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Sensory Processing

PACE — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:16:49 +0000

Blog Post

Sensory Processing

Date Published: February 11, 2025

Author: Roma Ybera, M.S., OTR/L, CAS, PACE School Occupational Therapist, Certified Autism Specialist, Doctorate Student

About the Author:

Roma Ybera, M.S., OTR/L, CAS, is a PACE School Occupational Therapist, Certified Autism Specialist, and Doctorate Student.

Disclaimer: “Keeping Up the PACE” is a blog operated by Pacific Autism Center for Education with information provided by professional therapists. This content is not intended for the purpose of diagnosis of any condition. If you have a question for our team, please email us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

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Children and Food Rigidity

PACE — Mon, 13 May 2024 21:38:06 +0000

Blog Post

Children and Food Rigidity

Date Published: May 13, 2024 Author: Gicele Corpuz, BCBA, Faces Behavioral Services

Motivating children to eat a nutritious meal has always been a challenge. Often, we will see our children eat foods with crunchy textures, purees, or sometimes just the same food repeatedly. It is understandable that this might be a cause for concern, but at the same time, what can we do if they refuse to eat? An article from Autismspeaks.org had created some tips to make eating a little easier. (See the chart in this article below.)

Mealtime should not be paired with anything aversive. Creating opportunities to help our children eat or discover new food should be a pleasant experience. Every child is different, so we might need to bring out our creative side to make mealtime more appealing. Create a reinforcement system for the children when they try new food or if they even taste a new food group. Texture might be an issue for some children, so a slow introduction will help them get used to something new. Avoid forcing food on children by withholding preferred items/activities or even food if they have not tried the novel food that is presented. Unfortunately, this might cause children to avoid the new food because they might accidentally pair it with something aversive. Instead, slowly desensitize them to the new food by getting them used to seeing it, touching it, eventually licking it, and finally eating it.

We must also remember that each child has different needs and sensitivities. Some children may respond quickly to new foods, textures, and tastes, while others will take more time to get acquainted with their new food, new experiences, and new expectations. If you need to implement an individualized, nutritious food plan for your child, your clinical (ABA) team can work with you to address any behavioral challenges that might be impacting your child’s progress. If you suspect your child may have a medical problem impacting his/her food consumption, work with your primary care physician and a feeding specialist to ensure you are supporting the child’s nutrition needs appropriately. It’s a challenge for every parent to make sure that children are getting all the nutrients that they need, but always remember you have an entire team supporting you every step of the way.

Resources:

Baxter, B., Bellando, J., Pulliam, L., Powell, P., Srivorakiat, L., & Bling, N. (2014, January). Parent’s guide to feeding behavior in children with autism. Autism Speaks. https://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/Exploring%20Feeding%20Behavior.pdf

About the Author:

Gicele Corpuz is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services, a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education, supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Proactive and Preventative Antecedent Strategies

PACE — Mon, 13 May 2024 21:22:54 +0000

Blog Post

Proactive and Preventative Antecedent Strategies

Date Published: Author: Alania Sabankaya, RBT, Faces Behavioral Services

This blog post will discuss a commonly used strategy in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): antecedent strategies. Antecedent strategies, also known as proactive strategies, can help create structured routines, reduce distractions, and ensure all necessary materials are prepared for your activity or event. Antecedent strategies are tools that caregivers can use to create a safe, predictable, and positive environment for success.

How to implement antecedent strategies at home:

Creating a structured routine, along with a visual guide, is an effective antecedent strategy to do at home. The two strategies support the planning and predictability of events and activities. Knowing a routine can be comforting and helpful for children when transitioning to a new activity or away from their preferred activity. Be sure to establish clear and direct expectations when presenting routines and requests in the visual guides.
Environmental modifications can help reduce challenging behaviors and support behaviors we want to foster. Some examples of environmental modifications are:
- Reducing harsh lights or noises
- Organizing play and workspaces
- Taking measures to block access to unavailable areas or items
Positive reinforcement is a powerful antecedent tool! By acknowledging desired or functional behaviors, we focus on what we want to see more of. Remember, behavior goes where reinforcement flows! This means the more we reward, praise, or reinforce a behavior, the more we will see it in the future.

Understanding our children’s needs and implementing proactive/antecedent strategies can foster a positive environment.

Resources:

About the Author:

Alania Sabankaya is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and BCBA candidate on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services, a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education, supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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ABA: A New Way Forward

PACE — Tue, 07 May 2024 22:03:16 +0000

Blog Post

ABA: A New Way Forward

Date Published: May 7, 2024 Author: Nate Virto, MA, BCBA, Faces Behavioral Services

In recent years, there has been a dramatic shift in ABA toward a trauma-informed approach to treatment. The goal has shifted from outcomes of service to one based on compassion and care, creating a learning environment that identifies the needs and preferential activities of the client. It utilizes that to develop socially significant skills in which anyone can see value (Hanley, 2020). The goal is to help ABA be appreciated beyond those diagnosed with Autism and demonstrate how ABA can be used for all learners in every facet of life (Hanley, 2020). Dr. Hanley is a well-known leader in Behavior Analysis, and he is working to change how we practice ABA worldwide.

In his famous article “A Perspective on Today’s ABA,” Dr. Hanley calls everyone in ABA to rethink how the ABA community has approached ABA because it has come under scrutiny for some of its past practices. To accomplish this, he established four principles for ABA. First, he calls on those in ABA to listen (Hanley, 2020). We must hear what the individual with Autism is communicating to understand why they have likes and dislikes and how we can teach them with those things in mind. Why should we force clients to do something if they hate that activity?

We should do everything in our power to enrich our clients’ environment. With that in mind, he calls on ABA practitioners to create an environment that evokes Joy (Hanley, 2020). When the client is in our care, sessions should be enjoyable, exciting, and fun for them. Not everything we do in life embodies those aspects. But if practitioners take their jobs seriously, we can figure out how to teach skills in such a way that helps the client want to learn the skills being taught. Third, we must empower our clients (Hanley, 2020). We accomplish this by doing our utmost to establish a safe environment that does not intend to evoke the challenging behaviors we are trying to reduce. Instead, we determine how to establish rapport, which leads to trust and, in turn, shows the client that we will never push them beyond what they are capable of or wish to participate in. We must learn to find creative ways to teach them and build them toward those aversive activities if we want to help them grow. Finally, we as practitioners must learn while teaching (Hanley, 2020.) Hanley states that we must embody the “themes of I see you, I hear you, I understand you, and I am here for you” (Hanley, 2020). By doing this, we take a Trauma-informed approach to ABA, which will ultimately put the client first and help ABA move toward a holistic approach that enriches the learning environment and leads to better outcomes (Hanley, 2020).

At Faces Behavioral Services, we are learning how to integrate this methodology into our everyday practices to ensure our clients have meaningful sessions that support overall happiness and development while working to provide excellent clinical outcomes. After all, better outcomes are what Hanley is proposing, which is what ABA was about from the start, and we are ready to embrace that path.

Resources:

A Perspective on Today’s ABA from Dr. Hanley | Practical Functional Assessment

About the Author:

Nate Virto, MA, BCBA, is a BCBA on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services, a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education, supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Communicating with your Child

PACE — Tue, 07 May 2024 21:50:41 +0000

Blog Post

Communicating with your Child

Date Published: Author: Amelia Lalley, MA, BCBA, Faces Clinical Director

There are lots of ways children communicate with adults and with each other. These modes of communication can include but are not limited to pointing, crying, whining, throwing, giving someone an item, gestures, hand guiding, sign language, and vocalizations. While some modes are more desirable or safer, all of these modes are forms of communication. When teaching children new forms of communication, it is always best to teach them in the moment, as long as the moment is calm. If your child is demonstrating the need to communicate, this is a wonderful learning opportunity!

A few strategies for encouraging more communication are below:

Follow your Child’s Lead: Watch and wait to see what your child is interested in doing and what you can communicate about.
Mirroring: “Mirror” or imitate what your child says or does. This strategy is especially helpful for children who are learning new words. If your child claps their hands, clap your hands. If your child says “bah bah”, say “bah bah” in return.
Turn-Taking: Turn-taking is just as it sounds, but don’t worry, your child doesn’t necessarily have to give up what they’re playing with to take turns. For instance, your child stacks a block, you stack a block, and then your child stacks a block. Another example is making comments on what you see on your walk. Share control of what your child is doing or talking about.
Piece-by-Piece: This is best when communicating around food or toys that help many pieces, like Legos or grapes. Each time your child requests an item, give them some but not all. This creates multiple opportunities to practice communicating what they want.
Visibly Out of Reach: Rather than have all your child’s favorite things within reach at all times, try putting them out of reach but in sight. This allows your child to ask for items they can’t reach on their own.

Communication can take many forms and look different for each child. For communication to be functional, it is important that the child is able to practice often with a variety of people, in a variety of settings, and with a variety of activities.

Resources:

About the Author:

Amelia Lalley, MA, BCBA, is the Clinical Director of Faces Behavioral Services. Faces Behavioral Services, a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education, supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Tips for the Holiday Season

PACE — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:38:09 +0000

Blog Post

Tips for the Holiday Season

Date Published: December 4, 2023
Author: Jessica Mattox, RBT, Faces Behavioral Services

The holiday season can be a sensory and social whirlwind for everyone! From family and friends to cooking and traveling, there is no shortage of stimuli and experiences to navigate. To assist in making upcoming celebrations more comfortable and enjoyable for your child(ren), consider incorporating tasks or activities that play to their strengths without being too overwhelming. For instance, you can find simple tasks to delegate to your child(ren) with direct instructions: count potatoes, line up forks or plates, mix foods, or fill up glasses! This not only involves them in the preparations but also allows them to focus on tasks that are straightforward and satisfying.

Here are other ways to support your child(ren) during the holiday season:

Consider establishing a “personal bubble” and dedicated quiet space in crowded settings. Having control of personal space can help reduce feelings of being overcrowded, and a quiet space provides a retreat if things get too hectic.
Social interactions can sometimes be complex and confusing. It’s important to honor when assent is withdrawn; if your child is not in the mood for hugs, conversations, or certain activities, that’s perfectly okay. If they are, that’s great too!
Make time for activities or games centered around their special interests, as familiar and favorite activities can offer a great source of comfort and joy. Finally, advise family members to try and avoid asking open-ended or vague questions, like “What do you like to do?” Specific and direct questions like, “What do you like to do at school?” are usually much easier to navigate and process.
There is always so much delicious and new food around this season! When it comes to tasting new foods, follow your child’s choices and encourage them when appropriate. This can make this experience less stressful. Always provide safe or preferred foods as an alternative.
If travel is on the agenda, an accessibility bag packed with headphones (normal and noise canceling), lots of fidget toys, the best snacks, and any other necessities can go a long way in easing the journey.

In summary, the holiday season is a time of joy but also of sensory overload and social challenges. By incorporating structured tasks, creating a safe space, honoring boundaries, and focusing on special interests, we can support a more accessible and enjoyable festivity for everyone.

Resources:

Holidays with an Autistic Child

About the Author:

Jessica Mattox is a Registered Behavior Therapist (RBT) on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Safe, Summer Strategies

PACE — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 21:33:21 +0000

Blog Post

Safe, Summer Strategies

Date Published: July 6, 2023
Author: Alania Sabankaya, Behavior Therapist

With summer comes longer and hotter days, and more free time for families. Here are some strategies that can help fulfill sensory needs that are both safe and fun in the summer weather.

A really important tip is to try to provide frequent opportunities to hydrate with water or your child’s favorite cold drink. Another helpful tip is to freeze preferred foods and liquids in popsicle molds for your child’s sensory enjoyment. Note that with the possibility of your child’s daytime care provider or clinic being on summer break, it could be that some of their social needs might need extra engagement. Sometimes, going to school may be more engaging than staying at home. A strategy that could be helpful is to incorporate some activities that your child has done at school previously. This can help provide a sense of their routine while at home for the summer. With more time allowed to focus on special interests, summer can provide great opportunities for your child to relax and practice honing in on their craft. Examples of socially mediated play could be an I-Spy game, an arts and crafts activity, or a guessing game.

Here are some additional tips and strategies:

Sandboxes for sensory play: Sandboxes can come in all sizes, and can include a variety of toys following a theme, or a mixed array of toys and tools.
Try seasonal foods through cooking activities: Going to a farmers market in the summertime may be overstimulating for some individuals. Try bringing home some new fruits or vegetables to try cooking campfire style and talk about the experience.
Build an obstacle course together: Using items from around the house or yard, create a fun course to do together or independently.

These are a few strategies to encourage safe thinking. If you need help with ways to introduce and practice summer strategies, contact your BCBA through CentralReach or ask to discuss the topic during Caregiver Collaboration meetings.

About the Author:

Alania Sabankaya is a Behavior Therapist on the Faces Behavioral Services team and is currently studying to become a BCBA. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Expressive Communication

PACE — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:39:22 +0000

Blog Post

Expressive Language

Date Published: April 13, 2023
Author: Leah Persing, M.S., CCC SLP, PACE Speech-Language Pathologist

Expressive language is how a person communicates with others. Building expressive language skills helps individuals grow their independence and self-advocacy skills. Below are some tips on how you can support someone’s expressive language skills.

Wait! Before asking more questions or moving on, first try counting to ten in your head. If they still haven’t responded, then consider restating or rewording what you said.

Create opportunities for your child to communicate.

Where you might traditionally anticipate your child’s needs by giving them a favorite snack, wait and see if they take that opportunity to ask.

When your child says something (with either their voice, a gesture, or a communication device), celebrate it and expand on it by adding one more word to that statement. For example, if your child says “car,” you can expand on that word by saying “red car,” or “car go.”

Children learn through imitation, so provide your child with opportunities to imitate by modeling language throughout your daily routines. When your child primarily uses their voice, model with your voice. When your child primarily uses an AAC device, model on that device!

Don’t forget – communication is fun! Try to encourage language through play and activities that your child enjoys.

Additional Resources:
Expressive communication skills are forms of verbal and nonverbal behavior that a child uses to express their needs, wants, feelings and preferences in a way that others can understand them. In this module, you will learn about visual communication systems and how you can use these with your child to improve their ability to communicate with you and with others. To learn more about Visual Communication Systems, visit porchlighteducation.org/visual-communication-systems/

Our Porchlight Education Autism Series also offers the following:

About the Author:

Leah Persing is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) on the PACE School Therapy Department team. PACE School is a non-profit, non-public school, certified by the California Department of Education and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. PACE School serves students ages 6-22 who live with moderate to severe Autism, with a specific emphasis on non-verbal students and those with especially challenging behaviors and communication disorders.

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Food and Festivities

PACE — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:04:55 +0000

Blog Post

Food and Festivities

Date Published: December 1, 2022
Author: Jennie Brevik, RBT

Throughout the year, we gather with our loved ones to celebrate holidays and important events. When we gather with our loved ones, we will enjoy meals as part of the celebrations, and during these celebrations, your child may be exposed to new and unfamiliar foods. Before you gather with family and friends, consider taking these steps to encourage your child to try new foods:

Prime them before the event: Prior to attending the event, you can talk with your child or read social stories about eating new foods.

Offer choices: When picking out food for your children, choose two or three dishes that you think they will enjoy. Before putting the food on the plate, allow your child to choose what they want to eat.

Model eating the food: By eating the food in front of your child, this will model the behavior you want your child to engage in.

Take it one step at a time: Before you start having your child take bites of a new food, consider taking smaller steps. This can be done by having them touch, smell, or lick the food as these can help desensitize them to new stimuli.

Positive reinforcement: When your child takes steps towards eating a new food, provide them with praise, access to a preferred item, or a bite of a highly preferred food.

As an ABA team, we are aware of the challenges that can come with introducing new foods to your child’s routine. If you would like assistance with how to implement these steps into your child’s routine, feel free to discuss this with their BCBA over CentralReach or at your next caregiver collaboration meeting.

Additional Resources:
The holiday season comes with changes in routine and expected activities. This can be confusing to a child on the autism spectrum. Using social stories to help children prepare for the holidays may ease the anxiety that comes with change and transition. To learn more about Social Stories, visit porchlighteducation.org/social-stories/

Our Porchlight Education Autism Series also offers the following:

About the Author:

Jennie Brevik is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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Sensory Sensation

PACE — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 20:44:50 +0000

Blog Post

Sensory Sensation

Date Published: October 26, 2022
Author: Jessica Mattox, RBT

Every day our senses work together in ways we might not even notice. Our senses are essential to help us understand the world we live in!
Sensory processing refers to the way our brain receives messages from receptors and interprets, organizes, and processes them to create motor and behavioral responses. Examples include: smelling to help us taste food, feeling a hot coffee mug and then blowing to cool it, and dancing while listening to music! The combination of our senses plays a role in self-regulation, self-protection, fine motor skills, balance, and more.

The five most commonly discussed senses are vision, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. There are three more senses called vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive. The vestibular system located within the inner ear provides information about motions and our head and body position. This sense is responsible for balance and posture. The proprioceptive sense is guided by receptors in our joints and muscles, which gives us awareness of where our body parts are, how much force we apply, and how we synchronize our body movements. Lastly, the interoceptive sense provides information from our internal sensations. With this sense, we recognize hunger cues, manage needs, and regulate emotions. We are constantly processing information from multiple senses!

Individuals with sensory processing difficulties may experience a range of hypersensitivities (over-responsiveness) and/or hyposensitivities (under-responsiveness). Hypersensitivity may result in individuals avoiding a sensation because the sensory input is overwhelming. Observable behaviors may appear as; a refusal to wear scratchy clothing, inability to tolerate loud noises or bright lights, or avoidance of physical touch. Hyposensitivity may result in individuals seeking more sensory input because the input is soothing or stimulating. Observable behaviors may appear as; enjoying fast spinning, stimming, fidgeting, or chewing clothing/objects.

Overstimulation or sensory overload occurs when an acute sensation or multiple sensations build up over time. Sensory overload can engulf an individual and make managing other functions difficult. For example, an individual sitting still under bright lights while listening to loud singing may become fatigued and feel a need to escape or cover their ears.

There are many safe and fun activities that support a combination of sensory experiences. Sensory bins provide a wide variety of options for tactile play! You can use water beads, sand, beans, and even slime! For vestibular input, jumping, swinging, gentle roughhousing, and balance beams all encourage individuals to feel their movements. Proprioceptive activities include using pretend hammers and nails, crash pads, or carrying weighted balls. Playing catch, watering plants, and creating visual schedules integrate the visual sense and also provide input from other senses! Auditory activities like playing the xylophone practice fine motor skills and listening skills. Engage your nose by guessing spices or coloring with scented markers. With any activity, be mindful of overstimulation and provide breaks as needed! These are just a few of the countless activities that combine and engage multiple senses. Resources such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy, and ABA can teach us more about supporting individuals with sensory sensitivities. Collaboration is key!

About the Author:

Jessica Mattox is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

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