Turn Autism Around

Covid-19 made all aspects of life difficult, and it was no different with diagnosing autism. Dr. Catherine Lord was able to develop an evaluation with her team, the BOSA, that was able to help identify some behaviors that could be pointing toward autism. This evaluation was able to ensure that man-children could stay on the right track to get a diagnosis as well as treatment.

Building trust and rapport with a patient is important, especially if they are new to you. That's where Compassionate Care comes in. Today I talk with Celia Heyman, a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst about Compassionate Care, who should learn it, and how to implement it.

PANS and PANDAS are neuropsychiatric disorders caused by infections that can rapidly affect children. Today Beth Maloney, author of Saving Sammy, shares the causes, symptoms, and treatments of PANS and PANDAS, as well as her son's own experience.

Elizabeth's young son had just started with an early intervention specialist when the pandemic closed their therapy sessions down, but she knew how vital the therapy was for getting his development back on track. That's when she went looking for something online that could help him. You're going to hear how effective my strategies are, even for very young children, how Elizabeth has used my strate...

Amy M.'s son Lucas is navigating young adulthood by working, living independently, and even attending college. 21 years after his initial autism diagnosis, he's living a life that Amy wasn't sure would even be possible. Hear how Amy's built a support system for Lucas using ABA therapy, friends, family, teachers, and professionals.

One of the biggest myths about selective mutism is that it's just shyness and a child will outgrow it on their own. Chelsea Gamache was diagnosed with Selective Mutism (SM) and Sensory Processing Disorder at 5-years-old, and she has a wealth of information today on how parents and therapists can help children who have this anxiety disorder. We discuss many of the comorbidities of SM, including how...

Everyone's autism journey has a beginning point. And sometimes, it has many new beginnings as you learn new strategies that can help your child communicate their wants and needs. Join Emily R as she starts a new beginning with the Turn Autism Around approach for her six-year-old son Kash.

How did you teach your child to wear a mask to protect themselves from Covid-19? Children, at all different stages in their lives, need to be able to communicate about how their bodies feel when they're sick, and they need to be able to take medicine or vitamins. Inside this episode, I share some strategies and resources for helping you figure out medical issues for children with autism.

For the fourth step of the Turn Autism Around approach, I'm going to share some easy ways to collect data so that you can begin to identify patterns and trends in a child's behavior. This vital step should not be skipped since it will help you adjust therapy or even just the child's environment to improve behavior, health, and speech.

In rapid succession, Jennifer N.'s four children, ages 13, 8, and 3-year-old twins, were all diagnosed with autism. To compound her situation, she was living in Holland, where at the time there was only one BCBA in the entire country. Hear how she navigated this rough beginning to become a BCBA herself, and how she successfully launched all four of her children into adulthood.

All three women on my panel today began as speech-language pathologists before becoming board-certified BCBAs. Armed with this unique combination, they are passionate about bridging the two complementary specialties in a way that empowers parents and benefits children. Listen to their thoughts on how SLPs and BCBAs can better collaborate to improve the lives of children with autism.

Dr. Temple Grandin joins me to talk about her greatest concerns for the autistic community and the benefits of early intervention for children. She looks back on her life to recount the people who were instrumental in helping her turn autism into an asset that's served her well in her career in the livestock industry.

My husband, Dr. Charles Barbera, remembers how Lucas was diagnosed a little differently than I do, but we have a delightful conversation talking about some of the challenges of navigating an autism diagnosis for our oldest child. As a physician and an autism dad, I appreciate Charles's perspective on our journey together.

Studies have shown that kids with autism need 20-40 hours of ABA therapy a week. I get it. That sounds daunting to parents. I'm going to show you strategies to create a positive environment so that it's easier to teach, engage, and connect to your child in your own home.

With only 700 developmental pediatricians in the country, I was glad to connect with Dr. Cheryl Tierney to get her unique insights on how to navigate an autism diagnosis. Cheryl is passionate about teaching parents how to help their children with autism sleep by themselves, and you'll love her ABA approach to solving common problems people face every day.

Is it possible that your child's delays are simply part of the "COVID Kid" phenomenon? Casey C  wasn't interested in having her concerns brushed off by her provider, so when they told her that her son's regression was normal, she started looking for answers herself.

How will you know if your child is making meaningful progress in their therapy program? In this podcast, learn how to make realistic goals that are tailored to meet your child at their level, and that are designed to help them steadily improve.

When parents and professionals collaborate to create a therapy plan, they're able to powerfully amplify the work that they do alone. Ria and Kristen have worked together to help Ria's son adjust and thrive with ABA therapy, and in the last year have seen rapid improvements in his language and behavior.

At twenty-three months old, Eileen's son wasn't even talking. Concerned about his development, she took him to a pediatric specialist who shrugged off her concerns about OT and speech therapy. Like many parents, Eileen's insistence on better therapy services immediately has yielded a marked improvement in her son's speech.

For parents who need advice on how to take the next step in their journey with autism, I offer some insights on how to move forward. It can be tempting to see a child's progress and then try to move on quickly to the next level, but I want you to avoid mistakes that will hinder your child's long-term development.

An assessment provides a clear outline of where a child with autism is at, what skills they're going to work on, and how effective the therapy is for the child. I share my one-page assessment today from my newest book so that you can see how effective assessments can be.

I'm on a mission to change the way autism is detected and treated for millions of people around the world. I wrote Turn Autism Around: An Action Guide for Parents of Young Children with Early Signs of Autism to help empower parents who are waiting for a diagnosis or therapy so that they could stop waiting and start helping their children today.

If you're ready to close the door on 2020 and recalibrate your mindset, then let's talk about the steps you need to take to release your old belief system and embrace an abundance mindset. Julie Cairns has helped tens of thousands of people all over the world to walk away from self-limiting beliefs and embrace a new outlook on life.

I tackled a lot of issues in this year's 52 Turn Autism Around podcast episodes, and I interviewed some amazing success stories from the autism community. My top ten list includes my own personal favorites, as well as my listeners' favorites as well. I am excited for 2021 and the opportunities we'll have to grow this community even more.

If you don't know where the disconnects lie in your marriage, the stressors in your life will show you very quickly. Donna Tosky teaches couples how to repair, renew, and sustain marriages and partnerships in families where at least one child has autism.