The Special Abilities

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Mississauga, ON
The Special Abilities

Board-Certified Behavior Analyst | Listed in OAP Provider List | Empowering families through ABA therapy.

Collaboratively working with families to create acceptance, appreciation, and awareness for individuals with developmental needs, and behavioral health concerns while supporting them to reach their fullest potential. Providing behavior analytic services through telehealth and in-person sessions based on competent, function-based, and empirically proven principles of Applied Behavior Analysis.

01/30/2026

Transitions are moments where one activity stops and another begins.
For many children—especially those with autism or other neurodevelopmental differences—these moments are not simple.

Everyday transitions like turning off the TV, moving from play to meals, or leaving the house can trigger strong reactions. What looks like resistance is often a response to:
• losing a preferred activity
• difficulty understanding time and waiting
• a strong need for predictability
• feeling rushed or surprised by change

These reactions signal unmet support needs, not intentional misbehavior.

Supportive strategies such as advance notice, visual timers, predictable routines, and calm communication help reduce stress during transitions. Over time, these supports teach flexibility, waiting, and emotional regulation.

ABA therapy focuses on building these skills gradually and within real daily routines—so transitions become more manageable, not overwhelming.

01/26/2026

Sensory seeking behavior occurs when a child looks for additional sensory input—such as movement, pressure, sound, or texture—to help their nervous system feel more regulated. Behaviors like jumping, running, spinning, chewing, seeking deep pressure, or touching different textures are not random or “attention-seeking.” They are ways the body is trying to meet an underlying sensory need. Recognizing these patterns helps adults respond with appropriate supports rather than trying to stop the behavior without addressing the cause.

01/25/2026

Eye contact can look different in autism, and that difference is often misunderstood.

For many autistic individuals, direct eye contact can increase sensory load or make it harder to process spoken language. Looking away does not mean disengagement, lack of interest, or poor behavior. In fact, some individuals focus and understand better when they are not required to look directly at a face.

Research shows that forcing eye contact does not improve communication and may increase stress. Attention, understanding, and connection can still be present without eye contact.

What matters most is meaningful communication — not how it looks on the surface.

01/24/2026

Types of Stimming and Sensory Differences
1) Visual Stimming
These stims engage the sense of sight and often involve watching or creating movement. Examples parents might notice:
• Flicking fingers in front of eyes
• Staring at moving objects
• Watching lights or spinning items
Visual stimming may help children manage sensory input or find comfort in predictable visual patterns.
2) Auditory or Vocal Stimming
These behaviors relate to sound and include:
• Repeating sounds or words
• Humming, singing, squealing
• Making tapping or clicking noises
Sound-based stimming can help children regulate how they process auditory input or express emotion non-verbally.
3) Tactile Stimming
Here the focus is the sense of touch. Common examples:
• Rubbing textures
• Tapping surfaces
• Chewing on objects
These actions can either increase sensory input (seeking more feeling) or soothe overstimulation.
4) Vestibular Stimming (Balance & Movement)
These involve motions that stimulate the inner ear and sense of balance:
• Rocking back and forth
• Spinning or swaying
• Jumping repeatedly
Vestibular stimming helps many children feel grounded in their bodies and can be calming.
5) Olfactory & Oral Stimming
Less talked about, these relate to smell and mouth actions:
• Smelling objects repeatedly
• Repetitive chewing or mouthing
• Licking or touching objects with the tongue
These stims can provide specific sensory feedback that helps regulate other sensory experiences.
Why These Types Matter
Children who stim often experience sensory processing differences, meaning their nervous system responds differently to sights, sounds, touch, body movement, and smell. Stimming can be a way to:
• Regulate overwhelming feelings
• Seek needed sensory input
• Self-soothe when emotions are big
• Communicate comfort or distress
Understanding what kind of stimming your child does and which senses it involves can help you support them more effectively and compassionately.

01/22/2026

Masking is not one behavior. It can show up in many small ways that are easy to miss. Research describes masking as strategies autistic individuals use to hide or suppress natural traits in order to meet social expectations.

Children may force eye contact,
copy others’ expressions,
hide stimming,
or use rehearsed phrases to get through conversations.
They may also downplay sensory discomfort
or avoid sharing interests to avoid standing out.

These behaviors are often misunderstood as good adjustment or maturity, but studies show masking requires significant effort and can increase stress over time. When parents understand what masking looks like, they can better support emotional well being rather than focusing only on outward behavior. Creating safe environments where children do not feel pressure to hide is essential for healthy development.

01/19/2026

Emotional regulation is a developmental skill, not a behavior problem.
Find out what emotional regulation actually means, why some children struggle with it, and how support helps over time.

Some children experience emotions more intensely, have difficulty calming their bodies, or don’t yet have the language to express how they feel. When regulation skills are still developing, this can show up as meltdowns, difficulty with transitions, or shutting down during emotional moments.

ABA therapy supports emotional regulation by teaching skills in small, manageable steps—such as identifying emotions, practicing calming strategies, building predictable routines, and reinforcing appropriate responses. These strategies are individualized and practiced consistently across environments.

Parents play a key role by responding calmly, modeling emotional language, and using the same strategies at home so skills generalize beyond therapy sessions.

Progress in emotional regulation is gradual. Setbacks are expected, and consistency over time is what leads to meaningful change. Research in applied behavior analysis shows that targeted instruction in emotional regulation can improve communication, behavior, and daily functioning when implemented ethically and consistently.

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01/18/2026

Tantrums and big emotional reactions are not deliberate behaviors. They are often signs that a child’s nervous system is overwhelmed and unable to cope in that moment. This post outlines practical, evidence based ways parents can respond during and outside of tantrums.

Staying calm and present helps co regulate the nervous system, as children borrow regulation from trusted adults. Naming the feeling builds emotional awareness and language over time. Reducing demands during intense moments supports safety and connection when learning is not yet accessible. Coping skills such as deep breathing, asking for help, or using visuals are most effective when practiced during calm periods. Consistent responses help create predictability, which supports emotional regulation.

Research shows that emotional regulation develops through repeated co regulation experiences and predictable adult responses. ABA therapy focuses on understanding the function of tantrums and teaching regulation skills proactively rather than reacting to behavior alone.

01/17/2026

Does the setting matter for parent involvement? 🤔
When it comes to early intervention for children under three, many people assume the home is always the best place for services. While research shows that parent attendance is often highest in the home, the setting might not be as critical as we think.
According to the sources, parents show similar levels of involvement—like communicating with providers and following advice—whether the session is at home, a provider’s office, or an early intervention center. Interestingly, the child care setting was associated with the lowest levels of parental participation, likely because parents are rarely present during those times.
The real takeaway? The quality of the relationship and the communication between the parent and the provider are actually more important than the physical location. It’s about the connection, not just the room.
When providers treat parents as active partners and maintain open communication, children see the most benefit, regardless of where the session takes place.
What has your experience been? Do you prefer home visits or going to a center? Let’s chat in the comments! 👇

01/15/2026

When a child doesn’t consistently respond to their name, it’s not about ignoring you — it reflects differences in how their brain processes social and auditory information.

Longitudinal research shows that not orienting to one’s own name in infancy is one of the earliest behavioral markers associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and clinicians often use this within developmental screening tools because it predicts later communication differences.

Neurophysiological studies using event-related potentials (ERPs) indicate that autistic children may register their name in the brain but not show the typical orienting behavior (like turning the head). This suggests they recognize the sound but the social meaning of responding may not be processed in the same way.

Auditory processing differences are also common in ASD. Many autistic children have difficulty filtering meaningful speech from background noise or processing complex auditory cues, which can make responding to their name more challenging – especially when they are focused on something else.

This is not refusal — it’s neurodevelopmental variation in attention and processing. With consistent, supportive learning and positive associations, many children improve their name response skill over time.

01/13/2026

Speech milestones are often used as reference points to understand how communication skills typically develop over time. These milestones are not labels or diagnoses, but general guidelines that help identify when additional support may be helpful.

Between 12–18 months, most children begin using their first meaningful words, with many using around 5–20 words by 18 months. A lack of words at this stage can be a reason to seek guidance.
Between 18–24 months, vocabulary usually increases and two-word combinations often begin. Difficulty combining words by age two may signal a need for further evaluation.
By 2–3 years, children commonly use short phrases and are generally understood by familiar listeners. Speech that remains difficult to understand most of the time may benefit from support.

Early speech therapy does not require a diagnosis and can be helpful even when concerns are mild. An evaluation can clarify whether skills are developing as expected or if targeted support would be useful.

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01/12/2026

Language doesn’t grow from pressure.
It grows from connection.

Linguistic mapping is a powerful, evidence-based way to support communication by simply putting words to what your child is already doing or interested in — without asking questions or demanding responses.

Instead of saying “What’s that?” or “Say ball”, you describe the moment:
“Ball. Big ball. Rolling ball.”

This reduces pressure, supports understanding first, and allows language to develop naturally through everyday routines like play, meals, and movement.

Research shows that responsive language input is more effective than directive speech, especially for children with communication delays, autism, and early learning challenges.

At The Special Abilities, linguistic mapping is just one part of a broader, individualized ABA approach. Our therapists coach parents to use multiple evidence-based strategies that build communication, learning, and independence during real life moments at home.

Small moments.
Intentional language.
Real progress.

01/09/2026

Meltdowns are not random, attention seeking, or “bad behavior.” What we see on the surface—crying, screaming, dropping to the floor, running away—is often the final result of something much deeper. Sensory overload, communication breakdowns, unexpected changes, hunger, fatigue, anxiety, or skills that are still developing can all build up until the nervous system feels overwhelmed.

When we shift our mindset from “stop the behavior” to “what is causing this?”, we create space for understanding and support. At The Special Abilities, our team focuses on identifying these hidden triggers and teaching skills like communication, coping, and transitions so everyday moments become more manageable. Supporting the cause—not just the reaction—leads to real, lasting progress.

Address

4230 Sherwoodtowne Boulevard
Mississauga, ON

Telephone

+16474645096

Website

https://www.thespecialabilities.com/

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