A 25 Year Look Across the Spectrum with Kelly Bermingham & Jen Lucero – Details, episodes & analysis

We are baaaaaack! Kelly, BCBA for 21 years, and Jen, mom to Dylan and Ethan talk through the best way to approach doctor's appointments with your autistic child. With nearly 40-80% of autistic individuals having medical co-morbidities, going to the doctor is not for the faint of heart for families. Listen to a caregiver's perspective over the years and how ABA providers can help support these appointments.

The Association for Science in Autism Treatment has fantastic resources to share with medical providers. You can find them here:

For Medical Professionals - Association for Science in Autism Treatment (asatonline.org)

Studies show that individuals with ASD have greater medical fears as compared to their peers. Kelly & Jen share their experience, strategies and research related to blood draws from their perspectives with their children who are now fully comfortable and independent in getting their blood drawn after years of stress!

Information:

⁠A pilot study to improve venipuncture compliance in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders - PMC (nih.gov)⁠⁠Blood Work Parents.pdf (autismspeaks.org)⁠

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Kelly discusses the history of the development of the BACB ethics code and her journey with ethics for the last 28 years with Maria Sasaski Solis, owner of the Sasaki Behavioral Group, APBA Board Member, and Co-Moderator of the Ethics Sig for CASP. Sponsored by CitePro Cite Pro You can find the Dear Don Casp Ethics Webinar here: Dear Don Ethics Panel (Nov 2023) - recorded - Council of Autism Service Providers (casproviders.org)

Although the data is varied, some data suggests that parents of a child diagnosed with autism have a higher chance of divorce than their counterparts, especially if they are younger when married and have a child early on in their marriage. Parents raising children with autism experience greater marriage strain in part due to stress related to resources, severity of Autism symptoms, and concerns over long-term care. Kelly and Jen have both experienced this firsthand and share their experiences. Sponsored by Cite Pro

Kelly and Jen speak to Jennifer, BCBA, and mom to her 13-year-old son with ADHD. She shared his struggles with ADHD and anxiety coming out of the pandemic, trying to organize his homework and keep us with social pressures that ultimately led to hospitalization. Research tells us there is a stronger link between homework difficulties and ADHD than the general population. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests medication and behavioral therapy as the two main treatments. But how do you know when to do what? Hear Jennifer's story and her advice to caregivers and BCBAs.

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Up to 75% of autistic children and adults will be bullied over the internet or taken advantage of in some way. Predators look for those who may not understand the nuances of social cues making autistic children and adults targets. In this podcast, Kelly speaks with Dennis Debbaudt, long-time safety trainer and author on how to create a cyber safety plan. Links for filters and protections can be found here:

Dennis: Autism Risk & Safety Management | Autism Training for Police (autismriskmanagement.com)

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Kelly & Jen talk with long-time Registered Behavior Therapist Salvador Cadenas about why he works with children and adults on the autism spectrum with severe behavior and shares his perspective on what BCBAs and families get right to keep behavior interventionists (RBTs) in their jobs, and what they don't get right, which may contribute to turnover and burnout. In this session, we also discuss the importance of not using jargon when working with families and reference the following research article:

Effects of Jargon on Parent Implementation of Discrete Trial Teaching | Request PDF (researchgate.net) Salvador is also a published author and you can find his book here:

The Lonely Blue: Cadenas Jr, Salvador, Bacon, Erika: 9798511837178: Amazon.com: Books Sponsored by: Cite Pro

Jen & Kelly talk about the benefits of exercise. Did you know that exercise has been proven to increase flow to the brain, help with concentration, and improve sleep? With devices taking over, children and adults are exercising less. Kelly & Jen talk about all of the benefits and programs Special Olympics has to offer including both team and individualized programs that may be more fun and effective. Kelly & Jen also talk about ways to use simple ABA strategies to get kids moving in an effective and fun way. Check out Special Olympics here to find one in your state. Special Olympics Use their Young Athletes program for kids ages 2-7. Young Athletes (specialolympics.org) Sponsored by Cite Pro

Kelly & Jen wrap up season 3 by talking about the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysis, specifically 2.12, Considering Medical Needs. "Behavior Analysts ensure, to the best of their ability that medical needs are addressed and make referrals as needed." From the caregiver's perspective, finding qualified medical professionals that understand and even help those on the autism spectrum is nearly impossible. With GI disorders nearly eight times more common in children and adults with autism than other children and adults, a call to action must happen. Sponsored by Cite Pro

Kelly & Jen get deep and talk about how Jen copes when her severely impacted son with autism is aggressive toward her, and suggests ways BCBAs can support caregivers after those moments. Sponsored by https://www.citepro.com