Positive Toddler Parenting™
280 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★ - 316 ratingsDr. Mary Barbera, RN, doctoral-level behavior analyst, best-selling author, and online course creator discusses autism and toddler parenting from several different angles for both parents as well as medical, educational, and behavioral professionals.
Each week we discuss Mary’s 4-step proven approach to tackle common parenting struggles including how to improve talking, reduce tantrums, and improve picky eating, sleeping, potty training and so much more for kids with and without autism!
Topics also include what to do when a toddler is delayed and how to identify the earliest signs of autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, or even giftedness! And what to do if your child is diagnosed or requires early intervention or therapy.
So, whether you're a parent of a child or a professional such as a behavior analyst, nurse, physician, speech pathologist, or teacher, you’re going to want to listen and subscribe! Learn more at www.marybarbera.com.
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Episodes
#030: Autism and Sleep: How to Improve Sleep for Children with Autism
July 30, 2019 10:00 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBIt’s hard enough to get any child to sleep through the night, but a child with autism is much more likely to be diagnosed with a sleeping disorder. For years I gave up trying to sleep and accepted that there was nothing I could do about it—until a fellow behavior analyst gave me some advice that changed everything for my family. Now I want to tell you how you can regain all those lost hours and transform your family’s sleep schedule.
#029: Talk Tools & Speech Therapy for Autism with Mags Kirk
July 23, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBEvery parent wants their child to succeed and, for kids with autism especially, being able to speak coherently is a huge benchmark of success. That’s why I interviewed speech and language therapist, Mags Kirk. Mags has been a speech therapist since 2003, and thanks to her Talk Tools certification, she’s more than qualified to share her knowledge with you and point you and your child in the right direction for success in speech.
#028: Autism & Medication with Dr. Michael Murray, Psychiatrist
July 16, 2019 10:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBDr. Michael Murray is a respected child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Medical Director for the Autism and Developmental Disorders Clinic for Penn State Health. Dr. Murray is sharing great info in this episode that was a game changer for my own family. We're discussing medicine that can be a benefit to your own child, but we're also covering in depth a genetic test, the metabolic pharmacological test, that eliminates a lot of trial and error with other medications. Listen and learn!
#027: Teaching Social Skills with TAGTeach: Interview with Theresa McKeon
July 09, 2019 10:00 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBTheresa McKeon spent 30 years as a national gymnastics coach and was determined to find a way to speed up skill acquisition for her young gymnasts while decreasing stress and fear in the learning environment. Theresa’s search for behaviorally sound techniques, clean instructions and proper timing of feedback and reinforcement led to the development of the TAGteach methodology. Theresa explains how she eventually became involved in the autism world, as well as the logic behind her methods.
#026: Should You Focus on Talking in Sentences for Children with Autism? | Delayed Speech Development
July 02, 2019 10:00 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBFor a lot of parents and professionals, talking in complete sentences is a major goal for their children and clients. But despite our good intentions, there are a lot of mishaps along the way. I’m going to share the seven biggest mistakes you’re likely to make when teaching a child with autism to speak in complete sentences. Listen and learn so you can avoid some of these pitfalls.
#025: Leanne Page: Parenting with ABA
June 25, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBI am interviewing Leanne Page, a certified BCBA, self-published author, and mother of two children. Leanne delves into her background as a special education teacher, her career as a BCBA, but she also shares why ABA methods are not only for children and adults with autism but can be beneficial in any type of family dynamic.
#024: Jenna P. (Autism Mom): Autism + Other Diagnoses and Risk of Autism in Siblings
June 18, 2019 10:00 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBI have the pleasure of interviewing Jenna, my good friend and former client. Jenna is a fellow autism mom and her fall into our world is relatable. From the day of her son's diagnosis before his 2nd birthday to her self-care tips and routine, you’ll surely find pieces of yourself throughout Jenna’s story.
#023: Desensitizing Trips to the Doctor, Dentist and Haircuts for Kids with Autism
June 11, 2019 10:00 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBGoing to the dentist, using eye drops, or taking a bath might seem like mundane procedures for a typically developing person, but for those diagnosed with autism, these simple tasks can be traumatic and seem quite complex. I'm sharing a few practical steps for desensitizing your children or clients to these sorts of procedures, in order to make these situations go more smoothly for your loved one. Listen to gain valuable info on how to assess, practice, and improve some of these tasks for yo...
#022: Steve Ward: Teaching Games and Leisure Activities
June 04, 2019 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBI’m proud to welcome my friend and colleague, Steve Ward, to the podcast. Steve has over two decades of experience in the autism field and currently works as a behavior analyst. In addition to being an accomplished author, Steve also co-owns his own consulting business, Whole Child Consulting. He has worked with teams and schools around the world, and he’s here to share his experiences with you!
#021: Sasha Long-Teacher & BCBA: Multidisciplinary Collaboration
May 28, 2019 10:00 - 32 minutes - 30.4 MBSasha Long wears a lot of hats in the autism world: she is a full-time consultant, writer, and behavior analyst, plus the host of The Autism Helper podcast. She also manages to find the time to travel internationally as a speaker and consultant. She has already had an extremely interesting career path and now she’s ready to share her experiences with you, to help your child lead their happiest, most independent lives!
#020: Amy Lutz Interview: Severe Autism
May 21, 2019 10:00 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MBChildren and adults with severe autism have different needs than those with mild autism, as autism mom and advocate Amy Lutz knows very well. Amy is one of the founders of the National Council on Severe Autism, president of the EASI Foundation and an accomplished writer. Amy is also mom to an adult son with severe autism and is well qualified to educate both parents and professionals on how to better help those with severe autism.
#019: Advocating for Children with Autism: 5 Steps for Parents and Professionals
May 14, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 34 MBI am a loud voice for children with autism to ensure they receive their best chance to succeed. Over the last two decades, I’ve learned how to be the advocate that the autism community needs, and I’ve condensed my knowledge into five action steps. This info will ensure that YOU are the best advocate for your children and clients.
#018: Ashley Rose: Teaching Social Skill Groups
May 07, 2019 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBAshley Rose is owner and director of Mission Cognition, a social skill development center in New Jersey; she's also a teacher and creator of curriculum and an expert on working with children in social groups. Ashley describes her fall into the world of autism, and explains why she feels so passionately about her career and especially the subject of socializing children.
#017: Social Skills: When and How to Teach Social Skills
April 30, 2019 10:00 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MBSocial skills are vital to function in this society and I’m covering the three biggest mistakes that most parents and professionals make when teaching their children or clients social skills. We can’t just expect children with autism to develop social skills as they age, or if we continue to throw them in typical situations. We must teach those necessary social skills in the most effective way possible in order for our children to live their happiest and safest lives.
#016: Matt Cicoria: BCBA Supervision & School Consultation
April 23, 2019 10:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBFellow behavior analyst and author Matt Cicoria comes from a diverse background that includes a work-study job in a pigeon lab and work at Auburn University with mine-detecting dogs. These experiences gave him a unique understanding of the mind; now he's sharing that insight, along with skills acquired from working as a school consultant. Matt goes over some great info about self-care and ACT: acceptance and commitment therapy. Matt is also a member of the podcast club—he’s been hosting his ...
#015: Why is My Autism Approach Different and Better?
April 16, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 24.1 MBI’ve been a part of the autism community for two decades. I’ve worked with some of the best, and now I have an approach that I believe is better than any other approach out there. Learn the ten reasons why I believe my approach is different and better.
#014: Dr. Rick Kubina: Fluency and Precision Teaching
April 09, 2019 10:00 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBMy friend and former BCBA mentor, Dr. Richard Kubina shares his journey into the world of autism, the young autistic boy that set him on the path of becoming a behavior analyst, and explains why precision teaching is so valuable in our line of work.
#013: Keeping Kids with Autism Safe
April 02, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBOur ultimate goal is for our children to lead their safest lives, and that means we have to do our part to protect them. All children have the unique ability to land themselves in unsafe situations, but you can help protect your child wherever you go, whether that be at home, in school, or out in the community.
#012: Dr. Becca Tagg: Preventing Burn-out and Being Happy in the Autism World
March 26, 2019 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBSelf-care is an important yet oftentimes overlooked subject for families and professionals in the autism world. If you are not in an okay place, then you are not in a position to help anyone. My friend, Dr. Becca Tagg, is sharing how she got started in the autism field, as well as tips for avoiding burnout and how to live your happiest life.
#011: How to Teach Conversational Skills to Children with Autism
March 19, 2019 10:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBI cannot stress the importance of helping your child develop conversation skills enough. Your child needs to be able to ask and answer questions, and to request help. In this episode I go over my strategies and tips for teaching a child conversational skills.
#010: Rosemarie Griffin, SLP & BCBA: Increasing Speech
March 12, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 34.1 MBThere are very few dual SLP’s and BCBA’s in the world, and I have the pleasure of knowing and interviewing one of them, Rosemarie Griffin. Rose shares her story about how she fell in love with being a speech therapist, and how that led to working with children with severe autism.
#009: Getting Kids with Autism to Talk or Talk More
March 05, 2019 11:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBIt’s very important that your child or client is able to use their verbal language skills as much as possible. Dr. Mary Barbera shares simple techniques to encourage these skills, along with practical advice and over two decades of Behavior Analyst wisdom.
#008: Behaviorbabe (Dr. Amanda Kelly): Autism, Advocacy and Social Media
February 26, 2019 11:00 - 46 minutes - 42.7 MBDr. Mary Barbera interviews her close friend and fellow behavior analyst Doctor Amanda Kelly, also known as Behaviorbabe, and invites her to share her journey into the world of autism.
#007: Dr. Megan Miller: Problems with Escape Extinction
February 19, 2019 11:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBEarly detection and treatment of autism is key in aiding your child/student’s growth and recovery. Dr. Mary Barbera interviews Dr. Megan Miller, who depicts her journey into the world of autism, and offers valuable insight when traditional methods may fail.
#006: Improving Problem Behaviors in Children with Autism
February 12, 2019 11:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBI did a survey of parents and professionals and asked what their challenges were in the autism world. 300 people filled out the survey and within a week, the number one challenge was problem behaviors. I am sharing my four top steps to reducing any problem behavior.
#005: Using ABA and the Verbal Behavior Approach to Treat Autism
February 05, 2019 10:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBThere are key differences between the Lovaas ABA approach and a verbal behavior approach when dealing with treatment of autism. I share my journey to discovering how these two approaches don’t have to be mutually exclusive. This blended method has helped my own son tremendously and I’m on a mission to get this info out to other parents and professionals.
#004: Is it High Functioning or Low Functioning Autism?
January 29, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27.7 MBEarly detection and treatment of autism is key in aiding your child/student’s growth and recovery. Dr. Mary Barbera explains the difference between high functioning autism verses low functioning autism, and why that’s not always a fair and accurate way to label children on the spectrum.
#003: Lessons about Turning Autism Around: An Interview with Mom of 2 Young Boys with Autism
January 21, 2019 22:02 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBDr. Mary Barbera interviews Kelsey General and invites her to share her journey of becoming a single mother and raising two young sons with severe autism. From fighting to get her sons the diagnosis and care they needed, to becoming a professional in the field of autism behavior… she’s learned how to advocate for herself and her children.
#002: Early Detection and Treatment of Signs of Autism in Toddlers
January 21, 2019 22:01 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBEarly detection and treatment of autism is key in aiding your child/student’s growth and recovery. Dr. Mary Barbera is sharing advice based on experience for leaving the land of denial and getting on board with treatment as soon as possible.
#001: Lessons I've Learned on My Autism Journey for Parents and Professionals
January 21, 2019 10:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBIn this episode, Mary talks about her “fall” into the autism world 2 decades ago and her own transformation from overwhelmed parent to autism advocate, professional, and change-maker. Subscribe to the show for lots more to come!