Episodios
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Dr. Mary Barbera discusses how virtual autism evaluations are helping reduce the long wait times for diagnoses, with insights from Dr. Cheryl Tierney, a board-certified developmental pediatrician. Dr. Tierney talks about her work at Meliora Health, which offers virtual autism and ADHD evaluations in multiple states. With waitlists stretching up to two years, virtual evaluations provide a faster, convenient option for families. There is a high importance on thorough assessments, what tools are used, and how to choose the right provider. See how virtual evaluations can open doors to early intervention and better outcomes for children.
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Teaching prepositions to children with autism or speech delays can be challenging, especially if introduced too early. Dr. Mary Barbera goes over three common mistakes parents and educators often make when teaching prepositions, like "in," "on," and "under." Learn how to avoid these pitfalls and set your child up for success with clear, structured approaches and practical strategies.
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Dr. Mary Barbera is joined by occupational therapist and Feeding Mattersâ Director of Strategic Initiatives, Cuyler Romeo. They discuss the connection between Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and autism, and how these feeding challenges impact children and families. Cuyler shares valuable insights from her clinical experience, as well as actionable tips for navigating feeding issues, from picky eating to severe food avoidance and how to identify ARFID and differentiate it from typical picky eating.
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Is your child or client not responding to their name? Dr. Mary Barbera shares three essential steps to help teach a child to respond, drawing from her experience as both a parent and professional. Response to name is a key skill for safety, social development, and communication. She'll also discuss a common concern: does this mean autism? Learn practical tips to reinforce name response in a positive way and ensure your child stays engaged and safe.
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Dr. Mary Barbera sits down with Dr. Jamie Hughes-Lika, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, to talk about effective strategies for fostering joint attention, social engagement, and motivation in young children with autism. Learn how to meet children where they are, engage them in meaningful ways, and build foundational skills that support their social and communicative development. Implementing these strategies today can help enhance your interactions with children with autism and help them thrive.
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Dr. Mary Barbera shares her top 3 pieces of advice for parents and professionals supporting children with autism, from toddlers through teens. Drawing from decades of experience, Dr. Barbera explains the importance of starting with a comprehensive assessment, preventing problem behaviors by fostering positive environments, and building strong collaboration between parents and professionals.
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Dr. Mary Barbera discusses the 10 early signs of autism in young children. Drawing from her personal experience as a mom and professional background as a registered nurse and behavior analyst, she breaks down common signs such as speech delays, lack of pointing, repetitive behaviors, and more. She also shares practical strategies that parents and caregivers can use to support children showing early developmental delays, regardless of diagnosis. Tune in to learn how early intervention can make a big difference.
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Dr. Mary Barbera explores the growing conversation around virtual autismâa term used to describe autism-like symptoms in young children, potentially linked to excessive screen time. Is virtual autism real, and can it be prevented? She'll share insights from my professional experience and personal journey with my son, Lucas, as well as real-life examples from my clients. She explain the potential effects of too much screen time on childrenâs development and provide actionable strategies to prevent virtual autism. She will also review screen time guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), offering tips on how to balance screen use with engaging activities that support healthy growth.
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Dr. Mary Barbera discusses the controversial cry-it-out method often used in sleep training. As a behavior analyst and mother, Dr. Mary Barbera has seen firsthand how this method can negatively impact a childâs emotional development, particularly for children with autism or speech delays.
She explains why she doesn't recommend the cry-it-out method, explores its potential downsides, and shares alternative strategies that focus on positive reinforcement and building secure attachments. She also discusses how this method can exacerbate separation anxiety and what you can do instead to foster a trusting and supportive environment for your child.
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Dr. Mary Barbera reviews the popular parenting book "Good Inside" by Dr. Becky Kennedy, which has gained significant attention in the gentle parenting community. As both a parent and a professional working with children with autism, Dr. Barbera has wanted to explore how Dr. Beckyâs insights can be adapted to support kids with autism and speech delays. She'll share the five big ideas from the book that resonated with me the most and offer practical strategies on how to modify these concepts for children with developmental delays.
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Dr. Mary Barbera discusses the critical role that parents play in multidisciplinary teams, especially during IEP meetings and autism therapy sessions. As both a parent and professional, Dr. Mary Barbera shares practical strategies on how to partner effectively with parents to create the most impactful IEP goals and intervention plans for children with autism. Learn about the importance of assessing not just the childâs needs but the entire familyâs needs across home, school, and community settings and how to train parents to implement evidence-based practices at home, reinforcing the skills their child is learning in therapy or at school.
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Dr. Mary Barbera guides you through the essential autism screening process by exploring and comparing key assessment tools, including the M-CHAT, ADOS, Vineland, and her own BECA assessment. She'll discuss how each tool functionsâwhether it's identifying early signs of autism, diagnosing developmental delays, or crafting effective intervention plans. She also shares how the BECA assessment she developed can help provide a comprehensive view of a childâs developmental baseline, making it easier to tailor interventions that lead to meaningful progress.
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Dr. Mary Barbera reviews new research and gives a critical analysis of Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), going over its definition and implications for children with autism. Dr. Barbera discusses what she has learned about the Natural Language Acquisition Protocol (NLA) teaching methods for GLP and evaluates whether these are the best approaches.
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Dr. Mary Barbera highlights three common mistakes with teaching pronouns: introducing pronouns too early, using turn-taking pronouns like âmy turnâ and âyour turnâ with minimal language skills, and starting with receptive pronouns instead of expressive ones. She provides strategies to avoid these pitfalls, focusing on building vocabulary first, using simple language, and starting with expressive pronouns. By following these steps, children can effectively learn pronouns without confusion or pronoun reversals.
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Taking a child with autism to the dentist can be challenging, but it doesnât have to be. In this episode, Dr. Mary Barbera share five steps to make dentist visits positive experiences. Learn why holding kids down at the dentist should be avoided, and strategies for desensitizing dental visits, creating realistic plans, and practicing in familiar settings. With preparation and gradual exposure, dental visits can become manageable and even enjoyable for your child.
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Dr. Mary Barbera shares three effective tips for improving sleep issues in children with autism, drawing from her personal experience with her son, Lucas. These tips include preventing bed entry, calmly returning the child to their bed, and using positive reinforcement. She also discusses common sleep problems in children with autism, such as irregular melatonin levels, sensory sensitivities, and behavioral patterns, and emphasizes the importance of consistent bedtime routines and provides resources like her autism and sleep Kindle ebook to guide parents.
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Dr. Mary Barbera interviews Nadia, a mother who successfully supported her 2-year-old son Muhammad's speech development and managed his autism-related behaviors using Dr. Barberaâs verbal behavior techniques. Nadia shares her journey from Pakistan to Australia, the challenges of long waitlists, and how her sonâs speech and behavior have improved significantly. Dr. Mary Barbera covers strategies for early diagnosis, intervention, using effective reinforcers, and addressing picky eating, highlighting the importance of parental involvement, professional guidance, and consistent application of learned techniques to support children with speech delays and autism.
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Dr. Mary Barbera interviews Rose Griffin, a Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, about solving speech articulation errors in children, particularly those with autism and speech delays. They discuss the importance of early identification and intervention, typical speech sound development, and practical strategies for improving speech articulation. Rose emphasizes the need for a structured, individualized approach, integrating playful techniques, and ensuring generalization of skills.
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Dr. Mary Barbera goes over the importance of timing and effective methods for teaching colors. Teaching colors too early to children with autism or speech delays can hinder language development, itâs important to wait until children have a solid vocabulary of 50-100 nouns and are developmentally ready (typically around 30 months). You should also be focusing on using sorting activities with construction paper to teach colors separately from nouns, and pairing and labeling colors before combining them with objects.
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Dr. Mary Barbera compares her two bestselling autism books, "The Verbal Behavior Approach" and "Turn Autism Around." Mary also touches on which book best fits your needs for supporting children with autism. You'll learn about unique strengths and insights each book offers, discussing their differences.
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