Surviving in a Social World Social interactions govern our lives from the time we enter the world, but the skills that drive success in this aspect of existing with others does not come naturally to everyone. For a young child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), learning how to socially engage with others is even…

What Does a BCBA Do? A Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a clinician with a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy). They most often provide therapy and treatment for individuals diagnosed with behavioral challenges, developmental disorders and intellectual disabilities. At Ally Behavior Centers and other ABA therapy centers, they develop treatment plans and…

Autism and the Sensory Experience People with autism often have hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity when it comes to different stimuli considered part of the sensory experience: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. If you are early in your family’s journey, autism testing and evaluation can help clarify support needs. Hypersensitivity is when an individual is intensely…

Gift Giving As every parent of a child with autism or sensory sensitivities knows, finding the gift that fits your child’s unique preferences can be a bit tricky. The best way to go about buying a great holiday gift for your child is to start from experience. What activities, objects, and sensations does your child…

Holidays are a time of excitement, celebration, and gatherings with family and friends. For children with autism, however, this time of year can also be full of new, uncomfortable, and overwhelming experiences caused by anything from unusual food to large groups of people, loud noises, and disruptions to their ordinary schedule. If you are still…