Many parents experience a whirlwind of emotions when they first learn their child has been diagnosed with autism. Parents find themselves thrust into a completely different world of parenting; one that requires more energy, communication, and money to help their child live an independent life. Parents often find themselves filling a series of different roles such as caregiver, therapist, teacher, driver, nutritionist, and advocate. The biggest and most important role you as a parent will have for your child is to be their advocate. Advocating for your autistic child will require research, skil ..read more

Your child has been diagnosed with autism. As a parent, you may wonder: what’s next; how can I better prepare my child for their future? That’s where ABA comes in. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a branch of behavioral therapy designed to develop skills like communication, language, social cues, and more. Its main goal is to reinforce any desired behavior and discourage unwanted behavior. ABA is a common treatment used in the autism community focusing on giving kiddos and their families the tools necessary to live full, independent lives. At Sandbox ABA; we teach the skills needed to live f ..read more

The alarm goes off, and you roll over to switch it off. The coffee finishes brewing and you pour yourself a cup. The kids wake up, and you get their breakfast set up. We don’t consciously think about these events in terms of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), but it’s true that we make every day little choices based on expected outcomes. I switch off my alarm, because I want that annoying sound to stop and I know if I hit the off switch it will stop. I pour that first cup of coffee in the morning once its brewed because I anticipate loving the taste of coffee in the morning. I feed my children ..read more

Autism spectrum disorder, or more commonly referred to as autism, is defined by a broad range of conditions that affect social interaction and communication. People with autism may communicate, learn, and  think differently from most people. Many children will show signs of autism early on in their first few months, while others will not show many behaviors until after 2-3 years (“Screening and Diagnosis”).  General signs include:  Loss of previously acquired speech/babbling/other forms of communication Avoiding of eye contact Difficulty understanding other people’s feelings Pe ..read more

Putting wanted objects in sight but out of reach A great way to set up a language learning “moments” for your little one is by putting wanted objects in places where your child can see them but can’t retrieve them on their own. If there is motivation to get the item that is in the counter or up high on the shelf what do you think they will do? That’s right, ask for it! Depending on your child’s expressive communication level, any/all attempts should be praised – A gesture? Sure. A sound? Good. A word? Great! A full sentence? Wonderful!! Maybe your child just points to their juice; that’s commu ..read more