The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

Don’t Wait! That’s the advice from Zulekha Williams when it comes to taking action for concerns with your child’s development. I met Zulekha over on TikTok; she is a great mom who is fighting for the needs of her children and sharing her journey along the way.As a member of the helping profession, Zulekha wasted no time when it came to getting support for her son when she started noticing early signs of autism. Before his diagnosis, she was seeing signs like delayed motor skills, no eye tracking, limited awareness, no sense of danger, and no speech. She immediately started speech and other therapies before completing the M-CHAT on her own and bringing it to her doctor.Alongside speech therapy for her speech delayed 2-year-old, Zulekha has quite the journey securing the right therapy and services for her sons. Between ABA therapy, speech therapy, telehealth, school, and even issues with allowing AAC in the school, she had to seek out the help of another TikTok creator, The IEP Strategist. If you’re having similar experiences when it comes to speech services or AAC, check out the Communication Bill of Rights on ASHA.During our conversation, you can hear the passion Zulekha has for her children. Her story and tips for services and creating communication with your children are such an inspiration for any family!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:A TikTok Mom sharing her family’s Autism and Therapy journey.Noticing early signs of autism and developmental delays.Advocating for therapy and other services.Using AAC and other communication tools in the home.Therapy services in a small town, navigating in-home therapy and telehealth.Can you get your Speech and ABA therapists to collaborate?Mentioned In This Episode:Communication Bill of RightsZulekha Williams on TikTokABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

“In all communication, aim first to understand”. This is the first bullet from Leanne Page’s Parent Training Checklist. Leanne is a BCBA, parent coach, author, continuing ed provider, and mom of 2. In this episode, she is sharing some impactful points on this step to step guide for Compassionate Parent Training.Did you know that a study showed just 40 seconds of compassion from a doctor drastically improved patient outcomes? Oftentimes communications with parents can occur only when problems arise or to update goals and IEPS but Parent Training is actually a monthly service usually covered by insurance. Not only can this provide better client outcomes but it can impact and support the whole family. Leanne uses thoughtful and clever tips in this checklist to dance the fine line of communication, covering goals and meeting them where they are at. Find yourself having trouble getting through a conversation with a parent. Use a pause wisely and remember, WAIT - Why Am I Talking? This gives you both a chance to reset.With Parenting with ABA, Leannae offers membership and CEUs through monthly training and book studies covering empathy, compassion, and other trauma information resources based on ABA research. You can find out more about her and Compassionate Parent Training through her website! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:What is Compassionate Parent Training?How can monthly parent training impact families?A Parent Training Checklist to help providers.Information on Parenting with ABA: Training, Studies, and CEUs.Relating a variety of empathy, compassion, and trauma-informed resources to ABA research.Mentioned In This Episode:Parenting with ABA ABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

We all know collaboration can be tricky when it comes to working across many fields of expertise, especially with a shared tool like AAC. Today I am delighted to have Barb Weber as my guest. Barb is an SLP, BCBA, author, and AAC specialist. When it comes to AAC, especially considering the differences in AAC training for SLPs and BCBAs, navigating collaborating can be hard. Barb emphasizes the importance of matching the AAC device to the skills and relevant activities of the user. She also notes that the person whose voice it is and their close circle should be involved in the decision-making process. Functional and socially relevant vocabulary should be prioritized, taking into account different perspectives from the SLP, BCBA, teacher, and family.There is a fine line between collaborating and “too many cooks in the kitchen”. Barbs asks the question; whose device is it? It is crucial to manage the device with agreed-upon procedures and involve one programmer who considers the communication and thoughts of all providers. But the most essential piece is to remember who we are serving, always supporting and honoring the user's needs.Difficult conversations are part of the process, Barb actually calls this an important skill for therapy providers. She recommends that providers learn how to say hard things to ensure they are providing the best possible care. Negativity can circulate in areas of collaboration, but you can combat that by always talking to everybody and building opportunities with different perspectives.Our conversation might help your collaboration go smoothly and even avoid disagreements, but if they do happen consider these tips: Have a direct (maybe difficult) conversationGathering information to understand the perspectiveSummarizing the discussion and informing the teamDocumenting and building a history of decision-makingThis was great information from Barb who is a member of ASHA’s SIG 12. I hope these tips can help you in your practice and collaborating with other providers on your journey to help your learners!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:How to navigate AAC collaboration?Remembering the user of the AAC device: Whose device is it?Using common vocabulary to create common ground.Managing AAC devices with agreed-upon procedures.How to handle difficult conversations with other providersAddressing disagreement among providers effectively.Mentioned In This Episode:Special Interest Group 12, Augmentative and Alternative CommunicationABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

In this conversation with Pediatric SLP Cindy Watson, you can just see the passion she has for helping young learners communicate and find their voice. When Cindy first receives a new Early Intervention case she calls on the parent to talk through the reasons and concerns that led them there and another simple but IMPACTFUL thing…what does the child like? These things establish rapport and give Cindy the tools to enter the first Early Intervention session as she calls “the fun aunt.”Cindy’s top favorite toys and tools for initiating play and communication are among my own with Bubbles, Books, Blocks, and other open-ended toys. Arkansas where Cindy’s center, Children’s Therapy TEAM is a bagless state which encourages therapists to enter homes with no outside resources and take advantage of the child’s natural environment so that parents can keep up the work outside of therapy.When assessing new toddlers for Early Intervention Cindy starts out with play, observation, and conversations with caregivers. For formal assessments, she uses the Preschool Language Scale and the Rossetti Infant Toddler Language Scale. Cindy shares my view on the importance and power of communication and shares a few key focuses she thinks therapists and families at home should consider when working on speech:Cause and effect communicationReinforcing languageGesturesJoint attentionBuilding on milestonesNot only does Cindy do incredible work with young children in Early Intervention, but her center also has a really amazing mentorship program for their therapists to give them the tools and confidence to do their best work. You can find out more about Cindy and The Children’s Therapy Team on their website and Facebook.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:How should you begin a new Early Intervention case?Top toys, tools, and resources for Early Intervention Therapy.What assessments should you use in Early Intervention with young learners?What skills and ideas should therapists and families focus on to build communication?A unique and powerful mentorship program for new therapists.Mentioned In This Episode:Children’s Therapy TEAMChildren's Therapy Team on Facebookcindy.watson@childrensteam.com ABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

I am speaking with Rachel Archambault, the PTSD SLP. Rachel was present on Valentine's day 2018, when a mass shooting occurred in her workplace, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. This experience led her to curate and cultivate resources for her trauma-affected students, and provide therapy with Trauma Informed Care.Trauma Informed Care hallmarks on: Realizing trauma is present, Recognizing the effects, Responding to the trauma and its effects, and avoiding Retraumatization.  Rachel uses the 6 pillars of Trauma Informed Care to guide her approach:SafetyChoiceCollaborating and MutualityTrust and TransparencyEmpowermentCultural, Historical, and Gender IssuesDuring our discussion, Rachel provides situations and insights that can guide your care to ensure no student is at risk of trigger or re-traumatization. Whether they were a part of a traumatizing national event or a smaller personal trauma, all trauma is equal and every person deserves to be protected. With her advice today, it is clear that this initiative takes a mindset shift that has benefits to everyone you come in contact with. For more information check out the resources Rachel provided in today’s episode along with finding her on her Instagram @PTSD.SLP.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:What is Trauma Informed Care?What are the 6 Pillars of Trauma Informed Care?Why all trauma should be protected.Can you use Trauma Informed Care in speech therapy?How to avoid retraumatization, tips and ideas.How to shift your mindset to protect others.Mentioned In This Episode:What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and HealingTrauma InformedPTSD Resources for SLPs | FacebookRachel A. | The SLP W/ PTSD  - InstagramABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

When it comes to supporting students using AAC devices… Are you Intimidated? Overwhelmed? Unsure? Unprepared? In this episode, I am digging into my tool belt of 21+ years of experience and sharing my top 5 strategies to use to support autistic learners using AAC devices!Know this Document -> The Communication Bill of Rights! Be aware of this empowering document and print out and even share it with the people in your learner's orbit. Listen in for some specific and important rights for our learners and their voice.Understand the Device: Sounds simple? Maybe, but there will often be *new to you* technology and programs. Take the initiative and the time to learn it and understand! You need to be an expert so you can help not only your learner but the others involved in their care. Seek out AAC experts in your district, find online tutorials, and get educated by company representatives!Model Using the Device: Everyone in our learners' environment needs to understand that the device is absolutely essential. Model for other teachers and therapists so all providers can be aware and help your learner. Show how the device can be used across the day.Train Others: People shouldn’t be afraid of AAC devices. It’s a big part of your responsibility to make sure everyone is educated about a device, its rights, and how to use it. Tie it into compliance with the IEP. Try fitting it into PD, training days, or late start days!Keep Generalization in Mind: How is this important in a larger school environment? At home? In the community? This skill is important enough to take time to work on because it moves beyond the therapy room and will last across environments and lifespans.Help me reach my goal of making sure ALL autistic learners have a voice! Like, share, and leave a review on this podcast!#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:Tools and tips for supporting students using AACWhat is The Communication Bill of Rights?Troubleshooting misuse of AACUnderstanding and modeling AAC.How to train others on AAC.Mentioned In This Episode:Episode 108: The Power of No with Lisa WallaceSocial skills game for mixed groups - ABA SpeechBoom Cards: Social Skills- Let's Talk: Visual Conversation ABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

​​Dr. Corey Whelan, SLP-BCBA joins me in this episode to discuss a really important assessment for autistic individuals that can add to compassionate care across the lifespan.Practical Function Assessment (PFA) is a process aimed at understanding individuals and the barriers they face in therapy. The goal of PFA is to provide a treatment plan via a skills-based therapy process that will prevent unsafe behavior and help clients reach their optimal learning environment. The first step in PFA is an open-ended interview to learn about the individual and their barriers. The information gathered in the interview is then synthesized into an Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) to move forward with the assessment.PFA allows for the safe evaluation of dangerous behavior without the need to witness it. Instead, the focus is on reinforcing non-dangerous, early responses in the chain of behavior, with the ultimate goal of providing a skills-based therapy process to treat problematic behavior. Three critical skills are emphasized in treatment with the PFA: functional communication training, tolerating disappointment when a response is not reinforced, and cooperating with adult-directed instruction during a delay.Behavior Analysts looking for training in PFA can do so through online courses or by seeking mentorship from the center of the company they work with. PFA is ideal for individuals who are making minimal gains in therapy but behavior barriers remain a concern, or for new clients engaging in problem behavior prior to starting therapy.It's important to note that the purpose of PFA is not to understand why a behavior is occurring, but to treat it and prevent it, leading to more effective therapy. By breaking through barriers, individuals can access their optimal learning environment, allowing them to make the most of their therapy sessions.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:What are the PFA and the steps involved?How IISCA influences therapy response.Three critical skills for treatment after PFA.Breaking barriers and providing access to the optimal therapy environment. Mentioned In This Episode:VinfenPractical Functional AssessmentABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

Dr. Sarah Frampton, an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska - Omaha joins me today as we discuss her work with Matrix Training. Dr. Frampton also refers to it as Matrix “Planning”, this is a generative approach to therapy that can help learners acquire new skills and improve their communication.Matrix Training involves arranging words in a matrix so that some multi-word phrases are taught directly, while others emerge through indirect teaching. This approach involves creating a table of related targets and components and then moving forward with training and probing. The key benefit of this approach is the ability to identify and prevent faulty stimulus control in tact training.Age is not a barrier to using Matrix Training because it is based on a solid foundation. This approach is best suited for learners who are acquiring single-component tacts and listening skills, with a provider who has found a teaching style and process that works best for them. Learners who will find Matrix Training most effective are typically at Level 2 of the VB-Mapp or around 18 to 30 months developmentally. The basics of Matrix Training are simply selecting targets, teaching targets, and then assessing targets. There are no restrictions on how to use and teach with Matrix Training, and it can be embedded into a naturalistic teaching context or any other context that works best for the student.Dr. Frampton emphasizes that Matrix Training is a systematic and science-based tool that can be incredibly effective for therapy planning. When done well, therapy sessions can even look and feel like play. #autism #speectherapy What’s Inside:The benefit of Matrix Training and Planning.How to prevent faulty stimulus control in tact training.A systematic approach to selecting, teaching, and assessing targets.Science-based tool for therapy planning.Mentioned In This Episode:Sarah Frampton | Department of Psychology | University of Nebraska OmahaABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

Dr. Dana Battaglia, SLP, and Dr. Mary McDonald, BCBA, have been working together and collaborating throughout their career. Collaboration in the two fields is slowly making progress but there is still a lot of polarity for a lot of professionals. They rely on their strong commitment to science and evidence-based practice to guide their collaboration.Dr. McDonald references the Ethics Code of Behavior Analysis codes, 2.10, 3.01, and 3.06. 2.10 Collaborating with ColleaguesBehavior analysts collaborate with colleagues from their own and other professions in the best interests of clients and stakeholders. Behavior analysts address conflicts by compromising when possible and always prioritizing the best interests of the client. Behavior analysts document all actions taken in these circumstances and their eventual outcomes.3.01 Responsibility to ClientsBehavior analysts act in the best interest of clients, taking appropriate steps to support clients' rights, maximize benefits, and do no harm. They are also knowledgeable about and comply with applicable laws and regulations related to mandated reporting requirements.3.06 Consulting with Other ProvidersBehavior analysts arrange for appropriate consultation with and referrals to other providers in the best interests of their clients, with appropriate informed consent, and in compliance with applicable requirements (e.g., laws, regulations, contracts, organization, and funder policies).The bottom line is to ask yourself, what is in the best interest of the client. When you don't know what you don't know and you have access to a professional with the knowledge and skills needed for your case, it is important to have humility, stick to the science, and consult them.Dr. Battaglia and Dr. McDonald's collaboration across their professions maximize their outcomes and increase the benefit of the client. They share some strategies and tips to help other SLPs and BCBAs open to collaboration and see the same great results.#autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:The ethics of collaboratingCase studies featuring verbal imitation and PECSCollaborating with SLPS and BCBASStrategies for collaboration to use in your practiceMentioned In This Episode:Dr. Mary McDonalddbattagliaslp@gmail.comDana Battaglia, Ph.D. (@Dana_Battaglia1) / TwitterEden II ProgramsABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs

If you succeed, I succeed. That really culminates in the importance of SLP and BCBA collaboration, but as we've discussed on the show in the past…it can still be really challenging.Lynn Dudek, owner of ASD SLP, and a fellow SLP-BCBA "unicorn". She shares her experiences in the field with stories coming from the late 80s and early 90s that dive into the history and changes we've seen in the SLP, BCBA, and autism fields. A pivotal moment in her career was a "dream dinner party" as I joke, where she picked the brains of Dr. Vince Carbone and Dr. Patrick McGreevy. Throughout her career as an SLP and eventually, as a BCBA, she was faced with the opportunity to work and collaborate with other BCBAs and SLPs.Lynn shares somewhat of a case study of a collaboration interaction that really went well on the topic of verbal imitation. This concept with Echoics can be a touchy subject between the fields, but because the BCBA Lynn was working with was open to understanding Lynn's expertise on speech development, they were able to agree and move forward for the better of the learner.Common Challenges for Collaboration:-Understanding the role and expertise of the professional…who really "knows best?"-The language barrier… academic language and terms between the two professions can differ greatlyPositive Strategies for Collaboration:-Be open: create an open line of communication, you are both well-educated, trained professionals with specific expertise.-Demystify the language: when possible use plain language that everyone can understand, or explicitly explain academic terms-Pair first: we always talk about "pairing first" with our learners… take the time to pair with the other professional. Make a connection and show interest, it can smooth the edges of future disagreements.When we work together we can do such amazing things, not just for the child but for the professionals on the team. #autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:A brief history of SLPs and BCBAsA “case study” on verbal imitation.Common challenges for collaboration between SLPs and BCBAs.Positive collaboration strategiesMentioned In This Episode:lynn.dudek@asdslp.comABA Speech: Learn About Current ASHA and ACE CEUs