The SEED Center Earns BHCOE Accreditation and BHCOE Training Site Accreditation
Receiving National Recognition for Commitment to Quality Improvement

Stamford, CT – BHCOE Accreditation has recognized The SEED Center (Center For Social Enrichment and Educational Development) with Full Accreditation as well as Training Site Accreditation, acknowledging the organization as a behavioral service provider dedicated to continuous improvement in applied behavior analysis. BHCOE Accreditation recognizes behavioral health providers that excel in the areas of clinical quality, staff qualifications and consumer satisfaction and promote systems that enhance these areas. These areas are measured with a wide-ranging audit, including interviews with agency clinical leadership, in-depth on-site observation, a detailed staff qualification review, an anonymous staff satisfaction survey and an anonymous consumer satisfaction survey.

BHCOE Accreditation is the only applied behavior analysis (ABA)-specific accreditation. It provides feedback regarding clinical best practices, staff satisfaction and turnover, and consumer protection. Acting as a third-party, the organization systematically measures and reports on existing quality criteria in the behavior analysis community using standardized methods and practices, and accredits only those service agencies that meet these standards.

“We take great pride in offering quality services to our community in Stamford Connecticut,” said owner Evan Schermer. “Earning BHCOE Accreditation reflects the hard work and dedication that’s put forth by our staff each and every day. We look forward to continuing to grow and flourish at The SEED Center.”

About BHCOE Accreditation

BHCOE Accreditation is a trusted source that recognizes behavioral health organizations committed to continuous quality improvement. BHCOE offers a third-party measurement system that differentiates and provides independent feedback on clinical quality indicators. The BHCOE criterion features standards that subject-matter experts developed to measure effective applied behavior analysis services. For more information, visit www.bhcoe.org.

About The SEED Center

Information about the company. For more information, please visit www.seedautismcenter.com. If you are in need of BCBA supervision hours and interested in receiving training at our accredited center, please email us at careers@nullseedaustismcenter.com.

19th Annual CTABA Conference

March 10, 2023

Connecticut Convention Center Hartford, Connecticut

Pre-Conference Workshops

March 9, 2023

 

CTABA is the perfect event if you want to stay current on developing ABA theories and practices or if you just want to network with other professionals in the field. CTABA is the central most informative conference for all ABA specialists in Connecticut so come out and join us to learn, network, and share ideas. Don’t miss out on games, demonstrations, special offers, and more!

Invited Speakers:

• Dr. Pat Friman
• Dr. Jon Bailey
• Dr. Gregory Hanley

 

How to prepare for your first ABA session

The first sessions can be the most difficult. You’re not only learning how to run an ABA therapy session, but you’re also getting to know your learners and their families.

 
Talk with a BCBA

To make this process easier, talk with a BCBA. They will help you decide what programs you’ll be running, what goals you should focus on, and what tasks you should choose for each session. In addition, they can provide you with other resources that may be helpful for your first session. Finally, make sure you have a good relationship with the families. They are your primary source of information about their child, so it’s essential that they feel comfortable talking with you.

Pairing is super important

Have fun! If you enjoy what you’re doing and make learning enjoyable for the learner, it will be easier for them to learn new skills. Also, remember the goal of your first session is not to get a lot of data. You don’t need to run a complete program to see if it works. Instead, focus on running one or two tasks that will give you an idea of what types of behaviors your learners exhibit and how they respond when presented with different stimuli.

Plan Plan Plan

Finally, Plan Plan Plan! Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Ask them for clarification if you need help understanding what the parent/guardian is saying. Preparation is the Key to success; once you learn your learner, you can plan for future mishaps or accomplishments.
Remember, like raising children; ABA takes a village, so utilize your team! At The SEED Center, we provide in-depth, hands-on training for all Behavior Technicians and Registered Behavior Technicians; we believe in continuity of care, as well as family involvement!

Sleep Problems in Children with Autism

It’s no secret that sleep is vital for so many reasons. Getting a good night’s sleep can help with growth, development, learning, memory, attention, social situations, and much more. Individuals with autism often find themselves having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. In fact, sleep problems in children with autism are as high as 80%. Not getting enough rest can cause certain autistic conditions, including repetitive behaviors, to worsen. It can also cause daytime sleepiness, behavioral issues, learning problems, and aggression.

Children with autism generally take about 11 minutes longer to fall asleep and may wake up frequently during the night. They spend about 15% of their sleeping time in the REM stage whereas individuals not on the spectrum spend about 23% of their night in REM sleep.

Good Bedtime Habits

There are several ways in which parents and caregivers can help improve their child’s sleep. Establishing a good, healthy routine is one important way to fix sleep problems. This may include:

Setting a regular bedtime- Having your child go to bed around the same time each night encourages better sleep patterns. To determine what time your child should go to bed, it is important to look at what time your child needs to wake up and how alert they are during the day. It is also important to try to keep the same bedtime on the weekends and during holidays.

Creating bedtime routines- Having a routine of a bath, healthy snack, and story may help. After doing the routine for some time, your child will catch on and understand what is expected of them next. Give your child updates such as “30 more minutes before it’s time for bed”. Visual supports may help your child understand the steps as well. When your child completes the routine correctly, you could give them stickers on a chart. Always praise them for completing the steps successfully.

Creating a comfortable sleep environment- This includes having a cool, dark room that is quiet and as comfortable as possible. It is important to remove objects from their room that might stop your child from falling asleep or sleeping comfortably.

Avoiding screens- If your child has a difficult time relaxing and settling for bed, it could be due to watching TV or playing a tablet right before bed. Limit screen time for at least an hour before bedtime.

Getting exercise- Going on a walk or playing outside can help encourage your child to be more active, burning off some of the energy they have built up throughout the day.

Removing naps- If you have a preschooler, naps are still okay. As your child gets older, make sure they are not napping as this could prevent them from going to sleep at their bedtime.

Contact Our Autism Treatment Center

The SEED Center provides center-based and in-home ABA therapy services to Stamford, Greenwich, and Norwalk, CT, as well as other areas in Fairfield County. With our home-based autism services, your child will have the opportunity to learn and implement skills in the comfort of their homes. This may include daily activities and routines such as getting dressed, toilet training, bedtime routines, and more. If your child is diagnosed with autism and you’re looking for an ABA facility that will work with you on nighttime routine contact the Seed Center. We can discuss treatment options and provide you with the support you are looking for. Call today!

What Can The SEED Center Do for You?

Are you fresh out of college and looking for your first “real” job? Did you major in psychology and you’re not sure what direction to take? Are you looking to make a career change, but not sure where you want to go? Let us help you! The SEED Center is hiring individuals like you for our behavior technician role. We are looking for candidates who want to make a difference in the lives of children on the autism spectrum, along with their families.

We provide two weeks of paid in-house training and the ability to shadow current behavior technicians. We also provide RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) training to all new behavior technicians and clinical supervision hours to BCBA candidates with no cost to them, while working at the center. Our clinical supervisors are always available to act as mentors to our new therapists.

Not only do we provide training opportunities, but we also provide a variety of benefits. The SEED Center offers paid time-off and paid holidays for our full-time employees. We offer discounted Purdue University courses along with a discounted Verizon bill for all. We know how important it is to have health, dental, and vision insurance, and a 401k, so we offer these plans to our full-time employees. Along with these financial benefits, we offer continuing training programs, mentorship programs, and access to Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Apply for a Position at Our Autism Treatment Center

The SEED Center values all of our employees, as well as a healthy work-life balance. That is why we take pride in always showing our staff how valuable they are to the center. From coordinating staff outings to always having an open door policy, our employees are the root to our success. Get in touch with us today and let’s work together to start changing lives!

 

The summer months can provide families with many opportunities to engage in fun activities and time to make memories that will last a lifetime. However, this is a time when students with autism may struggle. Children need routine, especially those with autism.

During the summer months, routine is usually thrown off. Less structure and routine can lead to more tantrums. To reduce these tantrums, parents should try to create a structured, daily routine so their children know what to expect.

Summer is a perfect time to provide children with autism seasonal opportunities to expand their skills. Some activities may even go hand in hand with what they are working on in ABA therapy as they focus on socialization, sensorimotor activities, and more.

Activities for Summer

Going for a Walk – This is a great activity for anyone to take part in. Not only is it a great way to keep you moving, but it gives children with autism a way to improve their social skills as they can talk with their parents, siblings, neighbors, and more. It also helps improve their safety skills, esp with “stranger danger”.

Playing I-Spy – The classic game of I-Spy is a great way to help receptive language. The child must listen to the clue and use complex thinking to figure out the object in mind. This will also help communication skills and encourage patience, instead of a tantrum, if they get the answer wrong.

Playdates – Since they will be out of the school setting, getting children together with their friends is a great way to hone in on those social skills. Encourage opportunities for social interactions.

Play at the Park – Children love going to the park! It gives them more space to run and play and allows for opportunities to work on their social skills as they are interacting with other kids. It may also help them manage unexpected situations as these will arise on the playground.

Swimming – Swimming is a great activity for summer! If your child knows how to swim or they are still learning, swimming provides a great opportunity to learn a new skill and engage in conversation with family and friends.

Arts & Crafts – Crafts are a great project to do any time of the year. These projects help your children follow directions and give them an opportunity to be creative and express themselves in a way that doesn’t require talking.

Movie Night- Watching a movie together provides many learning opportunities for your child. From encouraging social and communication skills to other relationship skills, a movie requires your child to know when it is okay to talk versus when it is not considerate to talk.

Games – Games provide a variety of skills including turn-taking, waiting, language, cognitive, and more. Grab a board game and have a game night!

Contact Us

At The SEED Center, help families and individuals with autism throughout the Stamford, Greenwich, and Norwalk, CT areas. If you are looking for ways to help your child, keep them busy this summer, or for ABA therapy, contact our autism treatment center and we can get you or your child started. We offer a variety of social groups and provide quality parent training to help everyone involved reach their full potential. Don’t stress out this summer. Be sure to have a plan and let our team assist you. Contact us today!

Positive Languages Alternatives For Children

 

The language you use will always have an effect on the response you receive; this is especially true for children, and even more so for children with autism. Switching to positive language alternatives for requests, opinions, and feedback – even simple changes such as “I like it when…” instead of “please don’t” – can shift your communication in a more positive way and have a profound effect on a child’s development. For children with autism, using these alternatives to encourage and reinforce good behavior has shown to reduce conflict and improve cooperation and optimism. Taking a positive approach as an alternative to saying “no” or “stop” will go farther every time, whether you’re a parent or an autism services professional.

Consider What You Are Trying to Say

Many parents and educators say the word “no” so often that it begins to lose meaning. Repetition and consistency is especially important when communicating with anyone with autism; if you’re saying the word “no” to represent different meanings, your child could end up confused. To convey your meaning more clearly, try to consider what you want to get across:

• Instead of Saying: Calm down!
• Say: How can I help you?

 

• Instead of Saying: No, you can’t have a snack right now.
• Say: Let’s check your schedule. First we do homework, then we have a snack.

 

• Instead of Saying: No running!
• Say: Walk, please.

 

• Instead of Saying: No yelling! Be quiet!
• Say: Please use a softer voice to tell me what’s wrong.

 

All children, especially children with autism, can learn to identify what they can do in a situation rather than focusing on the negative; you can help them with this by modeling positive language in your day-to-day interactions.

Remain Calm

Even if you focus on positive language alternatives, you might find yourself dealing with a meltdown at some point if a child is prevented from doing what they want at the moment. It is entirely true that children feed off our emotions; If we treat a child’s meltdown with frustration or anger, you will likely only escalate the situation instead of mitigating it. Try to remain calm and remember that your child is not trying to give you a tough time – they are having a tough time. Clearly and calmly tell them what you expect and be sure to teach them ways to express their own feelings so they learn other ways to communicate their desires.

Consistency

Using positive language alternatives should not be confused with sidestepping an issue or saying “yes” more often – in fact, it’s extremely important to refrain from caving even in the face of a meltdown. For example, if your child melts down while begging for a specific toy, giving them that toy will underline the negative behavior and reinforce it for the next time the situation arises. If your child is consistently denied that toy, it’s possible for them to learn that a meltdown in this situation will not get them what they want. Be clear in your language and confident in your choices – you know what’s best for your child, not vice versa.

 

 

Our lives are constantly revolving around smartphones, computers, and the internet. Whenever we want to talk to our best friends, we pick up our phones and send a quick text, but our tablets and phones aren’t just used for messaging and scrolling through social media feeds anymore. Technology can now be used to assist in applied behavior analysis therapy, or ABA therapy, and can help people on the autism spectrum. Here are some ways that ABA therapists are using technology to positively impact the lives of people with special needs. Teaching and Learning Downloading computer or phone apps can help the teaching and learning skills of someone on the spectrum. ABA therapists can use gaming apps that can show younger children how to match colors and shapes, count numbers, and match different symbols all while keeping them engaged with the content. These apps can also be used as a reward to promote positive behavior. Teaching games can be used to show how to perform certain tasks such as chores and morning and night routines. Parents can also download these apps for at-home ABA therapy learning. Communication Skills The use of technology can help those who have autism who have trouble with talking or verbalizing their feelings. An ABA therapist can use words or images on a tablet or computer screen that a patient can point to in order to say something or reply to questions. This enhances their communication skills and can be used at home to have discussions. This practice can be applied to social media. These individuals can talk to friends online without the pressure of a face-to-face conversation. Speaking to others online may help translate these skills to outside sources like school or work. Task Management Digital timers and visual schedules can be an easy way to keep special needs individuals on track for different tasks and duties. Digital timers can be used to recognize how much time is allotted for specific activities. Visual schedules on a tablet or computer can be easily decorated to the likeliness of the person so it can keep them interested and informed on what the day entails. The schedule can include either words or pictures and can be simple to understand. This can also help the individual become more independent because as time goes on, they’ll comprehend their schedule and shouldn’t ask for guidance on what to do next. Overall, technology usage in autism and special needs patients can lead to an enhancement in their lives and become a gateway to becoming more independent in teaching and learning, communication, and management skills – all skills that can be positively applied to other factors in their lives.

What board certification means and how to get it in Connecticut

In 2018, Connecticut joined Rhode Island to become another New England state requiring board certification for its Board Certified Behavior Analysts, or BCBAs. Behavior analysts work in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, conducting ABA therapy, which is a scientifically backed method to help children with autism adjust behaviors associated with negative outcomes. On average, postgraduates report satisfaction with a chosen career in ABA therapy. Working with an organization like The SEED Center will guarantee that your hard work in school will be put to immediate use with real children and families navigating autism in Stamford, Greenwich, and Norwalk, as well as other locations in Fairfield County. Behavior Analyst Qualifications In order to become a behavior analyst, one has to have extensive education and training. You must earn a graduate degree in the field or in a related field of psychology, gain necessary hands-on experience in different settings, and — of course — get board certification. Certification is handled by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), which is based in Littleton, CO. Factors Involved in Certification Gaining board certification means successfully taking and passing the Behavior Analysis Certification Board’s exam (also called the BACB exam.) But, before you can take the exam, you have to qualify for it by completing the necessary behavior-analytic coursework, faculty teaching and research, or postdoctoral experience. Then you’ll need to maintain your certification by retaking the test every two years, continuing to adhere to ethical codes set forth by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and meeting continued education requirements. What You Can Do with Board Certification The psychological knowledge and hands-on experience you gain as a BCBA can take you in any number of directions professionally. The skills of a behavior analyst easily translate into autism services for schools, hospitals, healthcare, social work, or other private work. With the high level of education behavior analysts have likely already attained, a doctoral degree and other academic paths are also open to them.