In a previous blog, we discuss the strategy of catching children’s good behavior. Another strategy that could be used is called planned ignoring. Planned ignoring is when you deliberately withholding attention when the child is engaging in behavior that you do not want to see, and the behavior would be less likely to happen in the future. It might sound simple enough to implement. However, there are a couple of things that need to be noted to see effective results.

• Consistency is key
  When withholding attention for unwanted behaviors, keep it consistent. In order words, you should be clear with your expectation and the child will understand that the particular behavior will not result in the consequence (reward) they had in the past. For example, your child might yell loudly, as a result, she gets your attention. Now, you would look away or walk out of the room.
• Reinforce other behavior
  Planned ignoring should NOT be used alone. Reinforcement-based procedures should always be used in conjunction with planned ignoring. Providing attention when the child engages in behavior that you want to see more of. You need to make sure that the child knows what to do instead. For example. When your child asks for your attention by tapping you in the back, make sure to provide your undivided attention and deliver behavior-specific praise.
• Extinction burst
  Extinction bursts are sudden and expected increases in unwanted behavior. Therefore, when you first look away or walk out of the room when your child yells for attention, you might hear your child yells louder as a result. We encounter extinction bursts more often than you think. Think of the time you push an elevator button to close the door. As most of the time, the door does not close immediately. What do you do usually? You push a couple more times or pushing it harder. Therefore, the procedure is working when you see an expected increase in behavior.

Planned ignoring is a strategy that is not easy to implement as you can imagine it is extremely difficult to not give in from time to time. Extinction burst often is not easy to tolerate for most caregivers. Here are some takeaway points:

• NOT using planned ignoring alone: When a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) use planned ignoring, Reinforcement based strategies are always used. Attention or praise will be provided for positive behavior to teach the child what to do instead to get attention. For example, if your child is bouncing up and down during dinner time, you could leave them out of your conversation and not looking at them until they sit in the chair nicely. Then, you will immediately say “I love how you sit in your chair. Can you tell us more about your day at school today?”
• It gets worst so it is working: Remember the unwanted behavior tends to get worst for a short period before it gets better. When a BCBA implements planned ignoring, many parents are concerned because the behavior seems to get worst. Having extinction burst in mind will help you to follow through with the plan put in place by a BCBA.

Next week, let us examine some of the tips when using planned ignoring and if this tool is the best option for you and your child.

When it comes to selecting the best treatment for your child, the CDC lists several treatment options for children diagnosed with ASD in four categories (e.g., behavior and communication approach, Medication, Dietary Approaches). Under behavior and communication approaches, applied behavior analysis (ABA)  is one of the approaches mentioned. But why should you consider ABA out of other treatment options? You might ask. Several reasons make ABA stands out, among others:

• Applied behavior analysis focuses on evidence-based practices: ABA therapists use interventions that have been demonstrated to be effective in studies. As children received early intensive services, it can lead to meaningful changes in behavior and skills for children diagnosed with ASD.

• Various applied settings: ABA is flexible in terms of learning environments. The therapists always adjust to each family’s needs. There are home-based, school-based, and clinic-based services. Different from many services, ABA does not have to take place in an isolated therapy space. As generalization is one of the main goals. ABA therapists encourage various spaces.

• Planning for generalization: As skills child learned should not only be performed in one particular space. For example, we would like the child to ask for attention appropriately not only at home but in school as well. Therefore, ABA helps to generalize the skills by simulate natural environments to make the generalization of skills easier.

• Inclusion of caregivers: Involvement from caregivers is one of the essential aspects that promote successful treatments. Caregivers are often encouraged to participate in the therapeutic processes in terms of learning effective skills in dealing with daily concerns and deciding treatment goals. This involvement often reduces stress at home as traditional parenting techniques are seldomly effective for children diagnosed with ASD.

When deciding treatment options that would be effective and most suitable for your child, it is important to be a critical consumer and ask questions. There are a few questions that help identify viable treatment options:

• What is the treatment that the therapist is going to provide?
• How long has the therapist been providing the particular treatment?
• Has the particular treatment been studied, and has scientific evidence in its favor?
• What are the treatment options besides the one the therapist provides?

Don’t forget Husky ABA Clinic is a wonderful resource for you if you have other questions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that usually impacts an individual in terms of social interaction and communication. Some children may show signs of ASD as early as infancy. Typically, the child will show a lack of eye contact, reduced response to their name, or restricted and repetitive behaviors. However, no two children diagnosed with ASD are alike; therefore, how doctors diagnose ASD may vary. Due to the variabilities of severity, there is not a specific medical test to determine the disorder. Usually, pediatricians are the first professionals involved in the autism diagnosis process. As children get an assessment during their well-child visits that occur at 18-and 24-months. Your child’s doctor will be looking for things such as: whether your baby started babbling and cooing by 12 months, if they were mimicking sounds and facial expressions by 9 months, or if your baby smiled by 6 months.

The following are other questions that the doctor might ask you as the caretaker:

• Does your child have trouble making eye contact?
• Do they have any unusual or repetitive behaviors?
• Are they sensitive to light, noise, or temperature?
• Do they respond when others seek their attention?

More tests would be required for further examination if your child’s doctor suspects that your child might be at risk of ASD. Specialists such as child psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists will provide more comprehensive tests. These tests consist of checking your child’s cognitive level, language abilities, and fine motor skills such as pointing, shaking objects, or drinking from a sippy cup.

There are two critical aspects that would make the specialist more inclined to diagnose your child with ASD:

Restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior: Commonly, children diagnosed with ASD might repeat phrases, rock their bodies, fixate on one subject, or are extremely sensitive to changes in routines.

Challenges with communication and social interaction: Children diagnosed with ASD have a hard time making connections or predicting the reactions of other people. Also, they could be missing the milestones of speaking compared to other children.

As parents, if you are concerned, make sure to contact your child’s doctor. This developmental monitoring and screening tool could be helpful as general milestones guidelines for your child.

Our Husky ABA Clinic is also a great resource to provide directions if you have more questions. Once your child is diagnosed, how will you decide if treatment is necessary for your child? Next week, we will delve into some of the determining factors when seeking treatment options.