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Early Autism Services Announces Mareiko Au CEO Effective April 1st, 2021.

A message from our new CEO, Mareiko Au.

Journey
As I sit and reflect on the journey that got me here, I can definitely say that it has been a great honor to share my passion with many of you. If I was ever sure of anything throughout my life, it is that I wanted to empower children and work with people to become the best version of themselves.  I definitely went through many job experiences before calling EAS “home”. Upon finding my job at Early Autism Services, I was very specific about what I wanted in my next “job” and it was to work somewhere that cared about what they did and about the people who worked there.  I came from California, where there were as many ABA companies as there were McDonald’s. I didn’t want that.  I wanted to be happy, I wanted to make a difference and I didn’t want to be a number. What did that mean for me to be happy at my job?  Well, that meant that I received the proper training, proper support and I made an impact in a child’s life.

I remember my interview as vividly as I remember my first day of training.  In my interview, I asked “what makes you stand out from other ABA agencies?”.  The answer was simple, “We care about what we do and we care about how we do it”.  Sounds simple, but in practice, easy to lose sight of.

My first day of training was intense, very detailed and very specific about how we conducted ABA therapy, you could actually feel the passion in the intensity of my trainer.  She wanted me to be great.  As I met more people in this company, many had this same passion for being the best. I wanted to be better because everyone around me was so wonderful at their job, so I kept raising the bar for myself. How could I teach a skill better? How could I train better and how could I lead better?  How could I keep my teams, families and clients happy?  In every position as I worked my way up, I always asked those questions. It brought me joy to teach a kid a word, or to catch a ball, or ride a bike.  It also brought me joy to teach a technician to teach better or really become independent in the way they learned to acclimate to different learners. I was thrilled to watch technicians become leaders and eventually BCBA’s leading teams. It motivated me to empower them.  By creating more powerful leaders, we created more powerful technicians who could change more lives and bring more kids into care.

When I left my clinical role I thought it would leave a huge void in my heart, but I quickly found that my “why” stayed the same, but on a different level.  I still asked the same questions, but they were tailored towards things like how to create efficiencies on an organizational level and how to remove barriers so that everyone is working towards the same cause. My positions may have changed over the years, but my “why” remains the same: to work with people to reach their potential – potential beyond what they may even see that they are capable of.

Vision
In a recent interview, I was asked “what is your dream for the company?”.  I had the simplest answer, for people to be happy working here.  While that sounds so cliché, it isn’t an easy thing to achieve.  This simple concept requires not just one person, but many people to work together to create this.  Even the best leaders can’t simply conjure happiness, we must all work together to create it.  There is an African proverb that says “If you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, run together”. In this day, there are a lot of ABA providers for people to choose from.  We can’t just say we are the best, we need to prove it, and for us to really ensure we are relevant years from now, we need to “run together”.   As I step into the CEO position, I ask that we work together creating not only the best versions of ourselves and each other, but work at creating a company that we can all be proud to work for. It is in raising the bar for ourselves, that we continue to raise the bar for the children we service.

– Mareiko

EAS Story Time: Snowmen at Night: A fun read along story about snowmen that includes themes about understanding and identifying emotions. This story is a great book for children with autism who are learning about emotions.

Book Description: “Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you’ve wondered, “What do snowmen do at night?” Witty, imaginative verse offers many amusing details about the secret life of snowmen. An entertaining read-aloud for bedtime sharing or winter storytimes.

This delightful wintertime tale reveals all! Caralyn Buehner’s witty, imaginative verse offers many amusing details about the secret life of snowmen and where they go at night, while Mark Buehner’s roly-poly snowmen are bursting with personality and charm. From the highly successful team that created such winning titles as Fanny’s Dream, Snowmen at Night is fabulous, frosty, and fun!”

Parenting Tips for Story Time

• Here’s a helpful video just for the parents where our team offers simple suggestions you can use at home to help your child engage with story time at home: M.O.M Tip: minute of material – Tools to Help Your Child Engage in Story Time

Author:

Jessica Goldberg | Autism Parent & Behavior Therapist/Outreach Specialist
Early Autism Services

Learning to identify and regulate emotions can be very challenging, especially for young children on the autism spectrum. While emotions can feel overwhelming, there are tools that can help your child learn to identify, and regulate, their emotions.

Use Familiar Books & Videos

Using fun books and videos to identify facial expressions and label emotions is a fun way to teach your child to, eventually, label their own emotions.

• Here is a fun example video you can watch with your child where we read a story called “Snowmen at Night”. Using the illustrations in the book, we point out different expressions and emotions: EAS Story Time: Snowmen at Night

Parenting Tips for Story Time

• Here’s a helpful video just for the parents where our team offers simple suggestions you can use at home to help your child engage with story time at home: M.O.M Tip: minute of material – Tools to Help Your Child Engage in Story Time

Zones of Regulation

Another way you can help your child learn to identify and manage emotions is using Zones of Regulation. Identifying facial expressions can be challenging for some individuals with autism, so Zones of Regulation teaches emotions in the form of colors. Once kids learn what behaviors and emotions fall under each color, they start learning how other people feel when they are in certain zones.

How it Works

There are 4 colors: Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. (This section will have photos)

• Blue Zone means you’re tired, bored, not quite ready to work, etc.

• Green Zone means you’re calm, relaxed, ready for the day, eager to learn, etc.

• Yellow Zone means maybe you’re annoyed, getting frustrated, or maybe starting to feel a little out of control, but not quite there yet

• Red Zone means you’re out of control, furious, terrified or devastated

How to Teach Zones of Regulation at Home

Imagine your child is upset after losing a game of monopoly with his friend. He’s frustrated and starting to lose control.  He stops talking to his friend and stomps away. This would be the “yellow zone”. Using the zones approach, consider asking your child, “How do you think your behaviors are making your friend feel?” “What kinds of things are they thinking?” “What might they say to you?” These kinds of questions teach a child how their behaviors affect others. Soon after, they’re learning about appropriate responses to different events in their lives. Some problems are really big, but some are really small. Red Zone responses may be appropriate for huge problems, but they aren’t appropriate for tiny problems. Zones of Regulation focuses the rest of the curriculum on teaching appropriate replacement behaviors in the form of coping strategies. There are tons of different strategies, from breathing exercises to physical activity to requesting breaks.

Ultimately Zones of Regulation can be a great tool for teaching emotional regulation to your child. If you’d like some help in teaching the Zones to your child, reach out to your child’s BCBA. They can assess your child’s needs and build an individualized program for them. If your child does not currently have a BCBA, and you’d like to speak with a clinician, please give our team a call to schedule a free consultation.

Authors:

Heather Snodgrass | Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Early Autism Services

Jessica Goldberg | Autism Parent & Behavior Therapist/Outreach Specialist
Early Autism Services

Holiday Tips for Parents of Children with Autism

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year, full of family traditions and seasonal favorites. The holidays can also be overwhelming, especially for children with autism and their families. 

This year, with the added consideration of COVID-19, there are different challenges to consider, but with a little preparation and a lot of patience, you can create a holiday experience that your entire family can enjoy.

1.) Pre-game Prep

Take time to prepare your kiddo for the holidays and new experiences you have planned.  Reading books and watching videos about the holidays are fun ways to get into the holiday spirit.  If you are planning to travel or gather with family and friends, the following are a few tools I have found helpful with my kids:

• Social Stories – Create a basic story of what your kiddo will be doing and steps they can take to feel balanced and regulated.  This is a link to Personalized Social Story Templates from Autism Speaks
• Pictures of Friends & Relatives- If you are going to be socializing with friends and relatives, show your kiddo pictures of the people they will be visiting with and label the photos with each person’s name.
• Let Them Help- As you are preparing for the holidays, encourage your kiddo to lend a hand.  Remember, participation is different for everyone.  For some, arts & crafts or cooking is a fun way to help, while others may be content with being in the same room with you.

2.) Manage Expectations 

Keeping plans simple and managing expectations are essential in enjoying the holidays with my kids.  It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.  In order for me to model the behavior I want to see in my kids & stay calm, I’ve learned to keep things simple.  ere are a few other tips I find helpful during the holidays:

• Keep Routines & Consistent Schedules- Keeping schedules and routines consistent, will help your kiddo feel balanced. Try to plan holiday meals during a time that works best for your family.

• Pick Your Battles-  If the goal is to enjoy stress free holidays, this may not be the time to introduce new foods, goals or challenging activities.  Set your kiddo ( and yourself) up for success and keep it simple.

3.) Plan Ahead

Creating a game-plan in advance is a great way to reduce stress for you and your family. Take some time to identify what your family needs to enjoy a successful holiday experience and be sure to ask for help. Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful in planning for the holidays:

• Timing – From planning mealtimes to duration of visits, timing is everything.  Choose times that work best for your family and plan around them.  I find that “short & sweet” is best when socializing with my family and plan our departure early, to avoid sensory overload.

• Divide & Conquer –  Identify your kiddo’s needs for support and create a plan with your spouse, partner or family members.  Teamwork makes the dreamwork!  Take turns giving your kiddo the support s/he needs while visiting with friends and family.
• Identify a Quiet Space – Whether you are hosting a gathering at home or visiting friends and family, it’s helpful to identify a quiet space that your kiddo can go to and take a break.  Remind your kiddo where the space is & encourage him/her to take regular breaks to chill out & reset.

4.) Be Present and Enjoy!

The holidays are a time to be with friends and family, express love and gratitude, and celebrate! Take this time to enjoy your family favorites like listening to music; cooking a special meal (or ordering takeout); or taking a quiet walk together. Take it easy- keep it simple & enjoy your beautiful family!

Author:

Jessica Goldberg | Autism Parent & Behavior Therapist/Outreach Specialist
Early Autism Services

• Children with autism are not typically socially motivated.
• We must then find any physical item, food, or activity that motivates them.
• Finding that item will make it easier to teach your child new skills.
• Avoid thinking that your child will become too dependent on these items. If it helps them learn, then let’s use it to teach new skills.

Two ways to find items your child likes include:

1. Watch them during their free time. During free time, put your child in a spot that has all their favorite things. If needed, you can add extra stuff your child likes in the room.

• Write down what they did during their free time.
• Write down how long they did that activity for.
• Watch out for behaviors your child engages in- this can include staring at a fan, hand flapping, rubbing their hands together, looking at the wheels of cars.

2. Grab all the items and activities your child enjoys.

• You will present two items at a time as a choice. Ask your child to “pick one.”
• You will then rotate which items you present together.
• Present each item equal amount of times.
• Write down which item your child chooses most often.
• The item your child chooses the most is his/her most preferred item.

Learning new skills can help any kid get through their day to day life.