help identify autism risk as early as birth, the importance of parent support, the role of AI and technology, concerns about misinformation, and why earlier intervention could dramati...

Dr. Mary Barbera reflects on nearly three decades in the autism world as both a mom and professional. She shares how denial, long waitlists and limited early support can delay progress for children with autism or developmental delays. She emphasizes the importance of assessment, early action, parent-led intervention and individualized plans, while introducing the free Barbera Early Childhood Asses...

Dr. Mary Barbera speaks with Dr. Joseph Cautilli about autism research, including cautious optimism around university-based stem cell studies and stronger evidence for early behavioral intervention. They discuss a 2023 study showing some children diagnosed as toddlers were no longer diagnosable by age five, especially with early intervention and parent-supported engagement. The conversation emphas...

"He'll probably be fine." That's what most parents hear when their toddler shows early signs of autism. After 25 years in the field - and raising a son who looked "mild" at 2 but needs 24/7 care at 30 - Dr. Mary Barbera explains why that reassurance may be the most dangerous sentence in child development. In this video, Dr. Mary Barbera breaks down: Why the question "Can autism be prevented or rev...

Joint attention is the shared focus between a child and another person, and it is one of the most important foundational communication skills for children with autism and developmental delays. Dr. Mary Barbera talks with Rose Griffin, who explains why joint attention matters, how it supports language, play, and social interaction, and how parents and professionals can build it through simple daily...

#342: The Autism Tipping Point - 3 Trends Changing Everything Autism is now 1 in 31 - and three massive forces are about to reshape everything parents and professionals think they know. Episode Summary In this episode of Turn Autism Around , host Dr. Mary Barbera breaks down the three megatrends converging to create what she calls the autism tipping point. You'll learn why rising autism rates repr...

ABA therapy is the science of behavior and learning, not just a treatment for autism. Dr Mary Barbera clears up four common myths about ABA, explains why the science is always at work, and shows how quality, child-friendly implementation matters most. Mary also highlights that ABA can be used at home, in school, and in daily life as well so parents can learn practical strategies to increase talkin...

Teaching manners to children with autism is important, but teaching them too early can interfere with communication development. Before focusing on words like "please" and "thank you," children should first be able to request what they want, use simple phrases, and show basic learning skills like imitation and labeling. Dr. Mary Barbera explains common mistakes parents make, why phrases like "I'm...

Parent training is one of the most important drivers of progress in autism intervention because parents are with their children far more than therapists are. Dr. Mary Barbera and Leanne Page explain how autism professionals can improve parent training by keeping strategies simple, using clear language, showing empathy, modeling skills, practicing together, and ending each session with a realistic...

Children with autism face increased safety risks, including wandering, drowning, fire emergencies, PICA, and traffic dangers. In this podcast, Dr. Mary Barbera and Dr. Amy Foxman explain why safety skills should be a top priority and how parents and professionals can begin teaching them using practical, evidence-based strategies like Behavior Skills Training. They also highlight the SAFE-T Assessm...

Dr. Mary Barbera sits down with Elissa in this rebroadcast to show exactly how to help a late-talking toddler using a clear 4-step plan. After identifying that Lexi understood more than she could say, Elissa used structured table time, fun materials, and the "1 word × 3" strategy to build imitation, requesting, and labeling. By assessing skills, creating predictable learning routines, and tracking...

Dr. Mary Barbera outlines 10 early signs of autism in toddlers, such as lack of pointing and joint attention, language delays, excessive tantrums, not responding to name and poor imitation skills. She explains how these signs can overlap with speech delay or ADHD, why they matter for social communication, and how parents and professionals can use the Turn Autism Around® approach to take action and...

Imitation is a crucial early skill for language, play and social development. Delays in imitation are common in toddlers with autism or signs of autism. Dr. Mary Barbera breaks down the 4 key steps to building imitation skills: assessment, planning, teaching, and simple data collection. She shares practical tips, real examples, and tools from her Turn Autism Around book and course to help parents...

If you're worried that your 4-year-old isn't talking or meeting speech milestones, you're not alone and you don't need to wait. By age four, kids should be speaking in full sentences, asking questions, and using language to solve problems. Speech delays at this age often signal a need for targeted support, not just time. Dr. Mary Barbera explains key signs to watch for, how to tell if autism may b...

A Level 3 autism diagnosis means a child currently needs very substantial support, not that their future is fixed or limited. Dr Mary Barbera explains what Level 3 autism is, how it differs from Levels 1 and 2, common traits and evidence‑based treatment options. Autism levels describe present support needs, not intelligence or long‑term outcomes and levels can change over time. With early interven...

Dr. Mary Barbera shares five "autism rants" based on her 27 years of experience as a mom, nurse, and BCBA-D. These unpopular opinions challenge outdated advice and highlight what truly helps children with autism make progress, like acting early, using one cohesive plan, and empowering parents to lead daily routines. Whether you're overwhelmed by delays, therapy contradictions, or mixed messages, t...

Is your 18-month-old not talking yet? Dr. Mary Barbera shares five essential action steps to help parents navigate early speech delays with clarity and confidence. From checking developmental milestones to understanding early signs of autism and using a free digital assessment, this guide empowers you to take early, effective action without panic or overwhelm. Whether your child has a diagnosis or...

Dr. Mary Barbera and Rachel Smith share a simple, effective 3-step plan to stop toddlers from hitting and throwing things, even when they're overwhelmed or frustrated. Based on positive parenting and behavior science, this approach helps toddlers with or without delays learn calm behavior fast. Rachel used it to stop her son's hitting and throwing in just two days, and it can work for you too.

Dr. Mary Barbera answers the top questions about stimming and scripting in children with autism, explaining why they happen and when to be concerned. Stimming isn't bad, but when it's constant, unsafe, or disruptive, it's time to take action. Instead of trying to stop vocal stimming directly, Dr. Barbera recommends teaching language, play, and daily-living skills so stimming naturally decreases ov...

When toddlers show signs like hyperactivity, tantrums, or language delays, it can be hard to tell if it's ADHD, autism, or both. Dr. Mary Barbera shares how to spot early signs, understand the key differences, and take action before a diagnosis. Using her 4-step approach, assess, plan, teach, and evaluate, parents can start meaningful intervention right away. Whether your child has ADHD, autism, o...