As parents and caregivers, we’re hard-wired to respond to our children’s cries with efforts to comfort and soothe. Nothing is more frustrating, however, than when our efforts fall short—and our child spirals into a meltdown. What can help? In a few words: a calm-down kit.

A calm down kit is simply a collection of objects and items to help children cope with their emotions in a positive and safe manner. Also known as sensory integration boxes or toolkits, each calm-down kit can look a little different, depending on the needs and interests of your child. Of course, you can buy preassembled calm-down kits online, but your kit won’t have the magical ingredients that can comfort your child (aka, the objects and items your child loves), and often, these kits don’t take into account things like ages and sensory needs.

How, then, can you create your own calm-down kit to soothe your child’s sensory system during a meltdown? Here’s a breakdown of what to include—and how and when to use the kit.

What to include in your kit

As a parent or caregiver, you know your child best. Ask yourself these helpful questions:

• What soothes your child when restless?
• What usually calms your child down?
• What does your child like to do?
• What are your child‘s favorite items?

Gather together an assortment of items generated from the questions above, along with objects that cater to various senses, such as sight, sound, touch, and taste. For instance, you might include:

• A weighted or soft blanket, which can help kids who respond well to deep pressure receptors.
• Fidget toys that can occupy the mind and fingers by giving kids something on which to focus.
• Noise cancelling headphones, which can provide the peace and quiet kids need during a sensory meltdown or outburst to calm their bodies.
• Bubbles, which can help kids take deep breaths for relaxation, without realizing it.
• Chew toys to provide oral sensory support and help some children focus and manage feelings of anxiety and sensory overload.
• A stress ball to squeeze and release anger and overwhelming feelings.
• Plastic baggies full of various materials like kinetic sand, oatmeal, pasta, pine nuts, or rice, which can satisfy cravings for tactile stimulation.

How to use the calm-down kit

Once you have the items, place them in a backpack or cloth bag, and take the kit with you in your car or on the go. Then, once a sensory meltdown starts, use the items either to refocus your child’s attention and lessen the magnitude of the meltdown after it begins. Keep in mind, too, that  you can use the kit anytime, even during typical downtime. Using the calm-down kit during downtime will serve as practice and enable your child to figure out what items help in times of distress.

Again, the goal of the calm-down kit is to give kids the tools they need to transform their inner state from upset to calm. These kits can make all the difference, not only for your child but also for  you, as a parent or caregiver.

Want to learn more about sensory issues? Listen to our podcast, “How Lighting Can Affect Your Circadian Rhythm,“ on All Autism Talk.

by Genevieve Marshall, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA Clinical Director, SPARKS

Years ago, in an undergraduate social psychology class, my professor focused an entire lecture on how the Industrial Revolution affected our relationship with nature. Specifically, the professor talked about the migration to cities and the increasing amount of time children spend inside, whether working or at school. Coupled with an increase in pollution and limited urban green space, doctors started seeing a rise in depression, anxiety, and general malaise. Their prescription? A fresh air retreat—time away from the city, time spent in nature.

I remember thinking how obvious and ridiculous the lecture came across at that time—of course, deprivation from nature is a bummer. Who doesn’t know that? When our visual environment is made of overly constructed spaces and straight lines, it messes with our perception and psychology. A lack of Vitamin D from sunlight makes people sad; how strange it was to me that people needed to see a physician for medical advice when nature was free and plentiful.

In my reaction, twenty-some years ago now, I recognize my privilege in being able to spend leisure time outdoors. As a child, I spent every day of every summer camping and canoeing or cavorting around my grandmother’s cottage. I built tree forts and caught frogs. In the winter, we skied and went sledding. I see now that access to abundant nature was a privilege. My parents could facilitate access; it aligned with their ‘crunchy’ conservation mindset, and they were afforded time away from work or caregiving. We also lived in a place close to nature—it was accessible, and, so, I took for granted that access was not always free.

Fast forward to the present day, and I no longer consider the prescription for nature ridiculous. After all, we are navigating social media algorithms designed to increase screen time and, for many of us, our sedentary behavior. We are recovering from unprecedented global illness and worn-out from the anticipation of further political divide. For some, the cold winter months brewed an apathy that made the idea of time outside seem too effortful or uncomfortable.

As an adult this past winter—a parent and a remote-first employee—my enthusiasm for the outdoors froze. My boys, too, started to fight me on going outside. Their curiosity and energy dulled. Too tired to stand firm, I would approve screen time requests for more Roblox or Fortnite, so I could focus my energy on indoor life. The greyness of winter life started to feel like a never-ending cycle of work, chores, and screen time.

Then spring hit. The days stretched longer and felt brighter. The trees started to come alive, and I felt like wearing pants with buttons for the first time in a while. My boys, not so much. They were still trapped in the brain fog of short, dark days and too much screen time. They were suffering from Nature-Deficit Disorder. The only prescription? More cowbell. Uh…that’s not right. The only prescription? More time outside.

Richard Louv coined the term nature deficit disorder in his international bestseller from 2005, Last Child In the Woods, where he writes that “the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable.” In his more recent book, Vitamin N: 500 ways to Enrich the Health & Happiness of Your Family & Community, Louv suggests that pediatricians across the country are now writing park prescriptions. The science is clear: time in nature is as important as eating a balanced diet and sleeping well. As Louv explains, experiences in the natural world boost the immune system, stimulate learning and creativity, and serve as a buffer to depression and anxiety. Confirmed by our optometrist at a recent eye exam, time in nature can even improve myopia.

So, my family renewed our commitment to nature and took a page from Louv’s book: we set up a rule that we had to spend 30 minutes engaged in movement outside every day, rain or shine. I would be a liar if I told you we accomplished this goal every day. In fact, I resorted to peppering in a few behavior analytic interventions (see: Premack Principle) to buoy the effort and enthusiasm. But every day is easier, and we are all feeling less ‘blah’ and more ‘yeah’ as the sunshine feeds our energy. We plan one big activity every weekend—a hike, a long bike ride, or a yard project.

On this Earth Day, start to think about how much time you spend outside- how much time your kids spend outside. I would be a hypocrite to stand on this organic fair-trade soap box and tell you to limit your environmental impact by removing meat from your diet or to stop purchasing single use plastic. A conservation mindset is important, but you have to take care of yourself to take care of others (and the world). You can skip the Birkenstocks and tree hugging—and just spend some time outside. Get some Vitamin N (nature). It is rough out there, but I promise, sunshine and fresh air will make you feel better.

Want to know how nature can help your child or teen with autism? Browse these stories and studies:

“Exposure to Nature for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Benefits, Caveats, and Barriers,” Health & Place, v. 55, 2019

“Nature as a Healer for Autistic Children,” Alexandria Engineering Journal, v. 58, 2019

“Vitality from Experiences in Nature and Contact with Animals—A Way to Develop Joint Attention and Social Engagement in Children with Autism?” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019

“Kids with Autism Benefit from Outdoor Classroom,” Toronto Star, 2013

Looking for tips on integrating nature into your autistic child or teen’s life? Consider these ideas:

“Time Outside: Ideas for Families,” LEARN Behavioral, 2020

“Tips for Playing Outside, and Why Children with Autism Benefit from Outdoor Play,” Marcus Autism Center

“Learning Opportunities in Nature: How Discovering Nature Benefits Children with Autism,” Marcus Autism Center

“Playing Outdoors: Building Skills, Exploring and Creating Memories for Those with ASD,” Autism Awareness Centre Inc., 2020.

Last fall, when Xavier DeGroat received an opportunity to work at the White House as an intern in the Office of Presidential Correspondence, he packed his bags at his home in Lansing, Michigan, and relocated for three months to the thriving metropolis and national capitol of Washington, D.C. Only Washington, D.C., wasn’t the usual hub-bub of activity. Under lockdown due to COVID-19, an eerie quiet fell over the city—a quiet, intermixed with the frenetic anxiety of the 59^th presidential election and the departure of then-President Trump.

Still, Xavier welcomed the chance to serve his country and work in the White House. Recently, LEARN talked to Xavier about his experience in Washington, his work for the autism community, and his thoughts, as an adult with autism, about some of the community’s most pressing issues.

Q: Tell us, Xavier, about your experience as a White House intern.

A: From September to December in 2020, I lived in D.C. It was a wonderful experience that gave me a lot of networking opportunities, which is great for my advocacy work with my foundation, the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation. Of course, it was a turbulent time, with the presidential election and COVID. Security was a major issue, but I had a job to do. In the Presidential Correspondence Office, I checked the mail and the endless letters coming to the president—there were letters about issues relating to stimulus checks, letters of sympathy for the death of Robert Trump, the president’s brother, and a mix of critical and supportive letters for the president, too.

I had met President Trump the previous year, in the Oval Office, when I had a chance to speak with him about matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and the police force. You see, sensory overload anxiety can be triggered easily in people with autism at airport checkpoints, which are full of crowds, noises, and bright, flashing lights. So, I was there to talk about the TSA regulations that need changing, in addition to regulations about restraining people with autism and disabilities. The meeting was supposed to be only five minutes long, but I was there for a full half hour. “Do you mind if I call you X man?” President Trump asked me. He was really friendly and personable.

Q: That sounds like an amazing experience. Now that you’re back in Michigan, what are you working on now with your foundation?

Right now, I’m devoting time to fundraising. I’ve realized over the years that without money, we can’t do much. I also have some events coming up next spring in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’m a big sports fan and love the idea of sensory rooms at stadiums. Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the University of Michigan’s football team, will be part of the initiative, along with his brother John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

Soon, I’m going to the Oval Office to speak with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris about health insurance, and how hard it is for people with autism who can’t work to afford insurance.

I’m also publishing a book about my experiences.

Q: What, specifically, is your book about?

A: It’s a memoir about my life. I have a long story full of challenges that I eventually overcame—I hope I can inspire other people. I was diagnosed with autism at age 4, though originally told I had ADHD and given Ritalin. Later, they realized I had some sensitivities and anxiety and told my parents I have Asperger’s syndrome. I also had epilepsy, which was more concerning than autism for my family because of the health risk.

In school as a kid, I was labeled with “the R word” and had a hard time understanding or using sarcasm, nuance, and what I call “gray language skills.” I took things literally, like many people with autism. This would lead me to use the wrong word, miscommunicate, or struggle to conceptualize conversations. Ultimately, it led me to get bullied at school.

I spent a lot of time during my childhood at home and alone. I didn’t get the resources I needed, and school was overstimulating. I wanted an in-between, where I could have family around to support me and activities to keep my mind and body in shape. Things like LEGOS and puzzles calmed me.

High school was the most challenging time. I dropped out of school in 11^th grade for about three months when the bullying became especially bad. Kids were immature or disrespectful. I couldn’t cope, and even some of my teachers didn’t understand me. They tried to give me accommodations, like extra time on assignments, but my problem was really with the whole environment. My dad helped me find a summer school program, which allowed me to catch up and still earn my diploma the next year.

Around that time, when I turned 17, the doctors did some tests and realized I didn’t have epilepsy anymore. This was truly enriching. I was able to get my driver’s license and start driving a few years later, after everyone knew it was safe. I could go anywhere I wanted, on my own timeframe. That was a real turning point.

Now, I’m doing some groundbreaking things and devoting my life to helping people with autism.

Q: That’s an inspirational story that many people, autistic or not, would love to read. What are some things you wish people understood about living with autism?

A: Children with autism need to be themselves. They need time to touch things or even rip things and make a mess. They’re not staring off into space or exploring aimlessly or because they’re just wanderers—they’re doing it because they’re curious and trying to make sense of the world and figure things out. They need space to think and ask questions, and some schools just aren’t the right environment for that because they focus too much on being on time and doing everything within a certain time period.

I think neurotypical people can learn a lot from neurodiverse people if they take the time. In fact, I don’t like to think of autism as a disability because it’s really about neurodiversity. If you look at an autistic’s neurodiversity, you might see that certain skills can be even more accelerated than a person without autism.

I would also advise people not to get anxious when an autistic is quiet. Some are introverts. They keep to themselves, and that’s OK.

Q: After listening to some of the conversations about Autism Awareness versus Autism Acceptance Month, our organization, LEARN, decided to embrace acceptance, without losing sight of awareness. Do you have any thoughts on that conversation?

A: I like the change to acceptance, as long as we realize that without awareness, there can be no acceptance. It’s takes about 99 percent awareness to have one percent of acceptance. It all starts with education. We can’t force people to accept something they don’t understand. As the late Congressman John Lewis once told me, everybody is aware that I’m Black, but that doesn’t mean they accept me. So, yes, acceptance is the greater goal.

Unlike some autism activists, I don’t get too hung up on language. It’s more about how the person treats me than whether they call me “autistic” or a “person with autism.” Some people might prefer one to another, sort of like some people preferring “Black” to “African American.” It really just depends.

Q: You’ve created an impressive platform for your advocacy work. Who inspired you along the way?

A: My parents inspired me. I know I cost them a lot of money growing up, and sometimes I feel ashamed of that. But they also said to me: “We want you to be successful. We want you to be independent.” They set those goals for me, and that helped.

I don’t have a bachelor’s degree yet, but I’m looking at finishing college. I want to earn a degree, but I think I’ve had great life experiences that add up to more than a degree, probably. Nikola Tesla didn’t go to college but became who he is today through hard work and effort. He definitely inspires me.

Temple Grandin, the scientist and activist, also inspires me. She’s a friend of mine and has told me: “You have a mission to do something specific with your life, and you’re doing it. You’ve pulled yourself up and earned it.” She’s all-generational in her advocacy and believes that it’s not so much words that matter. It’s how you use them. That’s why I have a problem with some of today’s activities—they sometimes go a little too far. I consider myself more middle of the line.

As a child, I wanted to be an astronomer. Later, when I met Stephen Hawking, he encouraged me to get out there and explore, which is what scientists do. He said I didn’t have to be a paid scientist at NASA to think and act like a scientist—I could be an amateur scientist and use that mindset in my life. He said that when people with autism ask questions—How big is the sky? How big is the universe?—maybe they’re interested in learning things. They’re not being annoying. They actually want to figure things out.

When Evie Mutsch, at age two-and-a-half, started applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP), she spoke no words and tended to express herself in tantrums, her mom, Kelly, says. Today, however, at age 10 and a half, words pour from her mouth as she talks about the intricacies of the animal kingdom, her work co-running an eco-friendly clothing business with her mom, and her fascination with United States history, particularly the events surrounding the Revolutionary War and westward expansion.

Recently, our team at LEARN talked through Zoom with Evie and Kelly about what it’s like to run a business, Eco Evie, at such a young age. Eco Evie makes garments for kids and women made entirely from recycled water bottles—each shirt, for instance, comes from 11 to 16 water bottles—and donates a portion of each sale to endangered animal conservation efforts. The brightly colored tank tops, hoodies, tops, and dresses feature such animals as the Amur leopard, black rhinoceros, monarch butterfly, pangolin, and sea turtle. Here’s a recap of our conversation.

Q: Evie, we looked at your website and watched the CBS news story about your business. Wow—we are impressed! What does it feel like to have your own business as a fifth grader?

A (Evie): It’s both strange and wonderful. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I already have a career. I’m a child who has a career already. It’s hard to believe. What will I do with the rest of my life?

Q: How did you get interested in endangered animals?

A (Evie): It maybe started after I finished 4K [kindergarten]. Before that time, I wanted to be an astronaut and was really interested in outer space. I’d always liked animals but started to learn more about endangered animals and how much they need our help.

A (Kelly): We live five minutes from the Milwaukee Zoo and have been going there forever. One day, Evie looked up at the endangered animals sign and asked, “What does this sign mean?” She was in first or second grade, and she turned to me and said, “We need to help the sea animals because they can’t speak, and can’t help themselves.” This was a huge turning point for us, unleashing a side of Evie I hadn’t seen before. We started making and selling bracelets with the little colorful rubber bands, Rainbow Loom bracelets. We sold them everywhere—in the neighborhood, at school, at the park—and then one day Evie turned to me and said: “We can’t just make bracelets all the time! What else can we do to help the animals?” From day one, she was business-minded about helping animals.

Q: That’s a great story. How, then, did you decide to make eco-friendly clothing?

A (Kelly): Well, I knew that whatever Evie picked, she was going to do something significant with it—she was that committed—and we started thinking about what we might do together. I studied fashion design in college and worked for the corporate offices of Kohl’s and Bon-Ton, focusing on children’s clothes. So, I knew something about the industry and how to make clothing. After a number of conversations, we made the decision to focus on clothing—clothing made from recycled materials and manufactured fully in the United States.

Q: It sounds like the recycling part of the business model, then, just made sense. You were helping animals—you also wanted to help the earth, which would, in turn, help animals. Tell me about the recycling part? What is your clothing made of, and how do you source your materials?

A (Evie): Our clothes are made entirely from plastic water bottles. If you can believe it, I’m wearing a bunch of plastic—but it’s soft and not scratchy.

A (Kelly): We put a lot of thought into where we get the materials and manufacture the clothing. If you look at the tags of most of the clothing we wear, nearly all of it is made overseas, which requires a lot of fuel for transportation and shipping. We didn’t want that and found a company in Yadkinville, North Carolina, that can turn recycled plastic into yarn, creating a product called Repreve. From there, a mill nearby turns the yarn into fabric, and then we do all the printing, cutting, and sewing here in the Milwaukee area.

We only make what we sell, so we don’t make extra. We minimize waste.

Q: What a feat of engineering and planning. Tell us, Evie, what endangered animal interests you most, and what additional animals would you like to raise awareness and money for through your clothing?

A (Evie): I like them all. Baby sea turtles are interesting. Not many make it to the sea because, when they’re born, they confuse the artificial lights of the city with moonlight and go in the wrong direction. Artificial light is a big problem.

We’re thinking about choosing elephants and manatees [for our next projects] because they’re starting to become endangered. Manatees are called “sea cows”—they eat so much food! They’re not carnivores, and they eat three whole bathtubs full of food, like plants and leaves, every single day. But boat engines are harming the plants they need to survive.

This week, they listed the second species of African elephants as endangered. These elephants don’t have the long neck adaptation that giraffes have to get leaves, so they use their tusks to scrape leaves off of tall trees.

A (Kelly): Yes, choosing what animal to do next is serious business in our family. You can imagine our discussions over dinner!

Q: Evie, when you’re not learning about endangered animals and working on the clothing business, what do you like to do?

A (Evie): I like to read, especially Tui T. Sutherland’s Wing of Fire series. I also read graphic novels, like anything by Raina Telgemeier. In Ghosts, a girl moves to Northern California, where the sun only shines for 62 days a year. Later on, she discovers her home isn’t like other homes. It’s a mansion on a hill, and then there’s a ghost who likes orange soda. A ghost who likes orange soda—if you can imagine that. It’s unbelievable!

A (Kelly): Recently, you read an entire book on U.S. history.

A (Evie): Science used to be my favorite subject in school, but then Ms. Johnson, my fifth-grade teacher, introduced the Revolutionary War and showed us a series of videos called Liberty about a group of boys who were Loyalists going to New York. I can tell you—I would not be on the Loyalists side because I wouldn’t want to be taxed! It’s hilarious that King George thought he could get away with that. At the end of one of the videos, George Washington declined being king and said: “I was a general. I will leave as a citizen.”

The Homestead Act was later but before the Civil War, and before the U.S. government unlocked the frontier. Part of it belonged to France, but France didn’t have enough money, and the U.S. paid what would be considered a huge amount of money today. Then Lewis and Clark explored the west with the help of Sacagewea. That’s when the Homestead Act started.

Q: You know a lot about U.S. history, Evie. That is wonderful. Kelly, before we leave, I wonder if you can talk some about how the business has helped both you and Evie in your journey with autism.

A (Kelly): After everything we went through with Evie, with more than three years of intensive therapy, I had said, wow, if Evie ever asks for anything within reason, I would do it—no questions asked.  And she wanted to start a business to help animals, so I said yes. My hope for her with this business is that she can work on her communication skills. I’d love for her to get some business experience and skills as she gets older that can help her throughout life.  She’s part of nearly every decision, coming up with what we share about each animal on the website and choosing the animals and information featured in our coloring activities for kids.

As for our journey, we feel so fortunate. The first few years were really rough, with Evie being non-verbal and prone to screaming and rolling around on the floor when she was frustrated. I also felt hopeless and didn’t know what the future would hold for us. At that time, I wished I had a 10-year-old Evie to watch and see how far she has come, and how well she is doing now. That’s another part of the reason we’re doing this—we want families with autism to know we’ve been in your spot, and it’s going to be OK.

The other day, a woman who saw our news story, and whose grandson was diagnosed recently with autism, told me how much our story helped her. If I can help or inspire even one person, then it’s totally worth it.

By Katherine Johnson, M.S., BCBA
Senior Director of Partnerships, LEARN Behavioral

Eye contact. “Quiet” hands. These were goals for autistic children everywhere in ABA programs in the 1990s. As a generation of autistic children have come of age and grown into autistic adults, we’ve heard their criticisms, a few of them being: eye contact is painful; stimming is soothing; I shouldn’t need to change myself for your comfort.     

One of my first clients was a clever, curious-minded little boy driven by his love for animals great and small—particularly gorillas. I was proud of the program his team and I built, thick with motivating, play-based learning opportunities. Yet, when a supervisor conducted a consult, she privately admonished me for failing to target his quiet but persistent vocal stereotypy. Standing by my decision, I told her we wanted him to speak eventually, and that decreasing vocalizations now would be useless and cruel—we would shape them later.

Looking back, I still agree with my decision to hold off on treating the vocal stereotypy, even if I’m more than a little embarrassed by some of my other decisions, not to mention the overall self-satisfaction of my youth. After all, I considered myself part of the “new wave” of compassionate autism care, only targeting things that were significant to the client. Or so I thought.

Because … did I require this sweet boy to make eye contact and have quiet hands during 1:1 teaching?

Oh. Yes.

Yes, I did.

Nearly 50 years ago, in 1972, an article was published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis that criticized how the science of behavior analysis was being used in our society. In the article, “Current Behavior Modification in the Classroom: Be Still, Be Quiet, Be Docile,”[1]  authors Richard Winett and Robin Winkler concluded that behavior analysis was being used to preserve the status quo of flawed institutions, when it was the systems themselves that were in desperate need of change. Behavior analysts were keeping students quiet, instead of helping them learn—and keeping psychiatric patients in line, instead of helping them successfully re-enter their communities.

Winett and Winkler’s article was required reading in my graduate program two decades later, in the 1990s, and I remember hearing frequent references to it in professional circles. Even so, during this time period, applied behavior analysis treatment was not consistently tailored to the needs and interests of individual clients and families, leading to programming that sometimes shaped behavior to look non-autistic.

In the ’90s, bullying and discrimination of all varieties were facts of life. Initiatives to teach school children to be “kind,” through district-wide acceptance programs and anti-bullying campaigns, were not yet the norm. In the field of ABA, there was talk about how people with developmental disabilities had “the right to … eat too many donuts and take a nap.”[2] Yet, when selecting goals for children with autism, increasing eye contact and decreasing stereotypy (“stimming”) were nearly always on the list. Our intentions were pure: we taught our clients to behave in ways we thought would increase their chances of acceptance in an imperfect, discriminating society.

But you know what they say about good intentions.

Questions we asked ourselves: Will her stimming be met with teasing? Will that echolalia prevent him from being invited to birthday parties? Will anyone hire him if he can’t look them in the eye?

Questions we did not ask enough: Does this child want to look like everyone else? What is our programming communicating to her about herself? Is the lack of societal acceptance of these habits perhaps the thing we most need to change?    

A child-centered, family-focused approach

Today, half a century after Winett and Winkler published their article, some ABA providers continue to place importance on making their clients look and act like neurotypical people, while others have evolved their practice to foster and integrate each client’s individuality.

In my opinion, one of the most important parts of behavior analysis is building a close and authentic collaboration with children and families—and working together to identify meaningful goals. A goal might include, for instance, the teaching of self-advocacy, which often starts with teaching mands (requests) to the youngest children. Then, as children grow, we teach them to do things like ask for breaks and to negotiate. Eventually, we teach them to set their own goals and self-monitor their own progress—in short, how to reach for their dreams.

In a child-centered, family-focused model of care, treatment revolves around the individual interests, needs, and values of the client and family. Goals change over time, just as individuals and families, and what they need, prioritize, and value, change over time.

And so, let us not dismiss the lived experience of the autistic adults who have mastered self-advocacy and have criticisms of ABA. Instead, let us listen and learn, using their feedback to improve how we work with clients and families.

We are not in this field to control others. In fact, we became behavior analysts to help and are dedicated to using the science of behavior to make meaningful, positive changes in the world. We have fought for our clients’ right to effective treatment. Now, let us come together and use our collective power to fight for acceptance and eliminate discrimination in our communities. Autistic adults and families touched by autism are leading the charge on this, and many behavior analysts are following suit. Let us put the power of our science behind it—and join them in their efforts to welcome and support individuality.

[1] Winett, R. A. & Winkler, R. C. (1972).  Current behavior modification in the classroom: be still, be quite, be docile.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5(4), 499-504.

[2] Bannerman, D. J., Sheldon, J. B., Sherman, J. A., & Harchik, A. E. (1990).  Balancing the right to habilitation with the right to personal liberties: the rights of people with developmental disabilities to eat too many doughnuts and take a nap.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23(1), 79-89.

As you know, April has been Autism Awareness Month for several decades now. This year, after careful consideration, we are shifting our focus for the month from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance. Why Acceptance, instead of Awareness?

For one, leading disability groups nationwide, including the Autism Society of America, Easter Seals, The Arc, and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, are shifting to Acceptance—and urging the media and other organizations and outlets to do the same. “The shift in the use of terminology aims to foster acceptance to ignite change through improved support and opportunities in education, employment, accessible housing, affordable health care, and comprehensive long-term services,” the Autism Society release explains.

“While we will always work to spread awareness, words matter as we strive for autistic individuals to live fully in all areas of life,” says Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society, in the release. “As many individuals and families affected by autism know, acceptance is often one of the biggest barriers to finding and developing a strong support system.”

Here, Banks echoes feedback from a growing number of individuals with autism—namely, that they have been left out of conversations during Autism Awareness Month and presented as a “problem” that needs to be fixed, instead of as individuals with unique ways of processing and existing in the world. Perhaps Kassiane S., an autistic activist, says it best in her widely circulated essay, “Acceptance vs. Awareness,” written nearly a decade ago, in 2012:

The gulf between awareness and understanding is as wide as any ocean. Awareness is all about creating a sense of urgency and fear. Awareness efforts present us as a problem to be solved, and yesterday. Awareness operates in stereotypes and soundbites, not real people. Awareness has no substance; it is but a tool to earn more money to fix us and to promote yet more awareness.

Awareness is easy. Acceptance requires actual work.

Acceptance comes from a place of understanding. Understanding isn’t generated by soundbites and posterchildren. Understanding takes work. To accept us, people first need to acknowledge us as individuals-as three dimensional, growing, developed characters. We are not all the same, and we are not but a collection of deficits. Acceptance is seeing that — and seeing that one’s distaste for an autistic person is more likely than not because of “autism.” Awareness tells you that anything objectionable about us is “autism,” but that explanation is clear, simple, and wrong.

The discussions around awareness and acceptance are part of the larger debate about ABA and neurodiversity, and whether ABA seeks to rid children and young adults of their core identity—and replace it with a socially-accepted, robot version of personhood. This is in no way reflects the aspirations of LEARN, and we consider it an enormously misguided perception, with potentially dangerous consequences. That said, we do realize the debate about ABA and neurodiversity continues. Across our communities, there are those who believe that any use of ABA is harmful to autistic individuals. We obviously disagree, but at the same time, we understand the historical perspective of ABA treatment as a rigid and structured therapy, which many individuals experienced. For these reasons, we view the criticism as part of a larger voice of concern about the rights of individuals with autism.

We bring this up now, as we embark on Autism Acceptance Month, because we consider our direction taken on the matter an opportunity to respond to the critics of ABA and reaffirm how and why we are an organization dedicated to nurturing, and certainly not harming, every individual with autism in our care. In fact, we design our services in a way that accepts, honors, and fosters individuality.

Throughout April and continuing far beyond, we will share stories and information about our use of contemporary ABA therapy and how we tailor treatment to the unique needs, interests, and values of every child and family in our care. Simultaneously, we will publish and give voice to the thoughts and experiences of a diverse range of people in the autism community, from autistic adolescents and adults to parents, advocates, and leading professionals in the field of autism.

Of course, acceptance cannot happen in a single month. Instead, it will take time and, as Kassiane S. says—hard work. Acceptance, too, is a first step toward the other critical goal: full inclusion.

We hope you will join us in this important endeavor as we work collectively to make a difference in the lives of children and families, and the millions of individuals with autism worldwide.

#togetherwecan

Justin & Hanna

Justin Funches, President, Autism Services, LEARN Behavioral
Hanna Rue, PhD, BCBA-D, Chief Clinical Officer, LEARN Behavioral

LEARN Behavioral specializes in using contemporary applied behavior analysis (ABA) to personalize treatment for children and young adults with autism. With clinical insights refined through decades of service to the autism community, we support more than 5,000 clients across 15 states and the District of Columbia through brands that include AST, BACA, WEAP, BCI, Total Spectrum, Trellis, and SPARKS. Our team consists of more than 30 doctoral-level clinicians, 450 Board Certified Behavior Analysts®, and 4,000 behavior technicians who share a common mission: to find success for every child in our care.

Most of us in the autism field know that women make up the bulk of board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs). In fact, women represent 85.43 percent of BCBAs, according to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. What often gets overlooked, however, is that the nearly 78,000 female BCBAs across the country are also part of STEM, the acronym for an area of work—science, technology, engineering, and math—notoriously lacking in female leadership. Why are behavior analysts left out?

This week, in honor of Women’s History Month, we asked three female leaders at LEARN what it’s like to work in a STEM field—and how they use science, math, and data analysis in their positions. The women include Chief Clinical Officer Hanna Rue and Senior Vice President Sabrina Daneshvar, in addition to consultant and Women in Behavior Analysis (WIBA) Conference Director Devon Sundberg. Here’s the conversation.

Q: STEM is a hot topic right now, but the field of behavior analysis tends to get left out of the conversation. Why do you think that’s the case?

A (Hanna Rue): If you ask behavior analysts if their friends and family understand their job, the answer is usually “no.” As a field, behavior analysis has not done a great job at marketing the positive impact the field can have on socially significant behaviors. When we work with kids, our work looks like play—and that’s great, but what people don’t often see are the copious data collection, critical analysis, and data-based decisions that happen behind the scenes in treatment.

A (Devon Sundberg): As humans, we have an overwhelming desire to pigeonhole all aspects of our lives and tend to view helping individuals as a form of therapy. Mistakenly, society does not often consider therapy a form of science. Applied behavior analysis, especially as practiced at LEARN, represents the union of science and the love for helping others. For instance, we can’t track meaningful change objectively without data, and science is a huge part of what we do.

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): Some people consider behavior analysis a soft science and underestimate the importance of the science we exercise. The term “soft science” is a misnomer. In actuality, we’re doing the same things scientists do by using observation and data to make treatment decisions.

Q: You actually use a lot of science and math, both in your leadership positions at LEARN and in your previous clinical work as behavior analysts. Can you talk some about the STEM skills you use—and why they’re a big part of behavior analysis?

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): We have scientific rigor and methodologies in place that aren’t always visible. For instance, we make a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, and use evidence-based, scientific evaluation to make decisions and refine our approaches daily. Our work requires us to account for what we observe, while also accounting for sources of variability. There’s nothing simple about behavior analysis.

A (Hanna Rue): I constantly use math to evaluate how we’re doing as a company from a clinical perspective. For instance, we conduct surveys at LEARN to evaluate our services and use the data to inform our training and clinical practices. A number of projects require data analysis and an understanding of parametric and nonparametric statistics.

Q: How has ABA therapy evolved with the use of data gathering and analysis? What about aggregated data—how does that contributed to better treatment and services?

A (Hanna Rue): I started working in the field before it was common to have apps assist in data collection. Back then, I collected paper and pencil data and graphed it on good old-fashioned graph paper. Now, we can collect data via an app that can be downloaded to a tablet or smart phone. It is incredible to think that I can see updated behavioral data from clients at any point in time. Quick access to behavioral data helps to improve the quality of behavioral programming and efficiency in clinical practice.

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): I can relate to Hanna—and add that as a field, we’re starting to look not only at a single client’s response to a particular behavior intervention but also to multiple clients across the country. This can only strengthen the work we do and the interventions we administer. Insurance companies are starting to request data, too, as evidence that our services work. Thankfully, we’re in a good position at LEARN to provide it.

Q: Did you pursue math, science, and other STEM-related fields growing up? When did you take interest in these areas?

A (Devon Sundberg): I had little interest in math or science growing up, though I was interested in helping people. My first job was at a group home for children with autism, but no one trained me, and my efforts weren’t all that successful. In my next job, I learned how to provide applied behavior analysis—and realized how much it could have helped kids in my former job, at the group home. I was disappointed that not all children had access to this amazing therapy and excited to finally feel effective in my work. From this, I learned how useful math and science can be when applied to real-life problems. From then on, I was hooked. 

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): Like Devon, I didn’t pursue math and science as a kid. In college, I majored in psychology and fell into the field of autism when I worked as a special education teacher at an autism treatment center affiliated with my school. It was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had. I didn’t feel equipped to handle my students and decided to go back to school to earn a doctorate in developmental psychology—to learn how to make things better. As I got more involved, not just in the treatment but also the research, that’s when the science interest in me piqued. I saw the need for science and statistics and haven’t looked back.

Q: A longstanding belief (or perhaps a myth) in our society—and in many societies—is that boys are better at math than girls. But what does the research say?

A (Hanna Rue): Empirical evidence does not support male superiority in math or science. In fact, history suggests that the environment was the primary factor resulting in so many more males than females in math and science, with gender stereotypes leading teachers and mentors to encourage boys and young men to participate in math- and science-related activities. Given that behavior analysts understand how much adult attention and praise can shape behavior, it isn’t surprising that more men ended up in careers in science or math. That is all changing now, and I am thrilled.

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): Yes, research shows that boys and girls learn math at similar rates, but it’s the social expectation that boys are naturally better at math that can make boys perform better. Carol Dweck, who wrote the book The Growth Mindset, has done some interesting research in this area. Dweck found that girls who viewed math ability as “a gift” performed more poorly in math than those who viewed it as something they could improve through practice and experience. According to Dweck’s theory, when girls believe they can achieve in math by applying themselves, they can, in fact, achieve in math (and science, too).

Q: What advice would you have for girls or women who shy away from or just dislike or struggle with math and science? 

A (Sabrina Daneshvar): Math and science skills are a continuum. There’s a lot of variation in skill levels among various skill sets. For instance, someone might be great at data analysis and struggle with communicating findings or understanding the impact. I’m not the best of math, but I have a solid grasp of statistics and how to do a scientific study. My advice is not to be intimidated—and trust that you will have strengths in one area and limitations in another. And that’s OK.

A (Devon Sundberg): Math and science can make us more effective in the areas we care most about. I wasn’t excited about math or science until I realized these disciplines allowed me to do my job more effectively. At that point, math and science started to come naturally because they served a meaningful purpose in my life.

A (Hanna Rue): For young girls, I think it is important to find activities they really enjoy and discover how they connect to STEM. One of my favorite websites to recommend to parents is A Mighty Girl—it’s full of inspiring stories, books, and resources that focus on female contributions to science and technology.

Q: What advice would you have—for women and men, or girls and boys—about working in ABA? What, in your opinion, are some of the advantages of a career in the ABA field?

A (Hanna Rue): Anyone who finds human behavior interesting should consider a career in ABA. The technology of ABA can be used to address an endless number of socially significant behaviors. In fact, behavior analysts now work in fields that involve social justice, health and fitness, reducing waste, and safety.

The field of ABA is relatively young, and opportunities for research and discovery—and to advance our science—are endless.

A (Devon Sundberg): Join the field of behavior analysis, even briefly. In addition to making me more effective in all facets of my life, behavior analysis makes me a better human. Understanding why we behave in the ways we do leads to enhanced communication, grace, and acceptance of others. For these reasons, I hope everyone learns about behavior analysis throughout their life.

By Ronit Molko, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Strategic Advisor, LEARN Behavioral

Preparing a child who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for any routine change can be a significant challenge. In fact, insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior are common traits and characteristics for children on the spectrum. So, you have your schedule, your child has adjusted to it, and then Daylight Saving comes along. Getting ready for school no longer happens during sunrise, and eating dinner no longer occurs in the dark. Now what? Thankfully, there are tools at your disposal that can mitigate the stress caused by these abrupt changes and help you prepare for the upcoming Daylight Saving Time—when our clocks “spring forward” an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14.

When establishing a new routine with your child, planning ahead is important. A change is made all the more stressful when it is abrupt. You can sit down with your child a few days or even weeks before Daylight Saving to explain what will happen and why. If your child is used to visual routines, you can add the new sunrise and sunset into the visual schedule, so it is something they can look at and expect each day. You can even start using light-blocking curtains to mimic the upcoming change in sun around waking and sleeping times.

It is also helpful to put your child’s schedule in context with the rest of their day. Instead of explaining to your child what time each thing is to be done, you can explain it as an order of events. For example, you could say, “breakfast is before school,” instead of, “breakfast is in the morning at 7 a.m., and we leave for school at 7:30 a.m.” Framing the story in this way leaves room for flexibility. Plus, the statement will hold true when the time has changed—and your child and family continue to eat breakfast before school, regardless of the light outside or the time on the clock.

Another stressful trigger for children with ASD during this time is their internal clock. They may find themselves wide awake at their bed time and overly tired in the morning, as their bodies adapt. For this, two main techniques can help: incremental adjustment and physical activity. To use the first technique, start moving your child’s bed time in small increments (15 minutes, for example) each night leading up to Daylight Saving Day, so their bodies have more time to get used to the new schedule. Also make sure they engage in physical activity after school, so they burn some energy and feel tired by their new bed time.

For children with ASD, most of the stress that comes with routine changes stems from a lack of understanding the change. It will take time, but with proper communication and incremental adjustments, you can significantly minimize the stress triggers that come with Daylight Saving. Once your child has acclimated, reward their flexibility with a task they enjoy, verbal praise, or any preferred activity you currently use. This will lay the groundwork for flexibility in future routine changes and encourage positive coping behaviors for stressors moving forward.

By Mary Smith, BCBA, LBA
Executive Director, WEAP

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has directly claimed 2.6 million lives worldwide, with roughly 20 percent, or 525,000, of the departed living in the United States. Indirectly, the cost of and on lives is vast—beyond vast, actually—and we are all facing this vastness together, now and for future generations.

The impact of COVID-19 on the labor market has also been dramatic. According to studies, and to what I’ve witnessed firsthand as the executive director of WEAP, a part of LEARN Behavioral, this impact has been greater on women than men. Consider, for example, that there were 2.2 million fewer women in the labor force in October 2020 than there were in October 2019. Why?

Largely, it’s that the occupations and industries most affected by the pandemic—leisure and hospitality, education and healthcare, and wholesale and retail—have a high proportion of female workers. Another reason is the closure of daycares and schools, leading to increased caregiving responsibilities. Research indicates that women took on a disproportionate amount of these responsibilities, compared to men. Decisions needed to be made regarding the children and elderly who needed caring for, and millions of working women left their positions.

Time away from the workplace can result in missed opportunities that range from training and tuition reimbursement to participation in initiatives, pay increases, and promotions. Despite the fact that more women than men now graduate from college, women are the ones moving out of the workforce, potentially leading to an entire generation of women being unable to progress to leadership positions in their chosen careers as readily as men.

Why is this vacuum of women leadership in business a big issue for society? A recent analysis by authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, as published in an article for Harvard Business Review, finds that women scored higher than men in several key leadership skills, including taking initiative, driving results, developing others, inspiring and motivating others, and displaying high integrity and honesty—among other skills. So, empathy and multi-tasking, which women have, for centuries, been stereotyped as having in higher degrees, are not the only talents women bring to the table. It turns out women bring an abundance of skills. If women lose their seat at the table as a result of COVID, a tremendous opportunity for continued gains by women will be lost.

In my own field, applied behavior analysis (ABA), recent data reports that more than 85 percent of licensed practitioners are female. Likewise, a study by Melissa Nosik and her colleagues indicates that over the past few decades, women in ABA have made substantial career progress, transforming the field from one in which men hold more leadership positions to one predominantly led by women. Despite this progress, Nosik identifies career milestones, like becoming a fellow of the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) or receiving late career awards, underrepresented by women. If women are not given the flexibility to continue to advance into leadership positions, we risk this lack of progress and representation continuing.

As a female leader in the field of ABA, I have a significant responsibility to maintain a flexible work environment for every staff member, 85 percent of whom are women (and many of those who are working mothers). One benefit of COVID-19 that has made this easier is the increasing acceptance of telehealth by health plans. Now, 90 percent of insurance companies fund telehealth treatment and consultation—a move that has been vital for the children and families we serve, in addition to the clinicians who can work from home and be more flexible with their time.

In my role, I strive to ensure that all women and men alike are comfortable being flexible with their working hours. I want them to know, for instance, that they’re supported when they need to change their schedule to attend to care-giving needs. Additionally, I initiate conversations about leadership to ensure that my team consider it. As Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman in Congress, once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, then bring a folding chair.”

I am confident that LEARN takes female leadership seriously. Here, 75 percent of our senior leadership team are women, including the recent promotions of Hanna Rue to Chief Clinical Officer and Sabrina Daneshvar to Senior Vice President. Other opportunities helping women involve the introduction of sick pay for part-time workers, the majority of whom are women; the many cross-organization task groups available for people to practice leadership skills; the accepted flexibility of time management to meet care-giving needs; and the organization’s initiative to purchase from and do business with female-owned vendors and businesses. These decisions and actions, in addition to others, make me proud to work for and help lead an organization committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion—and to women.