Chandler&

In this week's episode, Carly & Chandler discuss collaborating with schools. The goal for our team is for the children we service to be successful in a school environment – in order to do so, it takes collaboration across all the teams supporting a child. Take a listen!

This episode we are still discussing the IEP process. We have reviewed a lots of different components of the IEP, but today we are going to pivot a little bit and talk about the pros and cons of private and public school and what that means for your child’s IEP. CITATIONS https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/special-education/parent-resources https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/non-public-schools/ HELPFUL LINK – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Today we are going to be continuing our discussion on all things school related and discussing a hot topic: LRE or least restrictive environment. What does it mean and how does it apply to my child when going through the IEP process? Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Continuum developed by Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education (January 2025)

As a parent to a child with an IEP you have rights that are not always advertised or known to many people! On this episode we hope to teach you a little more about the IEP process and what you as a parent can expect from them! CITATIONS https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/procedural-safeguards/  https://www.michigan.gov/mde/Services/special-education/laws-regs

A quick and dirty overview of a very important document! Tune in with Carly & Chandler as they discuss the IEP (Individualized Education Program). This is a legal document provided by school districts to support your child. It covers your child at his or her current academic level, and functional performance. All IEPs should include measurable goals that everyone agrees with. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Archived: IEP Guide relating to IDEA 97 (does not apply to newer IDEA 2004 Reauthorization) (PDF) Guide to Writing Quality Individualized Education Programs 2nd edition Gibbs & Dyches 

Most people would assume once their child has received a medical diagnosis for something, like Autism, they qualify for school support services as well. This is not exactly the case. There are difference between a school and medical diagnosis for Autism; in this episode we go over both, explaining the differences and what is being evaluated in each scenario.

This week we are going to talk about managing behaviors ( think problem behaviors) in public. We have all been there before with a child that is screaming, crying, falling to the ground, or engaging in more serious behaviors (i.e. aggressive behaviors or SIB) in public. It probably feels like everyone is staring at you, judging you, and maybe thinking “what an awful parent.” First off we want to make it very clear that we have all been there so no one is judging you or thinking twice about the situation.  If you thought we were done with your tool belt strategies, think again! These strategies are so important and you can use them in all situations, even in public! 

Getting into and out of the car is such a small act within our entire day, but can quickly become a very serious and dangerous action with a tantruming child. By using your toolbelt strategies you got this under control!

Summertime is a great time to introduce new activities or try something for the first time! After a long winter in the Midwest, getting outside is a must! Once we do get outside, all of the different activities can be overwhelming. Here is a list of ideas to enjoy the sunshine!

Summer time is a great time to introduce new activities or try something for the first time! We know here in Michigan that we cannot wait to get outside after our long drawn out winters, but what to do once we get outside can be overwhelming with all the different activities! Tune in to get different ideas for you and your child to try this summer!

Listen to this podcast to learn about different activities and strategies for building joint attention within play with your child! Jasper, UCLA https://www.jaspertraining.org/

It is time to play→ what do we do? Building upon last week’s episode, Chandler and Carly discuss how to become the best play partner for your child. Using all of the toolbelt strategies and knowledge about play levels and active engagement parents/caregiver will be able to start to develop more of a reciprocal play time routine! Autism Navigator, Florida State University https://autismnavigator.com/family-resources/ Jasper, UCLA https://www.jaspertraining.org/ Early Start Denver Model, UC Davis https://www.esdm.co/

Let's play with our kids! Sometimes that is easier said than done. This week, Chandler and Carly break down what is active engagement and play levels are so that we can set not only ourselves but our child up for success and interest when playing! Autism Navigator, Florida State University https://autismnavigator.com/family-resources/Jasper, UCLA https://www.jaspertraining.org/

Using the strategies you already know and understand, tackle another activity of daily living that we all do every day! Getting dressed can be tough for some families but with the help of your 5 toolbelt strategies you can work through your child not wanting to get dressed AND not knowing how to get dressed! Kashinath, S., Woods, J., & Goldstein, H. (2006). Enhancing generalized teaching strategy use in daily routines by parents of children with autism. Bal, V. H., Kim, S. H., Cheong, D., & Lord, C. (2015). Daily living skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 21 years of age. Autism, 19(7), 774-784.

Today we tackle teeth brushing which is a super important skill, but one of the most intrusive activities of daily living skills that we need to complete! It is going to be crucial that we spend time making this a fun experience for our child and utilize our antecedent strategies so everyone is on the same page! Reactive strategies are going to play a bigger role as we problem solve what is going to be the most important part of teeth brushing that you can accomplish today. It's okay to reduce expectations and start small, but know where you will draw the line. Kashinath, S., Woods, J., & Goldstein, H. (2006). Enhancing generalized teaching strategy use in daily routines by parents of children with autism. Bal, V. H., Kim, S. H., Cheong, D., & Lord, C. (2015). Daily living skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 21 years of age. Autism, 19(7), 774-784.

Bath time can be a fan favorite or someone’s worst nightmare. In today’s episode we talk through how parents can use the toolbelt strategies to tackle bath time. Placing a larger emphasis on making bath time fun and being clear with your expectations can help make this activity of daily living a little more manageable for all parties. Kashinath, S., Woods, J., & Goldstein, H. (2006). Enhancing generalized teaching strategy use in daily routines by parents of children with autism. Bal, V. H., Kim, S. H., Cheong, D., & Lord, C. (2015). Daily living skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 21 years of age. Autism, 19(7), 774-784.

Hair brushing can be very aversive to many toddlers and children, but when using your toolbelt strategies you can and will be able to work through this less than preferred activity! Follow along with Carly and Chandler as they talk you through using each strategy when brushing your child’s hair! Buckley, J., Luiselli, J. K., Harper, J. M., & Shlesinger, A. (2020). Teaching students with autism spectrum disorder to tolerate haircutting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(4), 2081-2089.

This week we are changing up the episodes! Our goal is to tackle every day challenges that many parents and caregivers face by utilizing our toolbelt strategies! Today we’ll talk about teaching the skill of hand washing using our toolbelt strategies. Hand washing is a skill that we are constantly working on because it always seems to be sick season. So whether your child is learning the steps or is refusing to complete them all you can use your toolbelt kit to get through this important activity of daily living hopefully with a little less stress! Vazquez, A. (2022). Teaching Autistic Children to Independently Wash Their Hands: A Systematic Review of Behavioral Techniques.

Prompting is a great strategy that we often utilize when teaching a new skill or working through something you know your child can do, but isn’t in the moment. We always tell our behavior technicians and parents in our clinic - prompting is your teaching moment!! Listen in as Carly & Chandler further discuss prompting, and specifically cover prompting communication.

Prompting is a great strategy that we encourage everyone to use when teaching a new skill or working through something you know your child can do, but they aren't doing so in a certain moment. These little moments can be viewed as teaching moments, and how to best support your child in learning something new – like putting on their own socks, or brushing their teach).

This week Chandler & Carly will talk about what to do when your child loses control and engages in serious or dangerous behaviors. This is the final episode in the series on reactive strategies. Chandler & Carly will teach parents how to set boundaries and keep their child and themselves safe as they wait for their child to calm down. Latham, G.I. (1990). The power of positive parenting. North Logan, UT: P&T Ink.

This week Chandler & Carly talk about what to do when your reactive strategies do not immediately change your child’s behaviors. This is the second in and three part series on reactive strategies. Parents will be given examples of real world situations and learn how to problem solve through tough times. Latham, G.I. (1990). The power of positive parenting. North Logan, UT: P&T Ink.

This week Chandler & Carly talk about what to do when shit hits the ceiling. This will be the first in a series on reactive strategies. Parents will learn new strategies to help keep the situation under control when everything feels out of control. CITATIONS: Latham, G.I. (1990). The power of positive parenting. North Logan, UT: P&T Ink.

This week on Chandler&, Chandler & Carly dive into a real-life situation they recently encountered working in the field. Bakers' dad (not child's real name) recently injured his back, and Bake has been having increased tantrums with crying, screaming, falling to the ground and minor Self-injurious behavior due to his dad being able to carry/hold him less because of the injury. His dad asked for some strategies to get through this period, and we are here to help. Jump in with us as we discuss antecedent strategies to support Baker & his family through this recent change in day-to-day expectations. Sources Radley, K. C., Dart, E. H., Radley, K. C., & Dart, E. H. (2022). Antecedent Interventions. Social Skills Teaching for Individuals with Autism: Integrating Research into Practice, 75-86. Cassano, M. J., Bruski, H., & Bendekovits, S. (2023). Antecedent Interventions: Proactive Strategies for Changing Behavior. In Incorporating Applied Behavior Analysis into the General Education Classroom (pp. 37-49). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

We are back after some time off for Thanksgiving! This week, Carly & Chandler talk about Antecedent Strategies. In order to discuss Antecedent strategies, it is important that everyone understand the ABCs of behavior. While best represented via table, we've included a bulleted approach below. A (antecedent): Anything happening in the environment before a problem behavior >>> B (behavior): The behavior that has happened >>> C (consequence). This doesn’t mean consequence in regard to a time-out or punishment, rather what happens in the environment after a problem behavior. Listen in for examples and deep dive into Antecedent Strategies!

Chandler & Carly continue their conversation surrounding Reinforcement, strategies used, and key things to remember when reinforcing your child. The two dive deeper into the strategy– discussing things like: What do we do with reinforcement? What do we do when our child gets tired of reinforcers? Is reinforcement just a fancy word for bribery? Chandler & Carly discuss the key things to remember, included here for your reference: Catch your child being good! Children need continuous reinforcement to learn! Hoch, H., McComas, J. J., Johnson, L., Faranda, N., & Guenther, S. L. (2002). The effects of magnitude and quality of reinforcement on choice responding during play activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35(2), 171-181. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-171 *Graff, R. B., & Larsen, J. (2011). The relation between obtained preference value and reinforcer potency. Behavioral Interventions, 26(2), 125-133. doi: 10.1002/bin.325

Reinforcement is anything that increases the likelihood that a behavior will occur again in the future. We often hear reinforcement also referred to as a reward. Common reinforcements for children could be tickles, piggy back rides, chocolate, video games, iPad time, going on a wagon ride, a favorite Barbie doll or Thomas the train. Reinforcement may look different for everyone and may change over time. Connect with Chandler & Carly as they discuss reinforcements for children & adults, and why it's such an important part of parenting! Hoch, H., McComas, J. J., Johnson, L., Faranda, N., & Guenther, S. L. (2002). The effects of magnitude and quality of reinforcement on choice responding during play activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35(2), 171-181. doi: 10.1901/jaba.2002.35-171 *Graff, R. B., & Larsen, J. (2011). The relation between obtained preference value and reinforcer potency. Behavioral Interventions, 26(2), 125-133. doi: 10.1002/bin.325

This week we continue the conversation around Pairing, a technique within applied behavior analysis where you learn to pair yourself with positive reinforcement. Join Chandler & Carly as they discuss cars, joining in, and creating a fun environment! Urquiza, A., Zebell, N., S., & McGrath, J. (2012) Course of Treatment Manual for PCIT-TC.

Pairing is a technique within applied behavior analysis where you learn to pair yourself with positive reinforcement! You, the parent or caregiver becomes the ultimate reinforcer- the giver of all good things!! Establishing a strong, positive, and fun rapport with your child is foundational to their success in learning, listening, and growing. Urquiza, A., Zebell, N., Timmer, S., & McGrath, J. (2012) Course of Treatment Manual for PCIT-TC.

Chandler and Carly talk about Autism, and the children they service... a lot. And now they’re bringing their strategies to you, the parents. This week, they talk about why they've started Chandler&, and what you can expect as you listen in, and continue your own journey with your child, or someone else in your life that is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.