JoyBridge Kids

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Why Parent and Caregiver Training is Necessary for an Autistic Child?

With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), children face difficulty interacting and communicating. Also, the speed and brain's learning abilities are slower compared to normal children. Difficulty in sleeping, eating, expressing themselves, and overall daily lifestyle habits tend to be common issues for them.

Parents of autistic children are naturally more stressed than parents of non-autistic children. Things like communication barriers, negative behaviors, and overall, not being able to connect with your child all play a role in enduring the ups and downs of parenting an autistic child Those reasons alone are why it’s so important that parents and caregivers receive proper training.

The journey of parenthood is an emotional journey, especially as the parent of an autistic child. The great news is that you’re not on this journey alone. According to the CDC, 1 in 44 children are diagnosed with ASD, which means that more and more people are aware of the disorder and treatment methods are being provided, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy, as well as parent caregiver training.[LA1]

With parent and caregiver training, you as a parent are able to better understand your child and a development process can be initiated. On the journey of parenting autistic children, JoyBridge Kids focuses heavily on the importance of intentional support for parents through the entire training process. JoyBridge Kids trainkids train the parents and caregivers of autistic children by helping them learn how to utilize ABA  Therapy in their daily routine as parents or caregivers. With the end goal being to help your child succeed throughout their daily lives, education and support is the foundation of our training. Take a look at why we believe parent and caregiver training is so important and necessary for an autistic child.

Your Child Gains Independence

The training incorporates ABA therapy, which helps teach  parents and caregivers how to boost their children towards their goals. It also helps when parents and caregivers take what they’ve learned and present it to their friends and family members.

Of course, this training is in a clinical setting, but parents are encouraged to take what they’ve learned in training and sharpen their skills at home by applying the same techniques in the environment their child is used to, which will set the trajectory of the child’s growth. The task can be as simple as watering the plants in your home. In this case, you can motivate your child to regularly water the plants and take care of it; make it their responsibility. This task can help your  child grow and become independent.

Your Child Feels Secure

There may come a time when your child realizes that they may be different from other children they’re around but may not understand why. That’s one of those times when the training you received will be put into action. . This, in turn, will make your child feel secure;they’ll know and feel that they are supported by parents who are on the same page as them. They’ll also feel understood and relieved that they’re not alone in the issues that they are facing. This is especially important if your child  is shy and has a hard time expressing or explaining themselves. This issue is solved when they feel their parents or caregivers understand them.

You Can Handle Problematic Behavior

When your child suffers from a behavioral disorder like ASD, it can leave you feeling helpless. Behaviors such as aggression, getting easily irritated, or maybe even resorting to being quiet can all lead to problematic behavior that if not handled early on, can become a serious problem down the road.. By providing proper training to parents, they are better prepared and equipped to handle such behaviors in a positive way With proper training, you can feel and become empowered from the strategies you learn, which will help to decrease their challenging behavior.

Your Child’s Abilities are Improved

Training and skills are given to parents and caregivers to help them to boost the inner capacity of their autistic child. Parents can send their children with ASD to school like other children by helping them improve their learning and social skills. This can push autistic children to overcome their limitations and build new capabilities. Every parent of a child diagnosed with ASD will endure challenging times as well as wonderful times, but that doesn’t change how much you love your child. Parenthood is a lifelong journey, and your child is going to need you every step of the way. That reason alone is why parent and caregiver training is so important. It’s also important you have a clear understanding of the therapy your child will be receiving as well.

There are many training centers that offer specialized training for parents and caregivers of children diagnosed with autism, but you don’t want to go to just any autism therapy center... You want to make sure that the one you choose has board certifies therapists, and at Joybridge Kids, we are dedicated to making sure that not only your child receives the best level of care but that you, the parent, receive top level training.

To enroll in  JoyBridge Kids’ parent caregiver training program, simply fill out our contact form.

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Alphabet Soup: Autism and ABA Terminology Explained

The moment your child receives a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it can feel like the world has come crashing down on you. And though ASD is pretty common in the US, as 1 in 44 children receive the diagnosis, according to a 2021 Centers for Disease Control report, it still comes as disbelief that your child has it, right?

It’s definitely a tough pill to swallow for many parents. What’s even harder is getting a full understanding of treatment, what the treatments do, and the terminology used. This is a normal frustration for almost every parent of a child with autism. Whether your child just received an ASD diagnosis or you’re looking to get your child started with ABA Therapy (applied behavior analysis), the terminology used can sound like a foreign language to you.

As you embark on a new journey as a family, the best way to have a better understanding of your child’s diagnosis and treatment plan is to get a little more familiar with autism and the terms you’ll likely hear often throughout treatment. But before we get into terminology, let’s start with the basics first.

What is Autism? What is ABA Therapy?

Autism is a developmental disorder that largely affects an individual’s behavior and communication. The disorder is categorized as a developmental disorder because the symptoms of autism usually appear during a child’s most developmental years, which are years one and two.

ABA therapy is a form of evidence-based therapy specifically designed to help individuals with autism improve language and communication skills, decrease problematic behaviors, and improve attention, memory, social skills, and academics.

For a child with an ASD diagnosis, treatment from an ABA Therapy Center is imperative, and the sooner therapy starts after the initial diagnosis, the sooner your child can start implementing their learned skills and start applying them in real-world applications.

Getting to Know ABA and Autism Terminology

Below, you’ll find a list of the top 10 terms used in ABA therapy and a brief description of what each term means.

1. Antecedent

The events, actions, or circumstances that happen before a behavior. The ability to recognize and observe this is what will help you better understand your child’s behaviors.

2. Behavior

A behavior is an action that can be observed and measured; It’s what happens after an antecedent.

3. Consequence

A consequence is anything that happens directly after a behavior, and it can be good or bad.

4. Mand

Mand is a request to fulfill a want or need. Alternatively, it’s also a request to put an end to something undesirable.

5. Pairing

The act of building rapport with a child by ‘pairing’ a child’s learning environment and parent with a child’s favorite items or activities to help the therapist become a ‘giver of good things.’

6. Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a type of intervention that will increase a targeted behavior. For example, a child is given praise for finishing their homework.

7. Functional Behavior Assessment

A process used to identify problem behaviors in a child and develop interventions to improve or potentially eliminate those problematic behaviors. The process goes in the order of gathering information, direct observations, and creating an action plan.

8. Functional Communication

A form of treatment after an effective and thorough assessment that involves providing a child with a different way to communicate that doesn’t involve the negative behaviors associated with the frustration of their inability to communicate.

9. Tact

Tact is an expressive label for verbal behavior where the speaker tastes, sights, smells, and hears something and then comments or describes it.

10. Behavior Intervention Plan

The behavior intervention plan is a treatment plan that takes the results from the Functional Behavior Assessment to devise a plan of action for the child to improve behaviors in certain areas.

These are just a few terms you’ll likely hear; there are, of course, many more terms used but the 10 listed above are the basics to get you started in understanding the lifelong journey of autism. Understand that if at any point your therapists talk about something you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to stop them and ask them to explain something.

The More You Know

The more you know about autism and ABA therapy, especially the terms most commonly used in your child’s treatment, the better understanding you’ll have of what exactly is going on, how your child is progressing, and whether adjustments need to be made to their current treatment. Remember, this is just as much of a new life journey for you, the parent, as it is for your child, and educating yourself more on your child’s ASD diagnosis will make the journey a lot less bumpy.

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7 Myths and Misconceptions of ABA Therapy

According to a 2021 Centers for Disease Control report, 1 in 44 children receive an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis in the US. And as common as this diagnosis is, there are still many parents out there that delay in having their child receive proper treatment through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy due to the simple fact that there are some myths and misconceptions about it.

Many parents have a hard time accepting the diagnosis for the simple question of “Why my child?” Additionally, having ABA treatments for your child just confirms the very diagnosis that’s so hard for many parents to accept. But the thing to understand about this type of therapy is that it’s specifically designed to help children (and adults) with autism. Your child receiving ABA therapy is much better than not receiving any kind of treatment at all, and the sooner it can get started after the initial diagnosis, the sooner your child can be off to a good start in applying the skills they learn in everyday activities.

If you’re having any second thoughts about having your child receive treatment for autism, let’s put any fears or doubts you may have in your by addressing the seven most common myths and misconceptions about the developmental disorder.

1. ABA Therapy is a new form of autism treatment

Is there really anything new under the sun? In most cases, no, and ABA is included in that same theory. In fact, the foundations of ABA took place over a century ago. John B. Watson presented his behaviorist views in his 1913 address Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It. Later, B.F. Skinner originated and founded applied behavior analysis and wrote a book called The Behavior of Organisms which presented his views on operant conditioning.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that therapists began to use ABA as a way to teach communication, social, academic, and work and play skills in individuals. But it wasn’t until 1970 when Ivar Lovaas applied Skinner’s approach to children with autism. So as you can see, ABA is not new. In fact, it’s been around for quite a while and has helped many children and adults for decades.

2. ABA Therapy is solely “drilling” exercises done at a table

ABA has a wide variety of teaching methods just for the simple fact that no autistic individual is alike. Yes, some individuals may have similar behaviors but not all treatments are the same for every person.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT), also known as drilling, is the process of breaking down complex skills into smaller discrete tasks. From there, various skills are combined to accomplish complex goals. And yes, drilling is part of ABA therapy, but so is Verbal Behavior Intervention, Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, and Pivotal Response Training. And each of these forms of therapy is broken down and customized to specifically help your child in specific areas of their targeted behaviors.

3. ABA Therapy trains a child to act without thinking

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Do you realize that our daily lives are a result of memorization, habit, and practiced routines? For example, you wake up every morning to brush your teeth because it’s a habit you’ve formed over time rather than an act you’ve sat and thought about first before doing it.

So, for certain life skills in children with autism, repetitive tasks are necessary because they’re a normal choice of behavior. The difference is that ABA breaks these complex tasks down into simple steps through repetition and positive reinforcement until the goal has been accomplished.

You have to understand that the normal life skills that come easy for us, don’t come that easy to a child with ASD, therefore, calculated steps and treatments must be made to ensure they progress in learning the skills they need to live as close to a normal life as possible.

4. ABA Therapy is only for children with autism

ABA is a reflection of how the human brain learns through positive and negative reinforcement, therefore, the therapy actually helps individuals without autism adopt beneficial behaviors. The skills and techniques taught can foster basic skills like listening, imitating, and cultivating complex skills (reading, comprehension, and another person’s point of view or perspective).

5. ABA Therapy isn’t a scientifically proven treatment for autism

There’s an overwhelming amount of evidence that backs ABA being an effective form of treatment for individuals with autism. In fact, not only do researchers support the theory and have found that ABA techniques have the most science-backed support, but state and federal agencies like the Surgeon General of the United States also endorse ABA as an effective treatment for individuals with ASD.

6. ABA Therapy isn’t based on real human experience

ABA theory, at its most basic theory, is based on the fact that all learned behaviors have an antecedent and a consequence that shapes the behavior; keep in mind that the consequence doesn’t necessarily have to be bad. For example, we all go to work every day (antecedent) because we know we’ll get paid for it (the consequence). But the moment our jobs decide to stop paying us for our hard work, we’ll likely quit (the behavior).

7. All ABA Therapy programs are the same

Simply put, just as no one autistic individual is alike, neither is their ABA therapy. The type of treatment that worked for one patient, may not work for the next, which is why various assessments and observations are required to better understand the patient to better devise the proper intervention plan to address the targeted behaviors of each individual.

Don’t Believe the Hype

Just like you can’t believe everything you see or hear on the internet, that same theory holds true when it comes to what you hear about ABA therapy. Yes, there are lots of theories, half-truths, and complete lies about the therapy and if you have any concerns, there are plenty of trusted and reliable resources out there that you can utilize. In fact, you can turn to Autism therapy centers for support in helping you make the best decision for your child.

Your child receiving a ASD diagnosis is hard to accept as a parent, but the best thing you can do for your child moving forward is work together to overcome the challenges associated with ASD together. Autism therapy centers are there to help you and show you that you don’t have to go on this journey alone. Help is out there for both you and your child.

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How to Deal With Childhood Autism

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that affects how children learn, interact, and communicate with others. The reason the disorder is called a spectrum is that children can be in different areas on the autism spectrum. As a parent, learning that your child has received this diagnosis can be quite difficult to accept, as you’re worried about what to do next or what’s the best form of treatment for your child. This feeling of doubt and being overwhelmed is normal, but the one thing you rest assured knowing is that you and your child don’t have to go through this alone.

There are autism therapy centers all over the world working to help address childhood autism, as well as the parents of children on the spectrum, live a fulfilling life. Will this be easy? No. It will take extra effort and patience to make a difference. However, by making various efforts in combination with autism therapy, life at home will become easier with time.

Look at different approaches you can take to parent a child on the spectrum.

Practice Patience

As you have likely discovered, it takes your child a little longer to process information, therefore, you may need to adjust your conversation with them by speaking slower to give them time to process what you’re saying. Adding pauses in your conversations can help as well.

Learn as Much as You Can About Autism

The more you know about childhood autism, the better equipped you’ll be to make treatment decisions, understand answers to questions you might ask, and have an overall better understanding of the disorder to make informed decisions for your child.

Set Aside Time for Yourself

Whether you have a child on the spectrum or not, dedicating some time to yourself is very much needed. As a parent, you often feel like you constantly have to wear the hat of a parent. If you have a good support system that offers help but you refuse to accept it, now is the time to start accepting it. There is nothing wrong with accepting help to have a little time to yourself. Time alone allows you to reset and recharge– taking this time doesn’t make you a bad parent; if anything, it shows just how much of a good parent you are. When you take care of yourself, you are better able to take care of your children.

Work With Your Child to Effectively Express Anger

When you notice your child get upset or angry about something, pay close attention to how they express that emotion. If the behavior is inappropriate, work with your child to help them express their emotions more acceptably. Helping your child deal with angry emotions is when autism therapy will be very beneficial, as therapists are trained to teach anger management techniques.

Show Your Love and Support

Children on the spectrum may have a difficult time expressing their love for you but that doesn’t mean you can’t express your love and support for them; they need to know you love and care about them. It’s okay to go out of your way to make them feel secure about it.

Don’t Take Things Personally

If you have ever seen the show Kids Say the Darndest Things, then you know it first-hand with your child who is on the spectrum. Your child may have a difficult time expressing or controlling their emotions and speaking with tact, therefore, their words may come out harsh or very blunt. When this happens, it’s important to not take it personally.

Never Give Up

Raising a child is no walk in the park and raising a child on the spectrum doesn’t make things any easier. However, you should jump to conclusions or automatically assume what life will be like for you and your child; you cannot possibly predict what the future holds for your child. Just like non-autistic children, children on the spectrum have a lifetime to grow and develop. Practicing patience is going to be key in never giving up, even when you feel like you can’t go on.

Coping with childhood autism is no easy feat and can be quite the challenge when trying to interact and engage with your child. That reason alone is why autism therapy is so important. Applied Behavioral Analysis is the most common and initial form of treatment for children on the spectrum and is scientifically proven to be beneficial to not only children on the spectrum but also to the parents of children on the spectrum.

If you’re a parent to a child on the spectrum, JoyBridge Kids is here to help. Our treatment and approaches to help children improve language and social skills as well as reduce problem behaviors. To learn how our autism therapy treatments will benefit you and your child, simply give us a call.

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What to Look For in Autism Services in Nashville

When your child receives an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, it can be a hard pill to swallow; Not necessarily from the diagnosis itself, but more in not knowing how to go about getting help for you and your child. If you’re like many parents of children on the spectrum, the diagnosis might have been difficult to accept but a sense of relief does come from it.

There have probably been times when you noticed certain behaviors in your child that may have seemed different, or even “off” but didn’t realize those behaviors were signs of autism. Now that you know the root cause of those behaviors, you can at least feel assured in that and work on moving forward to helping your child.

As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child, so in your search for help, you’re also not going to accept just any form of help as well. Living in the Nashville, Tennessee area, it can be a difficult decision to decide where to go to receive help for your child, as there are quite a few locations in the area.

So how do you know what to look for when searching for autism services in Nashville? Well, outside of insurance acceptance, location, and waitlists, here are some of the biggest considerations to think about when searching for autism services in Nashville.

Services Offered

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is one of the top therapies used to help individuals with autism, however, that’s not the only therapy used. If you feel your child may potentially need more than ABA therapy, you’ll want to not only make sure the centers you look at offer other forms of therapy but also consider how the different services will fit into your daily and weekly schedule as it is. Does the center offer occupational therapy? Does the center offer training for parents and caregivers? Autism centers such as JoyBridge Kids offer quite a few services that not only help children on the spectrum but also the parents and caregivers of children on the spectrum as well. At JoyBridge, the services offered include:

Parent Caregiver Training

Occupational Therapy

Speech Therapy

ABA Therapy

If the centers you’re looking at don’t offer additional services, how can they state their therapies and techniques will truly benefit your child? No two children are alike, nor should their treatment methods. If additional services aren’t offered at a center you’re looking at, it could be a red flag.

The Focus of the Program

Knowing exactly what a center’s program focus is will easily help you weed out centers that will benefit your child and those that won’t. Some autism centers focus solely on early intensive behavioral intervention, specializing in adolescent children, ages two to ten. If your child is 15, then a center that focuses on adolescent children won’t be a good program fit. Knowing and understanding the age group a center treats and has experience in will play a significant role in how the center’s environment, tools, and peer interactions will shape the outcome of therapy for your child.

Parent/Guardian Training

When a child is diagnosed with autism, the focus is immediately set on the child (as it should) but it’s all too easy to forget that the parent or guardian is enduring a life-changing event as much as the child is and will need just as much help adjusting to the change as the child will. You will want to enroll your child in a center that has parent/guardian training. Centers that provide this type of training empower and equip parents with the tools and strategies to take what their child learned during their therapy session and apply those very techniques and skills in real-life scenarios outside of a clinical setting.

Company Size and Years of Experience

Both size and years of experience can greatly affect the quality of therapy your child receives. That doesn’t mean that small centers have little experience, nor does it mean that large centers have extensive years of experience. You simply have to vet the centers you inquire about. Ask those difficult questions. The right center will have no problem answering any questions you may have.

The years of experience the staff has will be a direct indicator of how much help your child will receive. A therapist that’s newly licensed isn’t going to have nearly as much experience as a seasoned vet, but that also doesn’t mean you have to dismiss a new therapist. Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Talking to the therapists and getting a feel of the environment and temperament of the therapists will help put your mind at ease when it comes to years of experience and the size of the center.

Program focus, parent training, services offered, and company size/years of experience will all play a significant role in choosing autism services in Nashville, or anywhere else. At JoyBridge Kids, we offer all of that and more. From our therapists to therapy techniques, our whole mission is to create and deliver life-transforming experiences for every child and family we serve. Give us a call to learn more about how we can help your family!

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Best Practices for Communication and Interaction

The theory of communication in itself is very difficult for lots of people. Some have difficulty expressing feelings and articulating what they’re trying to say, while others have zero communication issues. The level of communication difficulties varies from person to person. However, if you have a child who is on the autism spectrum, he or she can have an even more difficult time with language development.

Through applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, speech therapists or pathologists can help improve your child’s communication, social, and learning skills through different types of reinforcement strategies. In fact, ABA therapy is considered by experts in the field to be the benchmark of treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder.

The great news is that there are lots of tools and resources out there to help children on the spectrum develop their language and communication skills. The biggest resource in your child’s ABA therapy sessions, in regards to communication and language, is going to be a speech therapist or pathologist. They’re going to provide information on how your child is progressing and also advise you on which communication strategy is best. Let’s take a close look at a few of those strategies.

Visual Supports

With visual supports, your child will be presented with tools that aid in effectively communicating and building language skills. This strategy includes:

Words

Pictures

Symbols

Objects

This is all done in an effort to help your child communicate, process information, and learn and understand language. By using visual supports, you can incorporate the use of words and pictures through communication books, picture boards, and flashcards. This strategy is also beneficial in that when they see the images, they’re able to process and retain those images better, whereas verbal communication is somewhat ‘in one ear and out the other,’ so to speak; verbal communication is more instant and it is harder to retain what’s communicated.

Visual or Picture Schedule

A subset of visual supports is a visual or picture schedule. This tool helps children on the spectrum to learn the process of different routines that come a lot easier to neurotypical children. For instance, a visual or picture schedule could depict the process of getting ready for bed. The steps could show pictures of putting on your pajamas, brushing your teeth, and getting in bed. Over time, they’ll learn and memorize the process. And despite the fact that individuals on the spectrum don’t typically like change, this process helps prepare them for change in the sense that after one step, you’ll have to do something totally different in the next step. They’ll have a better response to change, essentially.

While this is a great communication and interaction tool, in order for this visual support to be successful, it’s something that you’ll have to teach your child regularly.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

This form of autism communication strategy is best for children who are non-verbal or are hard to understand when speaking. In short, this strategy encompasses all forms of communication except talking. This includes:

Written words

Sign language

Computers, tablets, and other forms of electronic communication devices

Pictures, videos, and objects

Gestures

Not only will this strategy help autistic children communicate, but it will even help them communicate verbally. It can also help children learn to read and write.

Speech Generation Devices

This strategy incorporates playing pre-recorded words on a device that communicates with a button or switch. It can also be typed in, it just depends on the device. For example, a speech generation device is one that may have a picture of a toy on it. If that button is pressed, the device may say “I want to play.”

This tool is generally used to help children who cannot speak, but it can also be the building foundation to help them develop speech as well. When the device speaks, it will help your child associate the various pictures and sound patterns to recognize and build language.

Supporting Successful Communication

These strategies are great for autistic individuals of any age, but if you’re seeking help for your toddler to school-aged child, they’re going to benefit greatly. Regardless of what type of communication strategy you choose to incorporate, getting your child enrolled in an ABA therapy program gives them access to speech therapy, which will play a pivotal role in strengthening the development of your child’s speech and language. Contact your local autism therapy center to learn more about how ABA therapy can help your child.

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How Does ABA Therapy for Children with Autism Work?

Schools and specialty organizations offer quite a few options to parents and caregivers of children with autism. Some of those parents seek out an ABA therapy center for evaluation and treatment using applied behavioral analysis, which is the gold standard of treatment for children on the autism spectrum. While program specifics will vary, these centers usually work with children and parents in a few ways.

Integrated Autism Therapy

A good ABA therapy center uses a multi-pronged approach to helping each child reach their potential. This approach will include parents in a program of assessment, teaching, and evaluation. Everything is built around a comprehensive strategy that could employ two or three specialists:

Behavioral specialists – Therapists trained on behavior analysis diagnose each child and develop treatment programs that help them communicate and regulate their behaviors. If a child needs help with speech, another specialist can get involved.

Speech therapists – A speech-language pathologist can work with your child to improve their verbal communication by diagnosing and treating specific speech problems. If necessary, this specialist can also recommend a communication device that will help your child communicate effectively and appropriately.

Occupational therapists – The techniques that help an adult to adapt to their environment or modify it, can also help children learn some important coping skills. Some children with autism benefit from working with an occupational therapist to address things like balance and hypersensitivity to sound and touch.

Autism therapy centers will normally give parents some training so they can help their child with oral hygiene and communication, in ways that are tailored to suit that child.

How Autism Therapy Works

Joy Bridge Kids programs all incorporate play and social activities of various kinds, geared to the child’s abilities and needs. A behavioral specialist designs and evaluates each program. The program would come out of a one-on-one assessment of the child by a specialist. The parents will be involved in putting that treatment program into practice, as well.

Working with Parents and Caregivers

JoyBridge also involves parents in the process of providing needed services. Our work is enhanced by parents and caregivers who can help carry out parts of the treatment program at home and out in the community. With this in mind, we teach parents how to create and use routines and to intervene and interrupt maladaptive behaviors.

ABA Therapy in Nashville

You might be looking for autism services in Nashville or want to find ABA therapy in Tennessee, look for a program that is based on applied behavioral analysis and other clinically-proven interventions. Contact them today so you can learn more about their services.

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Training for Parents of Children with Autism

As a parent whose child has autism, you take on added responsibilities. A good ABA therapy center will include parents in their treatment program. This makes sense because the child doesn’t live in the center. They go home and experience normal life, family interactions, interpersonal conflicts, and so on. Helping parents to better help their child thrive, adapt, and practice appropriate communication skills is critically important.

Elements of Parent and Caregiver Training

Parents and caregivers are vital parts of a child’s treatment and learning, as they are fixtures in the child’s social environment. Typically, an ABA therapy center uses a custom training plan that accounts for the child’s specific needs, the family living situation, and the family’s cultural background.  This training will take place in a number of regular sessions. At JoyBridge the training will be biweekly, at least.

You can expect to have multiple training sessions where you will learn a variety of tricks to establish routines and manage whatever triggers the child. The lessons will also be customized to suit each child’s developmental level and needs. Parents learn to reduce maladaptive behaviors, set up routines for their child, and plan social outings. They’ll also learn how to help their child with communication, oral hygiene, and more. This is only part of a comprehensive training and treatment program, because parents are also invited to observe occupational therapy, speech therapy, and applied behavioral analysis sessions with their child.

Benefits of Applied Behavior Analysis Skills

The tools and techniques that behavior analysts use can help a child communicate and regulate their behavior, but the learning should be reinforced at home. By working with trained staff to create a healthy and supportive environment you can experience:

·         Drama-free mornings and nights;

·         Reduced acting out and aggression;

·         Smooth family outings;

·         Improved communication skills;

·         Increased independence; and

·         Better interactions with siblings and neighborhood children.

These benefits come from a combination of applied behavioral analysis and a team approach to providing comprehensive treatment and support. This strategy is crucial to providing the best social environment for each child.

Comprehensive Autism Services in Nashville

Parents and caregivers are critically important to a treatment plan so any good ABA therapy center should train parents to participate in their child’s therapy. You and your child will both benefit from the lessons learned. If you are looking for comprehensive autism services in Nashville, please do contact us to learn more about our approach and our training program for parents.

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ABA Therapy is the Gold Standard for Tennessee Children with Autism

Raising a child with autism takes extra skill and educational support. Many parents have reached out to ABA therapy centers like JoyBridge to get that extra support. Centers like this one offer evaluation and treatment using only clinically-proven tools, like applied behavioral analysis.

ABA Therapy Center Programs

JoyBridge Kids serves over 40 children from their Mount Juliet location. Children aged 2 through 7 can attend their Early Excellence program, which requires 25 to 35 hours per week. Children 5 to 8 may enroll in the After School Excellence Program, which includes 12 to 15 hours a week of therapy after school. Both programs include an array of services.

Standard Autism Therapy Services

JoyBridge uses a multidisciplinary approach to serving learners, where evaluating verbal ability is one part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Speech-language pathologists work with each child one-on-one and with their registered behavior technicians. Their speech-language therapists can also make recommendations for children with limited verbal ability.

Children with autism can benefit from the practical skills training that occupational therapists can provide. Occupational therapy techniques can help your child handle sensitivity to light, touch, or sound as well as helping them overcome problems with balance or spatial awareness.

JoyBridge programs incorporate a range of play activities and social activities, so that children can learn and practice important skills. In the Early Excellence program, children get to take part in gym, art class, circles, and lunch/snack time.

How the Programs Work

Like many autism therapy centers, JoyBridge uses direct assessments (one-on-one time with the child) and indirect assessments. Behavioral specialists turn that information into a comprehensive therapy plan that includes a range of activities and performance measurements. JoyBridge also involves parents in the process of providing needed services.

ABA Therapy in Mt. Juliet

If you are looking for autism services in Nashville or want to find ABA therapy in Tennessee, look for a program that offers therapy based on applied behavioral analysis and other clinically-proven interventions, like JoyBridge. Contact them via their website to learn more about their services.

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How ABA Therapy Helps Young Children Thrive

The JoyBridge Kids ABA therapy center in Mount Juliet prepares children aged 2 through 7 for future success using clinically-proven techniques that help both child and parent in several ways by tailoring each child’s treatment to their unique needs.

Improved Behavior

During ABA therapy, a child will learn to regulate their impulses, engage in positive behaviors, and replace negative behaviors with appropriate alternatives. For example, a child may throw a toy when asked to put it away. Asking for a little more play time is a pro-social alternative that a child on the autism spectrum may need coaching to use. Parents can also learn to phrase requests or ask questions to get a positive response.

Improved Social Skills

Children on the autism spectrum struggle with social skills like initiating a conversation, responding to questions, making eye contact, sharing, and waiting. A trainer skilled in ABA therapy will be able to both identify weaknesses in those areas and use techniques to improve them. Gains are also possible with nonverbal children, though improvement may be less dramatic. Autism services in Nashville and nearby communities are readily available.

Improved Parenting

Good parenting requires good communication, on whatever level is appropriate. Children on the autism spectrum often have trouble communicating clearly. Children on the autism spectrum often have difficulty expressing their wants and needs. It takes more effort on the part of parents to understand a child with autism and modify their own behavior accordingly.

Autism therapy centers like JoyBridge create customized treatment programs based on a scientific assessment of each child’s unique developmental needs and challenges. This model for therapy works on non-verbal children too.

ABA Therapy Mt. Juliet

JoyBridge Kids currently serves over 40 children with autism in two programs. The Early Excellence Program for children aged 2-7 is a 25-35 hours per week therapy program done on-site. The After School Excellence Program is a part-time program for children 5-8 provides 12-15 hours of therapy a week at JoyBridge. If you are looking for ABA therapy in Nashville, contact JoyBridge Kids to learn more.

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How ABA Therapy Benefits Children with Autism and Their Parents

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy is a popular approach to helping children on the autism spectrum overcome negative behaviors and adopt positive behaviors. The JoyBridge Kids ABA therapy center in Mount Juliet prepares children aged 5 through 8 for the future by using science-based techniques that help the child through tailoring each child’s treatment while also engaging the parents. Autism therapy centers like JoyBridge create customize treatment programs based on a scientific assessment of each child’s unique developmental needs and challenges.

Promoting Improved Behavior

ABA therapy During ABA therapy a child will learn to regulate their impulses, engage in positive behaviors, and replace negative behaviors with appropriate alternatives. For example, a child may throw a toy when asked to put it away. Asking for a little more play time is a pro-social alternative that a child on the autism spectrum may need coaching to use.

Teaching Better Social Skills

Children on the autism spectrum struggle with social skills like initiating a conversation, responding to questions, making eye contact, sharing, and waiting. A trainer skilled in ABA therapy will be able to both identify weaknesses in those areas and use techniques to improve them. Gains are also possible with nonverbal children, though improvement may be less dramatic.

Improving Thinking and Learning

Focusing, paying attention, and memory are all elements of effective learning. If your child has serious problems staying focused, an ABA-trained therapist will be able to help the child learn to concentrate and pay attention for longer periods. Focusing is crucial to memory, which is crucial to learning.  

Empowering Parents

Good parenting requires good communication, on whatever level is appropriate. Children on the autism spectrum often have difficulty expressing their wants and needs clearly. It takes more effort on the part of parents to understand a child with autism. Autism services in Nashville and for nearby communities are readily available.

ABA Therapy Mt. Juliet

JoyBridge Kids currently serves over 40 children from their Mount Juliet therapy center. The After School Excellence Program is for children 5-8 and provides 12-15 hours of therapy a week on site. Their Early Excellence Program for children aged 2-7 is an onsite program including 25-35 hours per week therapy. If your child has autism and you are looking for ABA therapy in Nashville, contact JoyBridge to learn more about their programs and services.

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Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy After School Program

The type of after-school care you choose can have a profound impact on your child’s development. This is even truer of an after-school program for children with autism. Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy (sometimes called ABA) is the gold standard for helping children on the autism spectrum learn self-management and social skills.

Applied Behavior Analysis and Children with Autism

Psychologists consider applied behavioral analysis to be the “gold” standard in helping children with autism. Treatments based on ABA-based research help children overcome challenging behaviors, adopt appropriate interpersonal behaviors, manage their emotions, and learn in general.

ABA Therapy Options

We offer an After School Excellence program for children 5 to 8 years of age. Children in this program receive 12 to 15 hours of ABA therapy each week, which supplements whatever parents are doing at home. The goal of this after-school program is to help children develop critical social skills like waiting, making requests, and responding to questions appropriately.

We also offer an Early Excellence Program, which is a daycare program for children ages 2 through 7. This program can be customized but is normally part-time or full-time during normal school hours.

About the Programs

Each child who receives services at JoyBridge Kids will begin the process with tests of their language and learning skills and behavior. We may also interview you to learn more about your child. Then, one of our expert caregivers will devise a treatment plan that is based on goals appropriate to your child’s needs and age. The plan will include appropriate developmental goals as well. Throughout their time with JoyBridge, your child’s progress will be monitored by a trained and experienced caregiver.

JoyBridge Kids offers ABA therapy based support for children on the autism spectrum, as well as additional therapy, and training for parents and caregivers. We only used evidence-based practices based on ABA principles.

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Applied Behavioral Analysis in Nashville

If you have a child who is on the autism spectrum, you know about the range of challenges in education and everyday living that can arise. Many techniques for handling problematic behaviors do exist, and specialized programs offer supervision and behavior modification changes. The gold standard in helping children on the autism spectrum is applied behavior analysis therapy.  JoyBridge Kids offers this therapy.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis?  

Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, or ABA, is a research-based strategy for understanding a person’s behavior and encouraging them to change problem behaviors. Positive reinforcement is the foundation of ABA, because people tend to repeat behaviors that get rewarded. This principle has become the foundation of many scientific techniques for changing undesirable behaviors or replacing bad habits with better habits.  

How it Works  

Every treatment program begins with setting measurable goals related to socializing, self-control, learning, personal hygiene, or other areas of successful living. A trained ABA counselor will use positive reinforcement to guide a student toward achieving their personal development goals. We don’t have to guess that ABA helps children with autism because over 30 peer-reviewed studies have shown that these kinds of interventions help, given time.  

A counselor training in using ABA will use a three-step process to identify why undesirable behaviors happen and how to encourage change. This is a tailored process of observing and designing interventions that help a specific child achieve specific goals. The basic “framework” for ABA involves looking at antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. In brief, the idea here is to look at what actions or words precede a behavior and what happens as a result of that behavior. Through some expert application of ABA techniques, a counselor helps a child adopt new, positive behaviors.  

In short, ABA therapy can help your child interact more effectively with other children and with adults, reduce problematic behaviors, improve communication skills, and improve academic performance by improving memory and attention span.  

After School Care for Students with Autism  

If you have a child with autism and live in the Nashville area, JoyBridge Kids offers an After School Excellence program that might be the ideal solution.  

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Is Speech Therapy For Kids Good and Effective?

Child Speech and Language Therapy

JoyBridge Kids has been providing quality speech and language treatment services to children and their families for over 10 years. ABA Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Language Delays are JoyBridge's primary area of expertise.

All therapists are members of the Association of Speech and Language Therapists, which is the officially recognized body for independent speech and language therapists in Tennessee.

All the staff work as a team in the best interests of the children.

Who Can We Help? 

We are a pediatric center and have therapists who specialize in the following childhood communication difficulties:  

delayed or disordered speech (pronunciation)  

dyspraxia  

delayed or disordered language  

comprehension difficulties  

communication disorders including children on the autistic spectrum  

pragmatic difficulties  

learning difficulties with associated speech and language problems  

dysfluency (stammering)  

childhood voice disorders  

high level language disorders (may be associated with dyslexia)

How Can We Help?

1. Comprehensive Assessment

We provide a full, comprehensive assessment followed by a detailed report outlining our diagnosis and recommendations for therapy.  

The format and time-scale for administering the assessment will be in one of these ways:  

During the initial appointment session. If the assessment cannot be completed during the initial appointment, a follow-up session will be arranged. 

On an ongoing informal basis during your child’s regular therapy sessions. This may be particularly relevant for children attending Play session and/or for those who have recently had an assessment elsewhere. 

If attending session your child's therapist may make an additional appointment to carry out a formal assessment of your child as this cannot always be carried out during the regular group sessions.  

Following the initial appointment, the type of therapy that is felt to be most beneficial for your child will be offered. This may be individual or group; regular, intermittent or intensive. A detailed report outlining findings and giving recommendations is provided following assessments.

If attending sessions, your child's therapist may make an additional appointment to carry out a formal assessment of your child (as this cannot always be done during the regular group sessions).  

Following the initial appointment, the type of therapy that is felt to be most beneficial for your child will be offered. This may be individual or group; regular, intermittent, or intensive. A detailed report outlining findings and giving recommendations is provided following assessments.

2. Therapy Provision

Speech Therapy will be provided by JoyBridge and its team of fully qualified and experienced Speech and Language Therapists. Parents are invited to sit in on sessions or participate in sessions where appropriate.  

Time is allocated at the end of sessions to talk to parents. However, discussions requiring more than a few minutes should be carried out during a pre-arranged meeting. 

This is particularly relevant for children attending Say and Play. It is important that parents ensure maximum benefit from treatment through full co-operation and by following advice given. 

Just for Kids Speech Therapy in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee provides speech instruction and intervention for children with Autism, Apraxia, Language Disorders, as well as speech sound production delays and disorders. Reasonable treatment rates at prices families can afford. 

If would like to know more about speech therapy for children with JoyBridge Kids, please contact us to our service center or call now at 615-560-6622.

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Would you recommend ABA for someone with autism?

JoyBridge Kids provider offering a specialized treatment for a variety of disabilities including autism, occupational therapy, speech therapy, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. The Centre knows that it can be scary when your child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents are worried about their child’s communication or behavior. They wonder what kind of future their child has and how they will cope with the world.

Our centers offer one-to-one, individualized autism treatment known as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and we never lean on per-programmed methods.

The hope that comes with ABA and autism behavioral therapy

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening all children between 18 and 24 months of age for autism. Getting signs early is significant for any autism behavioral therapy projects to be powerful. Catching developmental and behavioral challenges early is when the child can benefit most from treatment. The hope that comes with our Applied Behavioral Analysis programs early in the child’s life is one where 25% of children actually improve so much that they are no longer on the autism spectrum!

Is your child sound sensitive?

Many children with autism, learning disabilities, speech or communication problems or temper tantrums are sensitive to some sounds.

Autistic children may cover their ears or become anxious or withdrawn in noisy places … some cannot tolerate a baby’s cry or even people laughing.

This sensitivity can cause a child to try to disregard the noise and can make them appear to be deaf, when in fact their hearing is very good.

The world is a busy place. It’s noisy & confusing and prevents some autistic children from responding to you. They can be disturbed by sounds that most people don’t notice, they may be afraid and sometimes temper tantrums are the only way they can express their distress.

Children with learning disabilities, ADD and behavior difficulties are also frequently sound sensitive although they react differently to children with autism. The hearing imbalance can cause them to be bad tempered and defiant, or anxious and withdrawn.

Why should you choose ABA & Occupational Therapy together for your child?

There are able to collaborate with BCBAs and other therapists and assist with building gross motor and fine motor skills in proper developmental order. Many children have gross or fine motor programs during ABA therapy and occupational therapy can complement these programs by assisting with development of particular age-appropriate skills and providing adaptation or activity grading when necessary.

It can address sensory issues that many of these kids face which can negatively impact their ability to learn and progress in skill acquisition. Often times problem behaviors are related to poor sensory regulation and with an occupational therapy help, a child’s sensory system can be better understood and proper input can be provided.

Occupational Therapy can address self-help skills which can be a benefit when a child is working on potty training or feeding for example, as being able to accomplish these tasks with more autonomy frequently makes the child more fruitful.

It can help with increasing food acceptance and can often help with recognizing any sensory or texture issues which may be impacting a child’s desire to consume or interact with particular foods. Once these problems have been identified a child specific feeding program can be established with collaboration between the occupational and Board Certification Behavior Analyst to be addressed throughout the day during ABA therapy.

Here six reason to choose ABA Therapy for your children

1. Practitioners are expected to maintain best practices by developing programs that are based on the most recent evidence-based research.

2. All parts of treatment are individualized and in light of the child’s learning style. Behavior Analysts create comprehensive individualized programming that addresses a multitude of variables including but not limited to:

⋅ Therapist to client ratios

⋅ Specific # of treatment hours

⋅ Recommendations on teaching strategies

⋅ Goals & objectives tailored to the child’s strengths & weaknesses

⋅ And the child’s family, friends & other professionals are treated as an integral part of their treatment plan.

3. ABA Programs are designed to use the child’s strengths to build upon a child’s weaknesses to teach new skills. The approach allows the practitioner to teach difficult skills while maintaining a happy and productive learning environment. Last, the basis of all ABA programs is continuous evaluation of client preferences and use of reinforcement principles to keep learning fun.

4. ABA is set apart from other interventions since the prescribed number of hours is typically more intense. Intensive ABA therapy is designed to capture as many learning opportunities as possible to expedite learning.

5. Parents are treated as integral part of the treatment team.

6. ABA is recognized as a successful treatment option for families as such school districts, government agencies and insurance provide numerous funding options for families.