Submitted by: Lindsey Knopf, BCBA

Resurgence has not been a term that has been frequently used in ABA, but it is very important because it occurs frequently. Resurgence describes the recurrence of a previously reinforced behavior following the extinction of the subsequently reinforced alternative behavior. This means that an appropriate behavior that used to be reinforced is no longer getting any reinforcement (i.e. it is being put on extinction).

For example, a problem behavior such as whining used to get a child access to something preferred, such as candy. But then the child is taught to ask appropriately for what he or she wants by saying “candy” without whining. Asking for candy appropriately now always gets the child candy, rather than the whining. However, in school the candy is not always available and when asking appropriately is no longer reinforced frequently enough, problem behaviors such as whining will come back again or reoccur given that these behaviors have gotten the child candy in the past.

Here is another example of resurgence and how it can be broken down into 3 phases:

• Phase 1: A problem behavior is reinforced (e.g. shouting out an answer in class always gets attention from the teacher).
• Phase 2: An alternate behavior is reinforced while the target behavior is put on extinction (e.g. raising hand is given attention and shouting out the answer is ignored).
• Phase 3: The alternate behavior is not reinforced as often so the problem behavior begins to RESURGE or reoccur given its reinforcement history (e.g. raising hand is no longer reinforced every time due to a substitute teacher who does not know to call on the student who is now raising his/her hand instead of shouting/other kids are getting called on so the child shouts out the answer since this behavior has gotten attention in the past).

This concept is important because when placing problem behavior on extinction (i.e. no longer allowing the behavior to contact reinforcement) and teaching replacement/alternate behaviors, we need to make sure that we continue to reinforce the replacement behavior so that the problem behavior does not reoccur. A fixed time schedule of reinforcement refers to when a fixed amount of time is required to earn a reinforcer (e.g. providing reinforcement every minute that problem behavior does not occur). Using a fixed time schedule of reinforcement can also help maintain the alternate/appropriate behavior. This shows the child that he or she does not need to engage in the problem behavior to access reinforcement.

When teaching an alternate behavior, we need to start with a dense schedule of reinforcement (e.g. providing reinforcement every time the behavior occurs) and then gradually fade the schedule (e.g. providing reinforcement every other time the behavior occurs, then about every few times the behavior occurs, then about every 5 times, etc.) to the point where it is manageable for caregivers to provide reinforcement in the natural environment. The fact that the child can perform the alternative behavior does not necessarily indicate that natural occurring schedules of reinforcement will maintain it. We should let all treatment team members and caregivers know what behavior(s) we are placing on extinction and what behavior(s) we are reinforcing. Our goal is to reduce problem behavior and increase appropriate behaviors, so it is very important to be aware of resurgence and actively prevent it from occurring.

Talk to your child’s ABA instructor about the function of your child’s problem behavior and the replacement behaviors that are being worked on. Work on increasing and maintaining replacement behaviors by:

• Having the ABA instructor come into your home or community setting to model how to reinforce the replacement behavior and place the problem behavior (s) on extinction.
• Asking for more center-based parent training.
• Providing extra reinforcement for more independent responding (differential reinforcement).
• Providing reinforcement immediately after your child engages in the replacement behavior (between 0-5 seconds).
• Providing reinforcement that serves the same function as the problem behavior (allowing escape or a break from a difficult or aversive task, providing attention to the child, giving the child access to a preferred item or activity, or allowing the child to engage in a sensory activity).
• Providing reinforcement every time the replacement behavior occurs, then gradually fading reinforcement for the replacement behavior.
• Making sure problem behavior never contacts reinforcement.
• Reinforcing the absence of problem behavior.

The post Resurgence: Problem Behavior Occurs When Appropriate Behavior Was Taught appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

It’s Important to Listen!

Children with autism often have a difficult time attending to the words given by other people. They can be distracted by other noises in the room which makes it difficult for them to follow the instructions given by another person. Parents or caregivers who are giving listener instructions may have to compete with the inner thoughts of the child.

Children on the spectrum are taught listening skills in ABA based upon the VB-MAPP created by Mark Sundberg. Children can acquire listening skills based upon their atypical developing peers. We teach basic skills and then can move to more complex skills. Simple task of touching an item or finding an item to more complex of three step directives. When giving a directive to a child always be sure to connect the act with the demand, follow through with prompting the child with the correct response.

Teaching listening skills opens doors for the child with autism, such as being able to attend in school, attend to peers, and engage in conversation as active listeners. Listening skills are important in communication and in relationships. Teaching active listening skills to your child will help to benefit them in the long run and help them to be more successful in social and communication areas.

The post It’s Important to Listen appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: Amanda Coad, M.Ed., BCBA

We have all seen this scenario before: parents are out to dinner and their child starts crying. It’s so common for children to cry that many don’t even blink an eye when they hear a child start crying in certain environments. But what about when a child starts to flap their hands in excitement that their dinner has arrived; that they begin rocking and humming due to the loud atmosphere, or throwing items off of a grocery store shelf because they were told they can’t have a certain type of cereal (way to go parents for following through!!).

People begin to stare, and sometimes blatantly. Often questions follow – “What is wrong with him/her?” “Are they special?” “Why don’t they discipline their children more?” How does our community answer such invasive and sometimes rude questions?

First, there is absolutely nothing wrong with your child. Nothing, zero, zip, nada. Secondly, as a society, we can look at these questions several ways. You can educate them on what your child’s exceptionality is in addition to explaining why those types of questions may be hurtful to others in this specific population. Or, when met with those invasive and sometimes rude questions, we can politely say, “Thank you for your concern, however there is nothing wrong, I hope you have a nice day” and then continue with your day. Often the stares are harder than the questions, and in those situations you can choose to politely state that it is inappropriate to stare, and then continue on with your daily activities. You can also choose not to respond at all. It is your right as a parent, regardless of your child’s exceptionalities, to divulge as much or as little as you want. Just because something that may look different to others, does not mean that your child is less than others.

Unfortunately, we cannot control the actions of others. However, we do have control over our reactions. It is whatever you – as parent – feel most comfortable with. Whichever response you choose to give should be in the best interest of your family and you should know that you are giving your child something they will have for the rest of their life: love.

The post It’s Called Love appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: René Tomey, M.A., BCBA

Have you ever attended an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting? Or maybe you are the parent of a young child preparing for your first IEP meeting, and you’re wondering what to expect? As a former special education teacher, I have a unique perspective on IEP meetings, and have attended these meetings as both a public school teacher and a private provider. In this post, I’d like to share with you some tips and suggestions for making the most out of your child’s IEP meeting.

Let’s begin by explaining what exactly the IEP is. An IEP is a document developed for every child attending public school that requires special education services. IEPs are developed to ensure that any child with a disability as defined by law receives the services, accommodations, and/or modifications that he or she may need to access the curriculum. When a child first enters public education, a team of professionals, such as a teacher, psychologist, counselor, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, and so on, comes together to develop an IEP based on that child’s individual needs. Every year, the child’s current team will reconvene to update the IEP and set new goals and objectives.

When it comes time for your child’s IEP meeting there are many things you can do before, during, and after the meeting to ensure that your child is receiving the appropriate services to meet his/her needs.

Before the meeting, you can…

• Ask what type of IEP meeting it is! Is this the annual update, a meeting to request permission for testing, a meeting to discuss extended school year services, or an addendum to the current IEP?
• Talk to your child’s teachers, therapists, and any others that play a role in his/her day-to-day education. Ask for a draft copy of the proposed services and goals so you can review them before the meeting and prevent surprises.
• If applicable, review previous IEPs and progress reports so you know what has already been mastered and where your child should be performing.
• Write down any thoughts and questions you may have.
• Let the team know if you will be attending the meeting. By law, you are required to receive 7-10 days notice prior to a scheduled meeting.
• If you have a trusted friend, relative, outside provider, etc. ask him/her to accompany you to the meeting to help paint a complete picture of your child.

During the meeting, you can…

• Participate and collaborate – you are a part of the team, too!
• Be prepared to hear about both successes and challenges, as well as areas for improvement.
• Ask questions! If you don’t understand an acronym or term that is used, ask for clarification. If you don’t know why a specific goal has been chosen, ask about that, too.
• Stay calm and courteous, and try to understand everyone’s point of view. If skills are not educationally relevant (meaning they are not applicable and/or functional within the school setting), then teachers and therapists may not be allowed to address them.
• Know that there is no time limit. If you are not ready for the meeting to end or comfortable with what is being presented, do not feel rushed.

After the meeting, you can…

• Ask for a follow up meeting if you need more time to review documentation or process what is being presented. Hopefully, if you received a draft of the IEP before the meeting, this won’t be necessary. However, you don’t have to sign the IEP that day if you are uneasy.
• Keep a copy of the final IEP somewhere safe.
• Continue to build and maintain a relationship with your child’s teachers and therapists.

Hopefully this information helps give you a better idea of how the IEP process works and what you can reasonably expect from your child’s educational team. Remember, you can always ask us for help and support if you need it!

The post Making the Most out of Your Child’s IEP Meeting appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: Lauren Green, BCBA

Receiving a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is imaginably difficult. As a parent, answers are what we seek. What additional supports are there for my child and how do I go about knowing what sources of information to trust?

I have social media and I see articles, blogs, and posts from friends that show so many things that help their children with Autism. I have seen essential oils, diets, weighted vests and blankets, therapies that I have never heard of, but claim to cure Autism. I am desperate to see changes and to help my child. How do I determine if these things will really help?

If you have ever felt this way, please know you are not alone. Thankfully, there are some really great resources for parents of person’s with Autism Spectrum Disorder. These resources will help you determine what research has been conducted for the treatments you read about online as well as what treatments are proven to be effective in reducing the symptoms associated with ASD.

One resource that is particularly helpful in aiding parents in determining effectiveness of treatment is the National Standards Report by the National Autism Center. The report takes a look at all treatments that have had any research completed and categorizes the treatments into the following areas: Established Treatments (there is substantial research producing positive outcomes for the treatments listed), Emerging Treatments (there is some research showing positive outcomes, but more research is needed before determining if the treatments are effective treatments), Unestablished Treatments (there is little to no research done on these treatments to draw conclusions on their effectiveness or ineffectiveness), and Ineffective/Harmful Treatments (there are several well-controlled studies that show there is no positive effect from the treatment or the treatment produces harmful outcomes). Below is a link to the National Standards Report:

http://www.autismdiagnostics.com/assets/Resources/NSP2.pdf

Another resource for parents and families is the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). Their website is user friendly and allows parents to access information regarding effective treatments for their children. The website features a section regarding treatments, but also a section dedicated to parents who are navigating life with a child with ASD. Please visit the ASAT online at the link below:

http://www.asatonline.org/for-parents/

As you seek out help for your child, remember that you aren’t alone in your questions. You aren’t alone in your desires to see your child progress. You aren’t alone in wondering where to begin searching for answers. As you search, we hope you consider the use of resources listed above as guidance for choosing effective treatments.

The post So Many Cures, Which One Should I Try for My Child? appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: Katy Hudson, BCBA

When I first began my coursework in ABA, my professor stated that this field is very much like alphabet soup in that many terms are shortened into initialisms so it seems that there are just letters floating around. As a parent it can be very daunting when your therapist comes out with your child and states something along the lines of “The data shows the DRO we are using is effective” or “we are using an FR2 schedule and will work up to a VR 5.”, or when you see the weekly summary sheet and see notations like “Mastered 5 LRFFCs, 6 IVs, and 2 LR”. While we try our best to explain what each one of these terms are, it may be helpful to have an overview of some of the terms that are used.

Operants:

LRFFC – Listener Responding by Feature, Function, or Class. This means that your child is making a choice based on a feature of an item (“Find something red”), a function (“Which one cuts paper?”) or a class (“Where is a vehicle?”). We can also use this to have them make a choice based on all three, for example, “Find a yellow vehicle that takes you places” and the child selects a school bus or a taxi depending on what vehicle is in the array.

IV – Intraverbal. An intraverbal is essentially a response to a statement, answer to a question, or a fill-in-the-blank response. An example of an intraverbals is if I said “How was your day today?” and you stated “It was good!” Another example would be if I said “Twinkle twinkle little….” And you stated “star”. Day to day conversations are also examples of intraverbals.

LR – Listener responding. This means following verbal directions that are given.

Schedules of reinforcement:

FR – Fixed Ratio (commonly followed by a number, i.e. FR4). In the FR4 example this means that for every 4 responses, reinforcement will occur. So if I answered 4 questions correctly, I would then get a token for my token board or something else preferred.

FI – Fixed Interval. This has to do with a passage of time. For example, every 2 minutes I sit on my bottom in the chair appropriately, I would get reinforcement. However, if I got up after 1:30, I would not get the reinforcer because I didn’t make it to 2 minutes.

VR – Variable Ratio. This requires that a variable number of responses occur to receive the reinforcer. So for a VR 5, the responses needed to get reinforcement may be 3,7,4, and 6. These numbers average out to 5 responses (VR5).

VI – Variable Interval. This requires that a variable amount of time pass prior to receiving reinforcement. If we set a VI 2 requirement, the child may need to engage appropriately for 1 minute and then 3 minutes (which averages out to 2 minutes) to receive reinforcement.

Differential Reinforcement:

DRA – Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior. This means that we would reinforce occurrences of a behavior that is an alternative to the problem behavior. For example, we would praise tapping someone’s shoulder gently to get attention rather than hitting that person’s arm.

DRI – Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. This means that reinforcement would occur for desired behaviors that are incompatible with the problem behavior. An example of this would be praising a child for sitting in their seat rather than walking around the room. You cannot sit and stand at the same time so this makes these two behaviors incompatible with one another.

DRO – Differential reinforcement of other behavior. This means that reinforcement would be delivered when a problem behavior has not occurred during or at a specific time. For example, if you have gone two minutes without yelling, you would then receive your reinforcer.

While these are not all of the terms that are used in ABA, these are some that are frequently used and discussed with parents. Hopefully this will help in making clearer the alphabet soup that is our wonderful field.

The post Alphabet Soup appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: Anna Beth Baden, M.Ed., BCBA

The field of Applied Behavior Analysis places a huge emphasis on the function (or the reason) of behavior. There are four main functions for behavior: (1) to get attention, (2) o get out of something (escape), (3) to obtain a preferred item (tangible), or (4) because of the way it feels (sensory). We engage in many behaviors in order to get something or get away from something. For many, it is easy to get access to things they want. For example, I could ask someone for some Sour Patch Kids or begin a conversation with someone to get attention. For people with autism or other disabilities, this communication can sometimes be extremely difficult. This difficulty or lack of communication skills often leads to problem behaviors.

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is often used to teach people with disabilities to communicate a person’s wants or needs.  In order to teach a person how to communicate we must first determine what the person wants. Behavior Analysts use assessments to figure out why a person is engaging in the challenging behavior and then create a plan to teach the person a socially appropriate way to communicate that want or need. This socially appropriate way to communicate may be through spoken words, such as “I need a break,” or even by handing a picture to a person to communicate that need.

When first beginning FCT, the appropriate requests may need to be prompted and must be honored or reinforced every time they occur. Over time, as the person is independently and appropriately requesting what he or she wants, a delay can be built in before the request is reinforced until, eventually, the person will be able to tolerate a long delay before getting the item or escaping the demand.

Functional Communication Training is a wonderful tool that can be used to improve communication between you and your loved ones.

The post What is the Point of Functional Communication Training? appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Submitted by: Stacey Francesconi, BCBA

There are big things happening for Reaching Milestones in 2017! Already an established agency in the Southern Region (Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina), Reaching Milestones strives to bring high quality ABA services to families in need. In the new year we are broadening our services to cover a new region: New York! New York state is a mandated insurance coverage state but with a lack of providers in the Upstate Region quality services are hard to come by. The following is the process that lead to the Capital Region getting its very own Reaching Milestones clinic!

My name is Stacey and I joined the Reaching Milestones team in 2012. I am a certified Special Education teacher who needed a change of pace. Once joining the team as a behavior technician I was hooked on ABA. I worked my way up to lead behavior technician, BCaBA, BCBA, and supervising BCBA in my 3 years at the Richmond Hill Georgia clinic. This was the best time of my life but I wanted to move back to my home state of New York to be with family. Once arriving home I realized the immense shortage of clinics who were like Reaching Milestones. Who am I kidding I was shocked at the lack of ABA in this area all around! I showed a need, met with lots of influential people, and proposed an offer to the leaders at Reaching Milestones. I was unsure if they’d be willing to expand that far or to give me a chance. After reviewing my hard work and the NEED in this area they decided it was time for Reaching Milestones to give these families in need the high-quality services they both needed and deserved. Now it was my time to make it happen!

We have had a lot of help along the way from doctors, families, other practitioners, and others in the field. Dr. Bentley from Developmental Pediatrics in Latham has been instrumental in getting our mission statement out to parents and believing in our contiguity of services. Janine Kruiswijk and the Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region have let us host parent trainings on toilet training and food acceptance. They have welcomed us to many of their events where we could spread the word on ABA. The amazing ladies at ABC Nursery School in Clifton Park have been the most welcoming and open hosts as we await our own building. They have let us use space to see a small amount of kids while we develop a client base and determine the perfect building space for our own clinic. There have been many others on the journey, too many to name, and we thank them all!

At this point we are credentialed with multiple insurance agencies, have a small group of clients, and have been hosting workshops and events. The future holds our own building with what I know will be an amazing staff. The process has been tough, and the hardest parts might not be over for me but in the end I know it will be worth it to help the families that need it right here in my hometown. I am so thankful for all who have helped and cannot wait for the next leg of this journey! Stay tuned on the Reaching Milestones Facebook page to see what NY is doing and feel free to contact me if you’re in the area and would like to be a part of this amazing journey.

Let’s do this NY!

The post New Year…New Region! appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

For example, a problem behavior such as whining used to get a child access to something preferred, such as candy. But then the child is taught to ask appropriately for what he or she wants by saying “candy” without whining. Asking for candy appropriately now always gets the child candy, rather than the whining. However, in school the candy is not always available and when asking appropriately is no longer reinforced frequently enough, problem behaviors such as whining will come back again or reoccur given that these behaviors have gotten the child candy in the past.

Here is another example of resurgence and how it can be broken down into 3 phases:

• PHASE 1: A PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IS REINFORCED (E.G. SHOUTING OUT AN ANSWER IN CLASS ALWAYS GETS ATTENTION FROM THE TEACHER).
• PHASE 2: AN ALTERNATE BEHAVIOR IS REINFORCED WHILE THE TARGET BEHAVIOR IS PUT ON EXTINCTION (E.G. RAISING HAND IS GIVEN ATTENTION AND SHOUTING OUT THE ANSWER IS IGNORED).
• PHASE 3: THE ALTERNATE BEHAVIOR IS NOT REINFORCED AS OFTEN SO THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR BEGINS TO RESURGE OR REOCCUR GIVEN ITS REINFORCEMENT HISTORY (E.G. RAISING HAND IS NO LONGER REINFORCED EVERY TIME DUE TO A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER WHO DOES NOT KNOW TO CALL ON THE STUDENT WHO IS NOW RAISING HIS/HER HAND INSTEAD OF SHOUTING/OTHER KIDS ARE GETTING CALLED ON SO THE CHILD SHOUTS OUT THE ANSWER SINCE THIS BEHAVIOR HAS GOTTEN ATTENTION IN THE PAST).

This concept is important because when placing problem behavior on extinction (i.e. no longer allowing the behavior to contact reinforcement) and teaching replacement/alternate behaviors, we need to make sure that we continue to reinforce the replacement behavior so that the problem behavior does not reoccur. A fixed time schedule of reinforcement refers to when a fixed amount of time is required to earn a reinforcer (e.g. providing reinforcement every minute that problem behavior does not occur). Using a fixed time schedule of reinforcement can also help maintain the alternate/appropriate behavior. This shows the child that he or she does not need to engage in the problem behavior to access reinforcement.

When teaching an alternate behavior, we need to start with a dense schedule of reinforcement (e.g. providing reinforcement every time the behavior occurs) and then gradually fade the schedule (e.g. providing reinforcement every other time the behavior occurs, then about every few times the behavior occurs, then about every 5 times, etc.) to the point where it is manageable for caregivers to provide reinforcement in the natural environment. The fact that the child can perform the alternative behavior does not necessarily indicate that natural occurring schedules of reinforcement will maintain it. We should let all treatment team members and caregivers know what behavior(s) we are placing on extinction and what behavior(s) we are reinforcing. Our goal is to reduce problem behavior and increase appropriate behaviors, so it is very important to be aware of resurgence and actively prevent it from occurring.

Talk to your child’s ABA instructor about the function of your child’s problem behavior and the replacement behaviors that are being worked on. Work on increasing and maintaining replacement behaviors by:

• HAVING THE ABA INSTRUCTOR COME INTO YOUR HOME OR COMMUNITY SETTING TO MODEL HOW TO REINFORCE THE REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR AND PLACE THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR (S) ON EXTINCTION.
• ASKING FOR MORE CENTER-BASED PARENT TRAINING.
• PROVIDING EXTRA REINFORCEMENT FOR MORE INDEPENDENT RESPONDING (DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT).
• PROVIDING REINFORCEMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR CHILD ENGAGES IN THE REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR (BETWEEN 0-5 SECONDS).
• PROVIDING REINFORCEMENT THAT SERVES THE SAME FUNCTION AS THE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR (ALLOWING ESCAPE OR A BREAK FROM A DIFFICULT OR AVERSIVE TASK, PROVIDING ATTENTION TO THE CHILD, GIVING THE CHILD ACCESS TO A PREFERRED ITEM OR ACTIVITY, OR ALLOWING THE CHILD TO ENGAGE IN A SENSORY ACTIVITY).
• PROVIDING REINFORCEMENT EVERY TIME THE REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR OCCURS, THEN GRADUALLY FADING REINFORCEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR.
• MAKING SURE PROBLEM BEHAVIOR NEVER CONTACTS REINFORCEMENT.
• REINFORCING THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR.

The post Resurgence: Problem Behavior Occurs When Appropriate Behavior Was Taught appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

With flu season quickly approaching (feels like it may be already among us?), the results of this recent study about vaccinations seems to be pretty timely.

The word “science”, by definition, means: a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws. And the thing about science is, sometimes, it won’t do what you want it to do. And, some anti-vaccine groups and individuals have recently had to learn about this the hard way.

Beginning in 2003, a group named SafeMinds, who attributes the majority of new cases of autism to “worrisome changes in our environment,” spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, over a course of 10 years, to fund a study that it hoped would demonstrate a conclusive link between childhood vaccines and autism, according to a report in Newsweek.

The results of the study were finally published last week. And it’s safe to say that it did not turn out the way SafeMinds expected:

“Between 2003 and 2013, SafeMinds provided scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, the University of Washington, the Johnson Center for Child Health & Development and other research institutions with approximately $250,000 to conduct a long-term investigation evaluating behavioral and brain changes of baby rhesus macaques that were administered a standard course of childhood vaccines. (The National Autism Association, another organization that has questioned vaccine safety, also provided financial support for this research.) The latest paper in the multiyear project was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). In it, the researchers concluded that vaccines did not cause any brain or behavioral changes in the primates.”

You can read the full details in the articles listed above, but to sum up the entire study for you: the evidence against a vaccines-autism link is so overwhelming that even a study funded specifically to find such a link between the two, was unable to find one.

It’s one thing to spend money on an honest scientific inquiry and let the chips fall where they may. But once the inquiry has been made, it’s important to respect the facts. The reality is, there have been several studies conducted (a 2013 study in the Journal of Pediatrics, a 2015 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, to name a few) finding no evidence supporting a vaccines-autism link.

SafeMinds has pushed back against the reported findings via a statement on their website, but thus far, the evidence for a vaccine-autism connection is thin-to-nonexistent.

“The bottom line: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own science.” And the science just keeps getting clearer and clearer: Vaccines and autism aren’t linked.

And vaccines save lives.

The post Recent Study on Link between Vaccines and Autism: Results are In; Not Surprising appeared first on Reaching Milestones.