As our regular readers know, Midwest is an Autism service provider specializing in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. ABA is an evidence-based service endorsed by organizations like The National Institute of Mental Health, The American Academy of Pediatrics and The American Psychological Association. ABA is often called the “gold standard” for Autism therapy and helps kids learn everything from communication to daily living skills.
When ABA therapy was first used in the 1970s, it tried to encourage kids with ASD to become “indistinguishable from their neurotypical peers”. But overtime providers have shifted this approach to embrace differences in their clients. Now, modern ABA is focused on acceptance, empowerment and awareness. This is called “Neuropositivity”. Neuropositivity highlights the need for diversity and the development of positive self-esteem in all kids regardless of ability. Neuropostivity isn’t just a buzz word – there are actual scientific benefits! According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), using a neuropositive approach in ABA therapy “activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation.” In other words, Neuropositivity actually supports brain processing and learning!
The Role of Caregivers and Therapists
Caregivers, clinicians, and the community play all an important role in your child’s Autism journey! Surround your child with a support team that understands “different” is cool and help them nurture rockstar-level confidence. Whether this means uniting your care team (get your Speech Therapist on board with your BCBA, the Preschool teacher, and Neurologist!) or recruiting family to help promote self esteem by exploring your child’s special interests. It takes a village! Don’t be afraid to recruit yours and rely on those around you.
Everyday Strategies for Fostering Neuropositivity
Integrating affirmations into daily routines can help make Neuropositivity your new “normal”. Surround yourself with people who understand and support this goal. Maybe that’s a social media group of moms with neurodiverse children. Maybe it’s a neurodiverse play group. Or, maybe it’s finding resources so when you’re ready to engage with the Autism community, you know just where to go. The world is your oyster!
Neuropositivity at Midwest Autism Centers
At Midwest, we know building your child’s confidence early will help them long after they’ve graduated from our program! So, instead of creating rigid treatment plans, our Analysts embrace your child’s interests, learning style, and favorite activities to help them grow.
“We encourage individualism and uniqueness in everything we do with the kiddos, creating confidence in themselves and having fun in the ways that they enjoy, rather than the ways others might expect. And with neurodiverse team members we are able to relate to the struggles the kiddos are going through and use our creativity to foster an environment that is engaging and supportive for everyone. – Shawna Johnson, MS, BCBA, LBA
More Resources to Support Neuropositivity in Your Child’s Life
- PS- Check out our blog highlighting children’s books celebrating Neurodiversity.
- Free Printables with the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective
- Neurodiversity Resources for Parents & Professionals with The Center for Connection
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