Autism Outreach Rose Griffin

In my continued effort to bridge the gap between research and therapy, I had a great discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Biggs, assistant professor of special education. We discuss the power of Literacy in human connection. Even for children with complex communication needs, the need for literacy starts at birth (cue the baby shower gifts of everyone's favorite books), and it never stops!

In a study tracking around 40 families through the pandemic school year (20-21), Dr. Biggs and other researchers checked in on their journey of supporting their children's literacy and language learning.  While many families expressed aspirations for their child's communication progress, a significant portion didn't prioritize literacy, perceiving their children as not ready or simply not giving it much thought.

Their research found that confidence in literacy acquisition varied greatly, often depending on the support from providers and teachers. They also looked at concerns regarding literacy, especially concerning the acquisition and utilization of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, with only a single family reporting a positive experience.

Literacy is  reading, writing, speaking, listening, and expressing—each learned in intertwined manner and contributing to meaningful human connections. Dr. Biggs encourages a family-centered approach in your therapy whenever you can,  emphasizing the need to equip and support families in nurturing literacy skills in their children. Ultimately, as Dr. Biggs states in our conversation, “Literacy is for ALL kids, not just some kids”.

Do you like episodes like this? Do you want to hear more about recent research and how you can implement it in your therapy room? Leave a review and let me know!


 #autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:
When is literacy and when does it start?Understanding literacy in families, analyzing the research.Who can learn literacy and language skills?How can providers support learners and their families with literacy?
Mentioned In This Episode:
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As I continue to bridge the gap in research to the therapy room, I also see deficits in pre-service training that can make therapy a better experience for both providers and families.
Jessica Rohrer, BCBA-D, joins me to discuss her work with soft skills, using tools to measure and build compassion skills in the therapy room. Her research uses the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, a tool primarily used to check compassion in the medical field, as a pre and post measurement on the impact of compassionate skills training. 


Dr. Rohrer developed the Compassionate Collaboration Tool as a checklist for provider self-reflection and a helpful next step to incorporating compassion skills in their therapy. The tool focuses on three skill sets in providers. 


Basic interview skills: introductions, note taking, nodding, and back channeling.
Interest skills: asking and reflecting positivity on client interests and asking and reflecting caregiver priorities.
Joining with the family: empathy statements, normalizing skills, and partnering skills.


It can be easy to forget the emotional time our clients and their families may be experiencing when entering therapy, which is why it is crucial to focus on empathy and compassion in our basic skills for a positive experience. New clinicians may particularly experience more difficulty. If you’re looking for next steps to include compassion in your therapy, Dr. Rohrer reminds you to self-monitor and reflect, consider group behavior skills training, and remember that every client and every family will have varying needs for compassion.
#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:
Bridging the gap in research in the therapy room. Why are compassion skills important in ABA?Tools for measuring and reflecting on soft skills.Next steps for incorporating compassion skills into your everyday therapy.Mentioned In This Episode:
Soft Skills: The Case for Compassionate Approaches or How Behavior Analysis Keeps Finding Its Heart
(PDF) Teaching Compassion Skills to Students of Behavior Analysis: A Preliminary Investigation
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The title of Joe Veneziano and Dr. Shannon Shea’s research article, They Have a Voice, Are We Listening?, caught my eye and I had to read it. These two BCBAs met at a Journal Club and connected over the need to shed light on the history and nuance of ABA and Behavior Analysis.

With the field growing and opinions of professionals being so diverse, educating incoming BCBAs on the history of behavior analysis is crucial. Their paper examines “indistinguishability” and its implications by defining “indistinguishable” in behavior analytic terms. They write about well known studies, such as the Lovaas seminal paper (1987). There are many critiques of ABA in the field and in the in the media today. Is it evil or bad? Is it perfect? Neither is true, but the field and practice of behavior analysis rely on the lens of the research you undertake.

Together, we discuss the importance of evaluating research critically and understanding the difference between pseudoscience and robust research. We also highlight the need for an emphasis on the underrepresented voices of autism, including queer individuals, POCs, and women.

Research and an open mind are crucial to the success of ABA and the impact it will have on individuals receiving it. As quoted in their article, “Go forward with empathy and cultural humility.”

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:
Understanding the history of Applied Behavior Analysis.Evaluating research critically is necessary to get the best understanding.Pseudoscience vs. robust research.Emphasizing underrepresented autistic voices.Mentioned In This Episode:
They have a Voice; are we Listening? - PMC
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After 2 decades of working in a clinical long term care setting as an SLP, Susan Browning was looking for something different amidst the pandemic. This change led her to her role in pediatric SLP in an ABA setting.

We discuss one of my favorite topics, collaboration. Susan, bursting with positive energy for the field, talks about how she worked to find her niche to collaborate and complement the work of the other providers and BCBAs in the clinic.

With the large scope that SLP spans in the field, it is such a nuanced science. Susan explains some of her interesting presentations coming up to show this large scope, and she draws comparisons from her long term care patients to her pediatric patients with the importance of blending cognition and language.

Enjoy this really positive conversation and check out the link to a special ABA Speech Connection CEU, SLP in an ABA Setting.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:
Featuring a member of the ABA Speech Connection.Translating long-term care experience into an ABA role.Finding your niche when SLPs and BCBAs collaborate.Mentioned In This Episode:
CEU Library - ABA Speech
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Maura Weis is the mother of two, a son and a daughter. The Weis family’s autism journey began when their youngest, Hannah, experienced early life difficulties, and then concerns with delays started occurring at 18 months.
Maura shares about their early experiences and her pediatrician visits. Even more concerns grew after a move due to her husband’s coaching career. As they worked through tests and possibilities, Hannah began school with an ABA program and received several diagnoses. 
Maura wrote Miles From The Sideline: A Mother's Journey With Her Special Needs Daughter when her daughter was 8 years old as a resource for family members of families with special needs children. She also created the Hannah and Friends Family Foundation with her retired NFL and college football coach husband, Charlie Weis. Hannah, turning 29, now lives on the Hannah and Friends property in Indiana. There are 13 residents who have Daily Programs, Summer Camps, and After school activities. It’s a wide, open space to create a life. 
Among her experiences and family's journey, Maura shares an important sentiment for families to embrace all experiences, even the difficult ones, because they are important learning opportunities for their children. You can find out more about Maura Weis and her foundation by reading her book, visiting the Hannah and Friends website, or on Facebook. 

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:
What is Hannah and Friends Family Foundation?Maura Weis’s book for family members of special needs families.A family’s journey through autism and other special needs diagnoses.Mentioned In This Episode:
Miles From The Sideline: A Mother's Journey With Her Special Needs Daughter
Hannah and Friends
Hannah and Friends
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If you walk away with anything from today’s episode, let it be: It will get better. My guest, Kelley Coleman, is a mother of 2 and wrote the book she desperately needed when it came to navigating the extensive list of diagnoses for her youngest son. We discuss her book, Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide To the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports and the daunting overwhelm that comes with a disability diagnosis.

Being a parent or caregiver is difficult enough, but throw in a medical diagnosis, nuerodivergence, and, in Kelley’s case, many comorbidities and more questions than answers and you’ve got a recipe for distress. Kelley talks about how a big win for her family was the support and openness of their pediatrician, but not every provider is this way, and for many families, it can feel like no one is in your corner. If that's you, you will find so many resources and support in this book.

As we bring our talk to a close, Kelley ties up her multitude of knowledge and advice into this tip; Get started with something that will bring an easy victory! It is reassuring to see the fruit of your labor. Do the one thing, get the win and keep that system going.

Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide To the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports launched on March 12th. You can find it anywhere you buy books and ask your libraries to carry it too so that this amazing advice can reach as many families as possible.

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:
The daunting overwhelm that comes with a disability diagnosis.A book to support parents and caregivers.Advice on how to get through tough moments as a caregiver of an individual with disabilities.Mentioned In This Episode:
Kelley Coleman
Join the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership