Is your child sensory-seeking, sensory-sensitive – or both?? As Fort Myers ABA therapists, we recognize that many behaviors are rooted in sensory processing issues. This is particularly true of kids who are on the autism spectrum. Understanding your child’s sensory needs help us formulate a daily “sensory diet” – which can often go a long way toward minimizing unexpected/problematic behaviors. Even if your child doesn’t qualify for full-time, intensive ABA therapy, our child behavior experts provide private behavior consulting to help parents tackle child behavior problems – many of which can ..read more

Concerned your child’s speech might be delayed? Or just want to give them as big of a speech-language boost as you can? Here are our Fort Myers speech-language therapy strategies for encouraging communication with young children. ALL kids can benefit when caregivers incorporate these strategies, but if you’re worried your child’s speech-language acquisition isn’t keeping pace with their peers, ask your child’s pediatrician for a referral to a speech therapy for consultation/evaluation. FOCUS Therapy offers pediatric speech therapy, ABA therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy in For ..read more

If you’re concerned your child might have early signs of autism, do NOT to “wait-and-see.” We know “autism” is a scary word for many parents. The idea that something could be “wrong” with your child or that they’re going to need a full schedule of therapies – it’s overwhelming. We get it. In fact, some of our therapists also have kids on the spectrum; it’s what got us into the field. Here’s what’s important to know: A diagnosis isn’t a dead-end. It’s a door. It’s what unlocks access to the essential services that will ultimately help your child reach their full potential. There is ample resear ..read more

FOCUS Therapy offers pediatric speech therapy, ABA therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online. Additional Resources: The Efficacy of Play Therapy With Children: A Meta-Analytic Review of Treatment Outcomes., 2005, American Psychological Association The post Why We Love Play-Based Therapy for Kids in Speech, ABA, OT, and PT appeared first on Focus Therapy ..read more

Are you a parent struggling with difficult child behaviors, but your child doesn’t qualify for intensive ABA therapy? If your child does not have a qualifying diagnosis for ABA, is on a waitlist for ABA, doesn’t have insurance to cover ABA, or you simply aren’t ready for the kind of major commitment ABA therapy requires to be effective, FOCUS Therapy offers Behavior Consulting for kids and parents in Fort Myers. Our ABA therapists can give parents the tools to help them address a myriad of behavior problems – without requiring ADOS testing, physician referral, or comprehensive diagnostic testi ..read more

The post How Autism Impacts Motor Skills – and How Fort Myers ABA & OT Helps appeared first on Focus Therapy ..read more

FOCUS Therapy offers pediatric ABA therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online. The post Fort Myers ABA Therapy Outcomes Best for Kids Who Start Early, Attend Consistently appeared first on Focus Therapy ..read more

Family fun time can take a little extra planning when your child has different sensory needs. Our FOCUS Florida ABA therapists are here to help. We’ve compiled a list of upcoming sensory friendly activities in Fort Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, and beyond! Not every venue or event is accommodating for kids with sensory processing disorder. The good news is it is getting better. An estimated 1 in 36 kids has Autism Spectrum Disorder (often with sensory processing difficulties) and as many as 1 in 20 people may be affected by sensory processing disorder. As recently reported by Success Magazine ..read more

As Fort Myers ABA therapists, our work involves systematically teaching kids with autism spectrum disorder (and other developmental disabilities) a wide range of skills while simultaneously reducing challenging behaviors that are socially significant. We do this using the principles of behavior analysis. That means we don’t just try to put a stop to behaviors. We recognize that all behavior, at its core, is communication. We use evidence-based approaches to get to the root of why a child is behaving in a certain behavior. Usually, motivations include access to attention, tangibles, escape, or ..read more

As Fort Myers speech therapists, teaching kids to communicate as effectively as possible is always are top goal. How we approach that task varies depending on the unique needs, interests, and abilities of each child. Increasingly, we’re using AAC as a means to teach and expand meaningful speech & language skills for our patients. AAC stands for augmentative & alternative communication. “Augmentative” technologies can be used to augment or add to one’s speech and language skills. “Alternative” technologies can be used in place of speech and language. These can be unaided (gestures, faci ..read more