Articles

Maintaining optimal sleep is vital for all, but most importantly for children across the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In typical development, sleep is important in impacting children’s growth associated with both emotional and behavioral growth. Therefore, sleep disturbances may severely impact ASD symptoms. Fewer hours of sleep has been shown to correlate with social skill deficit, communication impairments and stricter …

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by extreme limitation of food consumed resulting in malnutrition and extreme weight loss.  Although similar to anorexia in terms of physical effects, that’s where the similarities end. The motivation involved in ARFID is maintained by negative thoughts involving the direct action of food consumption. Unlike anorexia, there is no …

Elopement can be defined as a dependent person leaving a supervised, safe space or the caregiver without notification, resulting in exposure to potential danger. It is also known as wandering or running. It can happen at any time, anywhere, no matter who may be watching. This can include leaving school without permission or sneaking out of home in the middle …

Dyspraxia is also known as developmental coordination disorder. Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder. The symptoms of this disorder include clumsiness, trouble remembering, judgement, processing, and other cognitive abilities. Diagnosis usually occurs in childhood, but continues well into adulthood. There is currently no cure, but the sooner an individual is diagnosed, the more promising therapy and other treatments are with improving …

Creating relationships and maintaining them is a skill that is constantly developing and refining throughout our entire lives. Friendships are important for social support, the buildup of self-esteem, and the overall enhancement of life. It all begins as a child at playtime with peers. Sometimes children can have a hard time establishing friendships or being social. It can be due …

Determining whether your child needs a diagnostic evaluation for autism, as well as figuring out how to get one, can feel overwhelming and uncertain. Our goal is to help parents navigate this process in a way that feels comfortable for their family. We know that this process can look different for every family. Below are some helpful steps to be …

Neuropsychological testing or evaluations can assess various aspects of development, including behavior. Some families may receive referrals for evaluations to assess challenging behaviors and diagnose or rule out disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs). Below is an overview of DBDs to provide more insight. What are DBDs? Children with DBDs have ongoing patterns of uncooperative and defiant behavior that impacts those around …

What is speech and language regression? Speech and language regression refers to the decline in a young child’s speech and communication abilities. Research has shown that the loss of any previous speech and language skills may indicate a greater underlying developmental or cognitive concerns. There are a few potential developmental disorders that could be related a language regression, such as …

A diagnostic evaluation is a combination of a series of assessments, observations, parent reports, and interviews used to test and diagnose behavioral and developmental disorders. Clinicians typically look at a range of developmental domains and skills when diagnosing these disorders. Some signs that clinicians assess include: Body structure and function impairments: strengths and weaknesses associated with certain developmental disorders Developmental …

Parents may often explore diagnostic evaluations or neuropsychological testing if they suspect that their children are showing signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD or autism). A diagnostic evaluation can provide insights into how children learn best, which helps to determine services or support that might be beneficial to promote progress. During an evaluation, the clinician (e.g., pediatric neuropsychologist, developmental pediatrician) …