Functional Communication Training (FCT) is a proven strategy to replace problem behaviors with effective communication skills. In her article, Practitioners Guide for Selecting Functional Communication Responses, published in Behavior Analysis in Practice, Dr. Bethjoy Houck offers practical advice to help clinicians implement FCT successfully.

FCT focuses on giving learners a way to express their needs that works for them, whether through speech, sign language, cue cards, object exchanges, or even video clips. Dr. Houck shares creative examples that encourage thinking beyond traditional methods to meet each learner’s unique needs.

She stresses the importance of starting with assessments like Ringdahl's MTA or Valentino et al. to identify the best Functional Communication Responses (FCRs) for the individual. Practitioners should select FCRs that reinforce desired behaviors or are incompatible with the problem behavior. FCRs should be taken seriously and not unnecessarily restricted, as maintaining open and accessible communication is key to the success of FCT.

Dr. Houck emphasizes that FCT is about meeting learners where they are and giving them tools to express themselves in ways that make sense for their abilities. Whether verbal or nonverbal, communication is an essential skill, and FCT helps individuals share their needs while fostering meaningful growth.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• What is Functional Communication Training?
• 5 FCT recommendations for clinicians.
• What is an FCR?
• Getting started with FCT assessments.

Mentioned In This Episode:
ABA Speech: Home
Join the aba speech connection membership

Getting an autism evaluation for a child can be a daunting process, fraught with long waitlists, high out-of-pocket costs, and navigating complicated systems. Every moment matters when it comes to early intervention, and Dr. Michael Perisa of Zest Pediatrics is working to simplify the journey for families.

Zest Pediatrics, the first pediatric direct primary care network in the country, offers a membership-based model that removes many of the headaches families face with traditional primary care. By operating outside of insurance restrictions, Zest Pediatrics delivers care in a way that prioritizes what children truly need, without delays or limitations.

Dr. Perisa and his team across Zest Pediatrics are uniquely equipped to provide timely autism evaluations. With specialized training and the flexibility to focus on individual patients, they can intervene quickly to ensure children are seen and supported. An autism evaluation at Zest Pediatrics includes a comprehensive history intake, a behavioral assessment, and a standardized questionnaire, all analyzed to determine a diagnosis or not.

Because Zest Pediatrics doesn’t bill insurance, they offer evaluations at a flat rate of $1,250 and are actively collaborating with communities and therapy centers to help reduce financial burdens for families. If you have concerns about your child and need a faster path to evaluation, visit zestpeds.com/autism to learn more.

Speaking with Dr. Michael Perisa highlighted the importance of making care more accessible for children and families navigating autism concerns. Early intervention is critical, and Zest Pediatrics is paving the way for better, more efficient solutions.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• The challenges of getting an Autism Evaluation
• What is a Pediatric Direct Primary Care Network?
• How does Zest Pediatrics serve the Autism Community?
• The cost and components of an Autism Evaluation.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Zest Pediatric Network
Autism - Zest Pediatric Network
ABA Speech: Home
Join the aba speech connection membership

Enjoy this replay of this favorite two-part episode!

In part one of my interview with Dr. Edythe Strand. A renowned speech pathologist and former professor at Mayo College, Dr. Strand has led groundbreaking research on developmental, acquired, and progressive apraxia of speech.

Dr. Strand explains that apraxia is not a medical diagnosis but a label for a speech-sound disorder impacting the movements required to produce speech. Unlike other speech disorders, apraxia affects programming and planning movements, leading to awkward transitions, distorted sounds, and inconsistency. Therapy focuses on movement, not just sound production. Using Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC), clinicians emphasize the physical gestures that create sounds rather than isolated phonemes.

Dynamic assessments are crucial for evaluating Apraxia. Dr. Strand’s own Dynamic Evaluation of Motor-Speech Skill (DEMS) provides insight into a child’s preferred cueing and severity of their disorder. This method contrasts with traditional static assessments, which rely on single responses to stimuli.

In part two of this interview, Dr. Strand delves deeper into DTTC, a treatment she developed for children with severe apraxia. Unlike typical therapies, DTTC involves a hierarchy of cues to teach motor speech skills. Dr. Strand highlights the importance of functional, fundamental words in therapy for children with severe Apraxia, particularly those with autism.

Dr. Strand’s passion for helping children communicate shines through her work, blending research and practice to improve lives. Don’t miss the valuable resources she shares in this episode and the links to her groundbreaking research!

#autism #speectherapy

What’s Inside:

• The characteristics of Apraxia.
• What is Dynamic Assessment?
• How to approach therapy with students who have Apraxia?
• What is DTTC treatment?
• Taking data with DTTC and Dynamic Assessment.
• Choosing important words for treatment.
• Is there a connection between Apraxia and Autism?

Mentioned In This Episode:

ABA Speech: Home
Child Apraxia Treatment
Apraxia-kids: Home

Videos for Parents and Clinicians:
Overview of possible causes and types of problems in speech development
Definitions and Descriptions of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Examples of different levels of severity in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Differentiating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) from other types of speech sound disorders
Diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
How parents can help their child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): Other resources
Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Information for Parents

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