Chronic electrical stimulation of the fornix, a bundle of nerve fibers deep in the brain, rescues learning and memory deficits in mice with mutations of the autism-linked gene CDKL5, according to new research. The results support previous work in mice suggesting that electrical jolts to this fiber t…

A major tenet of Applied Behavior Analysis is that it is evidence-based. For decades, our field has conducted research about behaviors we can observe in the environment, and worked to create positive behavior change. But keeping up with research or determining what is actually evidence-based can be …

Robert Watkins past experiences have more clarity after getting his adult autism diagnosis. By Robert Watkins Becoming aware that you’re autistic at the age of 56 is quite something. While some who get a late diagnosis feel differently, I was delighted; it was an instantaneous revelation. It’s…

Delivering a fragment of the Rett syndrome gene, MECP2, into neurons eases features of the syndrome in mice, according to a new study. The findings appeared today in Nature1. The MECP2 protein is a master regulator of other genes, and a lack of it leads to Rett syndrome. A portion of the protein is …

ABA therapy can be used to teach/increase a variety of adaptive skills, such as tooth brushing, toileting, hair brushing, shoe tying, making a bed, etc. My favorite definition of an adaptive skill is anything that will have to be done for the learner, if the learner does not learn the…

Have you seen one of these??Source: The Autism Site

Siblings Zach, Mystique, and Logan all have autism and depend on their dog, Hunter, for support.Source: The Autism Site

By Christa Holmans, Neurodivergent Rebel It was just after lunchtime as I started to feel the familiar stinging pain starting to creep in behind my eyes. It had been a few months since the company I worked for had moved into a new larger office upstairs. I’d already lost count of the migraines…

An Attitude of Gratitude By Becca Lori Hector Of all the things that come out of my mouth while teaching, the one that makes me roll my eyes at myself the most is when I talk about having an ‘attitude of gratitude’. It’s cute. It’s rhymes. It’s memorable, but it’s also lost all its power from …

Like candy canes and sugar plums, cocoa is a staple of winter cuisine, but even old standbys can use a little something extra now and then. Why not wow your guests at your next party or pamper yourself with a special treat this season by indulging in these spins on a classic holiday drink? Cinnamon.…

Sometimes, people hear about ABA and equate reinforcement with bribery. But the two are quite different, and it’s important to understand those differences. First, let’s look at bribery. The definition of bribery is “to persuade someone to act in one’s favor by a gift of money or other inducement.” …

  By now, you must have seen or heard about this new steady spoon/ utensil that lets people with hand tremors eat without spilling and dropping their food. Liftware Level, a new motorized spoon, is designed for people who have limited hand and arm mobility because of Cerebral Palsy, Huntington&…

Token economies are used in many different environments. They’re typically simple to implement and achieve desired results for behavior change, especially in autism classrooms. Furthermore, there are tons of research on how to best use them. If you want to get the best results while simultaneously p…

By Lydia Wayman As an autistic advocate and writer, I’ve read most autism books available in the English language. Since autism is so different in each individual, I only see snippets of my experience in most of them. My favorite reads take me inside the author’s world through their writing an…