The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

Is autism really different in girls and is that affecting reliable diagnosis? I had the opportunity to chat with Robin Roscigno, founder of AuTEACH, former teacher pursuing her PhD, and autistic mother to her autistic daughter. As she speaks from her education background and personal experiences, Robin gives a really great insight on a deeper look into how we are evaluating and educating autistic students. The CDC website reads that autism is 4 times as common in boys as it is in girls. Why are we still saying that? Is it more common in boys or are their crucial elements being missed when it comes to diagnosing females? The thing is autism is not different in girls, it just presents itself differently.When looking at autism in girls, we are talking about internalized experiences vs. externalized behaviors. With girls, a lot of their repetitive thoughts or fixations are happening internally, or they present in somewhat typical female expectations. This could be a little girl playing the exact same scripted play scenario multiple times daily for weeks with no deviation or insensibly organizing and caring for her barbies. At the core, if the behavior is an “expected” or “traditional” female activity within normal gender roles, parents of girls can expect to get push back on an autism diagnosis. Boys and girls are socialized very differently and in fact many of the hallmark signs of autism can be disguised as socialized behavior for women. This makes it easier for girls with autism to hide their symptoms and prevent a reliable diagnosis.Social skills and navigating social situations can be an area where autistic girls are ill-equipped. Robin highlights the typical socialized behaviors of how girls interact with one another and it can be very difficult for girls with autism to operate within that. Her reminder for parents and teachers is to stop assuming children don’t want to socialize. In fact, it can involve a lot of shame and internal pain, especially when the student has a desire to be a part of the group. To combat this, Robin talks about a whole school approach. This means not only talking to students with disabilities but to students without disabilities as well.  It’s not that one group has all the social skills and one none, it’s that they have different skills and they can learn on both sides. It’s an opportunity for double-sided empathy.Robin shared some great suggestions and potential resources for parents of girls with signs of autism. Taking data at home and finding a reputable doctor are some key points for making an evaluation fair and accessible regardless of gender. Advocate for your child and what you as a parent are seeing that raises concerns is so important. You can find out more about Robin and AuTEACH on her TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and on her website. This was an awesome chat, I hope you got something great out of today’s episode!#autism #speechtherapyWhat’s Inside:Characteristics of autism in girls.Guidance for providers working with autistic girls.Advice for parents with female children and autism concerns.Why are girls not receiving autism diagnoses as readily as boys?Is autism different in girls?How to get a fair autism diagnosis for girls.Mentioned In This Episode:AuTeachAuTeach (@auteachofficial) • Instagram photos and videosAutism Education (@auteach) TikTokAuTeach - YouTube

Wow, Episode 050! This is amazing. I want to start by saying thank you for listening, this so far has been an incredible experience. 1 year ago, my own kids had a snow day and I had just finished up my podcasting course. I was super nervous but I came into my little walk-in closet and pressed record. Throughout these last 50 episodes, I have learned so much and I want to share with you these important lessons. #1 - Nathan Morgan, Episode 16Nathan taught me that the autism community prefers the term autistic, rather than a person with autism. School for a long time has taught people their first language with all disabilities, but this has really changed and autistic people are letting their voices be heard. It's still important to ask people their preferences, but the majority of the community aligns with that language. #2 - Chris Wenger, Episode 17Chris shared the quote, “How you do anything, is how you do everything”. I had never heard this before but it gave me pause, and really taught me to stop rushing through even the little things, and give my best. #3 - Braxton Baker, Episode 20Braxton uses a framework of 5 Ps for reflection on IEPs. These are Process, Purpose, Possibilities, Progress, Peace. Focusing on the person at hand and these “Ps” is so important, and I am so glad he shared that!#4 - Dr. Mary Barbera, Episode 8Mary shares her personal experience and journey in the autism world beginning with her son’s diagnosis in the 1990s. She has a book, podcast, and some incredible online courses that really help parents be their child’s best advocate and work on so much more than speech. This perspective is so important as a professional, to hear from parents and their stories. She is a great friend and mentor.#5 - Kate Grandbois, 32Kate and I discussed The Communication Bill of Rights. This is an incredible resource located on the ASHA website. This is such a powerful tool that anyone can access and it really reinforces the work we do as professionals.#6 - Crystal Sanford, Episode 39Crystal shares the importance and supports an advocate provides for parents. It was great to learn as a professional what exactly an advocate does because it can be such an area of contention in the IEP room. Since this episode, I have actually signed up to start doing advocacy work and will be offering it very soon as a service through ABA Speech. #7 - Kayla Chalko, Episode 41Kayla is a play-skill expert. In this episode, we discussed play milestones, including pretend to play and at what age that is supposed to happen. One great thing she reminded me of is to take away the need to be perfect. Your lesson or activity does not have to be perfect to be helpful or effective.#8 - My walk-in closet makes the best recording studio! If you want to see where I am recording, be sure to check out the recording of this episode on YouTube.#9 - You can’t do it alone. Not as a professional, not as a parent, not with anything. Special thanks to my business mentor, my amazing assistant, all of my wonderful guests, my social and graphic design helpers, as well as the audio production team who makes my show sound amazing!#10 - There is still so much to share. I have so much planned for the future and episodes that will absolutely blow your mind.This is a wonderful opportunity to hear a variety of perspectives that are truly so important. I have always loved to talk, so this podcast has been perfect for me. I love people, I love being around them, I love helping them. This show is an extension of what I really love to do personally and professionally. Thank you again so much!#speechtherapy #autismWhat’s Inside:How did I get started with this podcast?Lessons I have learned throughout the last 50 episodes.Life lessons for myself.A special thanks to all wh

Dr. Megan Miller is a thought leader in the field of behavior analysis and special education. In this interview, she and I discussed the Early Start Denver Model and its importance to early learners. Play is such a critical piece to communication and this model sets up parents and providers to build joint attention skills. Imitation is such an important skill, many individuals  look to this as a way to learn things and copy skills. However, it is so much more, it is a skill in which communication begins. If we are missing that piece, higher level communication is not going to take place. Where does imitation most naturally occur? Social interaction. Joint attention activities are often child led activities and this is where the most AHA moments occur. If natural social interaction isn't developing, parents often don’t initiate unintentionally, they instead substitute their interactions with “formal” language practice. It’s really critical that parents learn to be silly and have fun engaging in a social or play format. It can sometimes be difficult, and it definitely requires a certain element or attitude, but when you’re really into it the kid responds.Many parents may be intimidated by play based social activity. What is great about the Early Start Denver Model, provides a framework for joint activity routines. The first part is to observe the child to find out what they are interested in. The second is developing the routine, early on this involves imitating the child’s play. The third part is creating variety in the routine, so once you're engaged in an activity the child has started, the adult changes it up. This might mean throwing a ball instead of rolling it, or even just rolling it fast instead of slow. Just small little changes in the play the child is already interested in, which opens up so many opportunities for language and communication for the child to direct the activity. The last part is the closing, preparing to end the activity with a child and move on to the next thing. Whether it's birth-3 or older, professionals and parents alike have to set aside our intentions or vision for the interaction with the kids. Dr. Miller brings up a great point about how aversive it can be if kids are always redirected to play the way the adult wants, because communication really begins with the child’s preference and slowly teaches flexibility. Oftentimes we miss the obscure playful interactions non-neurotypical students may be showing us because we have these ideas of what “fun” should look like, and with that we miss great opportunities for communication with the child. There is so much information online, as well as providers who practice very differently, which can be a good thing but also has some negatives. Parents have certain ideas about structured, table centered activities and can at times not understand the purpose of play based interactions in therapy. Dr. Miller drives home that  research is there for naturalistic communication and that it comes from spontaneous play. The Early Start Denver Model book backs up the need and importance of social activity and this can be used to help parents and even providers understand the need and importance of play. Dr. Miller’s advice is for more people to understand that students who are not neurotypical do not have to communicate the same way as neurotypical individuals. She says, “We are more comfortable, learn better, and are less stressed when we are accepted”.  My wish is that we can all spontaneously communicate in a way that makes sense to us, so I find that so profound! Be sure to check out Dr. Megan Miller and all her work with the Do Better Movement! #autism #speechtherapyWhat's Inside: The Early Start Denver Model. How important the Early Start Denver Model is to early learners.Where imitation mostly occurs.

Dr. Lisa Audet is an extremely knowledgeable special education teacher, SLP, and professor at Kent State. In fact, over 20 years ago she was my professor! She specializes in communication and independence for autistic adults, works with these individuals on her campus, and has a unique viewpoint for those of us working with younger adults with autism at the middle and high school level. Because socially and academically the needs are very different from high school to college or work-based settings, it can be hard for parents and professionals to identify the needs of students preparing for transitions. Dr. Audet identifies these needs as learning a sense of self, self-care skills, and understanding their strengths. As therapists, we often focus on students' needs and teach them new skills, but approaching therapy with a strength-based model can help students self-identify and determine jobs and settings that best suit them. Self-monitoring is so important for everyone. For autistic individuals, this can provide success in a variety of ways. This means understanding when they are uncomfortable, when they have a need, or how to understand and repair a relationship or situation when they’ve missed a boundary. Dr. Audet uses the Stop-Think-Make a Plan method for her students to teach them to assess their situation and determine solutions before a problem arises.Older autistic students in high school may be preparing for college or for placement in a work setting. Dr. Audet talks about the ways we can not only set up the student for success but educate employers on the individuals in the work environment. Students should be entering work environments that align with their interests, strengths, and desires, not what “makes sense” to the providers they work with. Alternatively, there is work to be done in the education of employers because many times fear of hurt feelings prevents great learning and developmental opportunities from taking place. As a professor at Kent State, Dr. Audet has a great understanding of what Ohio has to offer its young autistic adults as well as other individuals with other disorders. The Office for Ohioans with Disabilities has a vocational counselor on every state campus. She shares all of the great resources they can provide to students who voluntarily seek their assistance. The Organization for Autism Research has a book that is a great resource for college-bound individuals with autism. There is a lot to be done to support and initiate success for young autistic adults, especially with their varying places on the spectrum. Every state varies on the resources they provide, so be sure to look into all of the resources and options available locally to you! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:Developing a sense of self within autistic young adults.Self-care and self-advocacy for autistic individuals.The importance of a strength-based therapy model.Self-monitoring for success.Transitioning from an educational environment to a post-secondary environment.Communication in the workplace with autistic adults.Mentioned In This Episode:Working with toddlers and preschool-aged autistic learners - Start Communicating Today Autism CourseWorking with school-aged autistic learners - Help Me Find My Voice ABA Speech: Home

One out of four typical children will develop a pediatric feeding disorder. Does that statistic shock you or does it feel extremely relatable? Melanie Potock of Munch Bug is an SLP and Pediatric Feeding Expert. She has written 6 books on feeding, speaks around the world, and is a coach to parents and children struggling with picky eating. Picky eating is a wide, all-encompassing umbrella term that spans many many feeding issues from babies to school-aged kids. A point Melanie really drives home during this interview is that feeding is developmental. Just as you would be concerned if your child was not hitting their other milestones, feeding issues should receive the same concern. So much goes into feeding including cognitive, motor, and even parenting skills.How can you start strong? Can feeding be a joyous experience? Feeding when speaking about food variety and solids begin at 6 months old. This is a really crucial time to learn babies' cues; when are they hungry? When are they done? When are they satisfied? This type of communication between baby and parent is called responsive feeding. A topic in which Melanie has devoted an entire book to!For toddlers and school-aged children who may be showing signs of picky eating are not ruined by good eating habits, remember to shift your mindset. Children grow at an extremely rapid rate from birth to about 18 months when it begins to slow down. A child who may have been eating everything in sight may suddenly not need as much to fuel their body. This is OK. The key at this age is to continuously try new things, in a positive way. What about the age-old trick of sneaking veggies into dessert? Have you ever made avocado pudding or black bean brownies to get that extra nutrition in for your toddler or young child? Melanie’s advice is to take the words trick or sneak out of your vocabulary when it comes to feeding. Did you sneak the black beans in or did you try a fun new recipe? Let kids know what’s in their food and tell them that you are just as surprised as you are that it tastes so yummy. It is okay to experiment with foods and recipes, it's even normal, and that sets the stage for adventurous eating. So what are some characteristics of picky eating that need intervention? Look for rigid patterns such as not tolerating new food on their plate, not eating at the table most of the time, and not eating in a new environment (school, classroom, restaurants). Sometimes kids are being kids, but these are things that happen more frequently than not. You may also see irritability before, during, or after each feeding, taking a long time for feeding, coughing and gagging, more frequently, gurgling, or frequent vomiting. Any stall in the development of feeding warrants intervention.If you are feeling stressed about feeding, get help now. Even if it's just a consult or a few extra tips and slight changes to your existing feeding routine. The longer you wait to get help or make changes, the more unlearning that will need to take place and the chance of extensive feeding therapy in your future. Talk to your pediatrician, reach out to Melanie, or seek out other forms of feeding support.#autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:What is picky eating?What are the characteristics of a picky eater?When do you need to get intervention for picky eating?Is feeding developmental?How to make feeding time a joyous experience?Feeding tips for babies, toddlers, and school-aged kids.Mentioned In This Episode:Melanie Potock Melanie Potock on InstagramTalkTools Virtual Conference Feeding First

Do you ever walk into a new gym class and feel uneasy or nervous? If you do, you're not unlike many kids who hesitate or resist transitions. Not all children with autism experience difficulty with transitions, but it is something many struggles with. In this interview with Dani LoVecchio from Bridge Kids of New York, we discuss tips and advice for making transitions smoother. Whether it be starting a new school or service, being away from the caregiver for the first time, or smaller transitions throughout your child’s day, there are ways to make it better for the parent, professional, and the child.Dani’s Tips for Smooth Transitions with Autistic Learners:Get prepared - What is the new transition? Start gathering all the information about this new place or activity and share it with your child. Expose them to the new faces and places they will see. Set positive expectations for the new transition. Utilize a visual schedule - A visual schedule can be different for every child. Some might just need a written schedule somewhere they can see. Others might need pictures or photos and a more detailed and personal schedule. Keep a comfort Item - Is there a stuffed animal, special picture, blanket, or toy that brings your child comfort? It is okay and even beneficial to let them bring this item into their new space.Practice time away - Time away can be scary for any parent, let alone a parent of a child with a disability. However, it is so important to prepare for separation that will take place during services and school by utilizing a well trusted and trained babysitter. Skip gradual introductions - Many centers and schools offer a slow or gradual introduction instead of jumping into 5 days a week. This can often create more stress and unknowns around the new transition and even take longer for the child to adapt. Go right to the full schedule to set a strong foundation.Routines and schedules are great for kids, especially kids with autism. They teach the learner what to expect and to trust what will be next. However, we all know there is no such thing as perfect and life happens. As the child gets older, be sure to prepare them for flexibility and what to do when a schedule change or a transition isn’t the same. Dani and I also touched on communication between providers and parents. This is always so important but even more so when working on new transitions. Be sure to have a clear communication plan in place so as the parent or professional, you’re on the same page and continuing support.Transitions are part of every single person's day. They aren't always big scary new ones, but they can feel that way to some autistic learners. I loved getting to talk to Dani today and hope you can put some of her great advice to use! #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:What are transitions and what do they look like for autistic learners? Tips for easing transitions, big and small.Can you keep routines and still be flexible?Determining a communication system between parents and providers.Mentioned In This Episode:ABA Speech: HomeBridge Kids of New YorkBridge Kids NY on Instagram (@bridgekidsny) Bridge Kids NY on Facebook

Whether you're working with a young child, teen, or adult, executive functioning skills are among the most critical and practical skills we need. In this interview with Sara Ward, an SLP specializing in executive function, she shares the unique background that makes this work so special to her, as well as some really interesting approaches to assessment and intervention.Many people have different explanations for executive functioning. Sara defines executive functioning for young children in the most basic form, sequencing. As you reach middle and high school, you’re continuing to plan with a window of time and space that is continuously growing. It’s very easy for parents and professionals to be a child’s “prosthetic frontal lobe”, we visualize the students through space and time and we at times over prompt. So in a neurotypical brain, this is the ability to visualize where you are in a future time or space.  90% of the time, task planning happens in a different place from where you execute the plan. Naturally, as you might plan your day and anticipate the tasks necessary to accomplish your daily routine, you may use gestures to prompt your steps. An intervention Sara uses that is really successful in young children is teaching them to gesture. So a child with really great executive functioning skills would use very specific verbs to describe the steps necessary for their future plans. With a child who is lacking in executive function, you might prompt them to show you with their hands. Oftentimes, when students are able to feel the steps with their hands, the attached verb comes. So there is this language and movement attached with task execution.How do you determine the need for executive functioning? Assessments are tricky because SLP’s are not licensed to administer tests related to neuro-capability. Evaluators tend to look at Executive Skills through observation and rating scales. Sara recommends the Barkley Attention Deficit Executive Function Scale, because of the way it differentiates between attention deficits in comparison to executive skills in the individual. CEFI, Clinical Executive Function Inventory, is an online tool that Sara suggests to accurately characterize kids' behaviors related to executive functioning. She also mentions several other tests and scales that can be used, in addition to looking at existing speech and language assessments with an executive functioning lens.Sara provides so many great suggestions and tools for working with students on executive functioning and the program she developed. As an experienced SLP, I myself found this information so enlightening. I cannot wait to take these tools to my next IEP meeting and to my therapy. I hope you found this just as helpful.#autism #speechtherapy  What’s Inside:What is executive functioning?Why are executive function skills important?Assessment and intervention for executive function skills.Executive functioning in young children, teens, and adults. Mentioned In This Episode:ABA Speech: HomeCognitive Connections: Executive Function

Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. If you haven’t listened to part 1, be sure to go back and listen to get the full scoop. Edythe is a very important leader in her field. In addition to the Dynamic Assessment, she also researched and developed a critical treatment for children with severe apraxia, Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing. DTTC, as it is known, is an innovative treatment in which a hierarchy of cues is used to demonstrate and initiate motor-speech skills in children with apraxia. In most therapies, we are constantly taking data, every meeting or every session. However, the Dynamic Assessment and DTTC is such an involved, hands-on, and therapist-led treatment data and scoring doesn’t need to take place at every visit. In Edythe’s work at Mayo, they would take data every 3 visits using multidimensional scoring. She notes that the importance of data is not as prevalent during an intensive treatment like this as opposed to when she is doing research. When working on something as important to communication as language, whether the child is typical or has autism, the type of language, the number of words, and the words that are chosen to work on are so important. Especially in the cases of students with severe apraxia and autism, functional and fundamental words during practice and DTTC are crucial.In this episode, Dr. Edythe Strand touches on the commonalities between apraxia and other diagnoses and disorders such as autism. She explains all of the research, practice, and genuine desire to help kids with severe apraxia that has gone into her work. She is such a wealth of information and has provided so many great links and references for this episode, so be sure to check them out!What’s Inside:What is DTTC Treatment?Taking data with DTTC and Dynamic Assessment.Choosing important words for treatment.Is there a connection between Apraxia and Autism?  Mentioned In This Episode:ABA Speech: HomeChild Apraxia TreatmentApraxia-kids: HomeVideos for Parents and Clinicians:Overview of possible causes and types of problems in speech developmentDefinitions and Descriptions of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Examples of different levels of severity in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Differentiating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) from other types of speech sound disordersDiagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)How parents can help their child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): Other resourcesChildhood Apraxia of Speech:  Information for Parents5-hour general course on CAS or the Once Upon a Time Foundation, through the University of Texas, Dallas.Childhood Apraxia of Speech -- by Dr. Edythe Strand, Ph.d. View video FOR FREE and receive ASHA CEUs! www.utdallas.edu/calliercenter/events/CAS/ 

Welcome to part one of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. Edythe was a professor at Mayo College, former head of Division of Speech Pathology, Department of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic, and a practicing Speech Pathologist and clinician. Her research has focused on developmental, acquired, and progressive Apraxia speech.What are the characteristics of Apraxia? Edythe noted that Apraxia is not a medical diagnosis but rather a label for a speech sound disorder. Different from other speech disorders, Apraxia affects the movement needed to make a sound. Characteristics might include, difficulty programming and planning, movement gestures, awkward movement through a movement transition, mistiming, blending of manner, distorted sounds, intrusive schwa, inconsistency in the context of repeated production. Therapy for students with Apraxia looks a lot different than other language disorders. Speech-Language Pathologists typically go straight for phonemes and articulation. However, Edythe further drives home that Apraxia treatment is focused on movement. So instead of enunciating letter sounds and syllables, the clinician is going to emphasize the movement that creates the sound. This is called Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing, or DTTC, treatment. Dynamic Assessments are the best evaluations for students with Apraxia and are really different from a lot of the typical assessments in speech pathology. It involves a hierarchy of cueing, and scoring is based on response to that cueing. Versus in Static Assessment, typically there is a picture or a question; the child responds once and the clinician notes the response. Edythe Strand developed her own Dynamic Assessment, DEMS  (Dynamic Evaluation of Motor-speech Skill). She shares some examples of who and how this assessment would be used. The benefits of Dynamic Assessment include knowledge of a child's preferred cueing and an understanding of the severity of the disorder. Be sure to check out the amazing resources from Dr. Edythe Strand and stay tuned for part two of this really interesting interview!#autism #speechtherapyWhat’s Inside:The characteristics of Apraxia.What is Dynamic Assessment?How to approach therapy with students who have Apraxia?What is DTTC treatment? Mentioned In This Episode:Child Apraxia TreatmentApraxia-kids: Home Videos for Parents and Clinicians:Overview of possible causes and types of problems in speech developmentDefinitions and Descriptions of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Examples of different levels of severity in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Differentiating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) from other types of speech sound disordersDiagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) How parents can help their child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): Other resourcesChildhood Apraxia of Speech:  Information for Parents5-hour general course on CASChildhood Apraxia of Speech -- by Dr. Edythe Strand, Ph.d. View video FOR FREE and receive ASHA CEUs! www.utdallas.edu/calliercenter/events/CAS

In this interview, Dr. Kerry Magro, one of the first speakers who is also autistic,  shares his communication journey.  Kerry was non-speaking at 2.5 and received an official autism diagnosis at 4. Despite not speaking in full sentences until 7 and facing a variety of sensory challenges, the support of his loving family and over 15 years of a multitude of therapies helped him overcome many of his barriers. All of these paved the way for his achievement in a degree in sports management before he realized his true passion for disability advocacy and received his Ph.D.  We discuss how, with the right support in place, anyone can find their voice.Kerry describes his early speech behavior as non-speaking versus non-verbal because of the sounds he was making. While they weren’t words, these sounds turned into pronunciations and through speech therapy broke ground to start communicating, in any way possible. I work with a lot of students who are not yet spontaneously communicating, and it is always my focus to create budding communication. Kerry describes the two biggest things that helped him grow from non-speaking to a professional speaker were speech therapy and music therapy. When you receive a diagnosis of autism for your child, sharing this information with them can seem scary or overwhelming, especially when a child is young. Kerry shares how his parents told him after a fun game at school where the teacher told him he was special and wanted to know why. His parents told him that he has autism and that it meant he learned differently, but that he was no less of a person than others. While that may seem simple, Kerry says it was life-changing for him as he grew older and began to understand his disability, sit in on IEP meetings, and become an advocate for himself. Leaving the support of the elementary, middle, and high school and moving on to college is quite a transition, whether you’re a typical learner or not. Kerry says for him, the best support for him as he entered college was understanding his accommodations, understanding his needs to succeed academically. For him specifically, he needed more time on tests, a private room due to sensory needs, and a note taker due to his dysgraphia.  He is actually working on a book about the transition from high school to college with advice and experience from many autistic voices.As a professional in this field, my goal is always to support my students, but sometimes it can be hard to know what language is preferred. Kerry talks about the importance of letting neurodivergent individuals and self-advocates identify themselves. It’s really not up to a professional to dictate the preferred language of someone else. Many are taught to use the label, a person with autism, but Kerry prefers the language, autistic individual.  He also stresses that parents and professionals should stop using functioning labels. The best way to describe your child is to list their strengths and weaknesses. Autism is such a wide spectrum, so person-centered approaches are essential to the autism community. If you’ve met one autistic individual, you’ve met one.Be on the lookout for Kerry’s contribution to the book Life After the Lockdown: Resetting Perceptions on Autism, just released this September. This fall, he is gearing up for many speeches for National Bullying Prevention Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as well as the spring release of his book Autistics on Autism for World Autism Month, in which 100% of the proceeds will go into his scholarship fund. #autism #speechtherapy What’s Inside:Dr. Kerry Magro’s communication journey.The importance of speech and music therapy.Non-speaking to professional speaker.Telling your child their diagnosis. Autism and transitioning to college.Understanding preferred language and labels.