Milestones Behavioral Techniques

24/03/2025

Looking forward to the staff symposium at Leiden University tomorrow! We'll be sharing our knowledge and experience with neurodiversity while fostering a dialogue with staff who want to learn to support their neurodivergent students better. We're both so excited for this opportunity.

20/02/2025

Last week I had the pleasure of delivering a lecture on autism at Leiden University, primarily focusing on the vast differences in the phenotypic presentation of autistic boys' behavior versus autistic girls' behavior. We also discussed differential diagnosis and the complexity of autism symptoms. My amazing friend, Joris, was able to engage the students in a Q&A session based on his experience as a person with autism. It was an incredible group of students, and we really enjoyed our discussions with them. Thanks again to Kelly and Anke for this wonderful opportunity!

17/12/2024

It was another wonderful holiday celebration with these amazing people. This year we had the privilege of working with 3 incredibly talented interns. I know they're all going to do great things as practitioners. 2024 also saw the beginning of our partnership with ABA Nederland. Stefan's support has been an absolute boon to our growing company. With the news of the motions against ABA in Amsterdam and Den Haag, we've had a long, stressful fight these last few months, but seeing the ABA and autism communities rally together for the rights of our clients has filled me with renewed strength. I am so proud of everything we've accomplished and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2025 has in store for us.

05/11/2024

Somber news today, everyone. We desperately need your help. In December, the municipality of The Hague is voting to defund ABA therapy. The motion has already passed in Amsterdam, leaving autistic people with no resources available to them. Health insurance does not cover youth healthcare here, so the bills they are passing now will rob autistic individuals of any chance to receive therapy.

They're claiming they're making this decision based on malpractice, which absolutely does happen in this field, but if this was solely being enacted for the benefit of autistic people then they would be pushing for better regulations and auditing, not defunding the few resources that are still available. The Netherlands already has no inclusive education options for autistic children. Systemic discrimination permeates all areas of our lives here. While I know punishment and trauma are very real issues we need to address, it's clear that this bill is simply about more healthcare budget cuts at the expense of disenfranchised individuals.

Families have been trying to fight back against the anti-ABA movement online, but it seems we are losing the fight. If something like this can happen here, I worry this is only the beginning. How long before defunding starts occurring on a global scale? I'm scared. I'm scared for the future of autistic people, who deserve the right to access evidence-based therapy. I'm scared about the lack of regulation and the abuse that's been allowed to take place. I have been silent and respectful for long enough. I am ready to fight.

We are contacting the municipalities and arranging meetings, but there's only so much we can do on this small scale. Please, please, please take a moment to sign my petition. It takes so little time and you may change countless lives if you do so. Please don't let the government take even more opportunities away from our kids. Please sign. Please share. Please help us continue fighting for the rights of autistic people in a country that seems to be actively abandoning them. Please. We need you now more than ever.

Don't defund life-saving ABA therapy

03/06/2024

Happy Pride month, everyone! June seems like a great opportunity to share some important information about the Autistic community that we serve as therapists. A 2021 study from the University of Cambridge has revealed just how common it is for Autistic individuals to identify as a sexual orientation other than heterosexual.

The study included 1,183 Autistic and 1,203 Allistic individuals and asked them to self-report their sexual orientation as either asexual, bisexual, hetereosexual, homosexual, or "other." They found that Autistic adolescents and adults were approximately 8 times more likely than their Allistic peers to identify as a either asexual or "other." Autistic AMAB participants were also 3.5 times more likely to identify as bisexual than their Allistic counterparts, and Autistic AFAB participants were 3 times more likely to identify as homosexual than their Allistic counterparts. Additionally, 12.6% of the Autistic participants identified as transgender, while only 2.0% of the Allistic participants said the same.

As a bisexual, neurodivergent BCBA, Pride month holds a very special place in my heart. This is a month where I not only feel loved and supported by the people around me, but I also get to offer that same love and respect towards the individuals to whom I have dedicated my life's work. This month, instead of buying a rainbow flag from a mega-corporation and calling your work "done," please consider supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in one of the following ways:

- Attend or volunteer at your local pride events
- Make a purchase from an LGBTQIA+ owned business
- Donate to The Trevor Project, a non-profit su***de prevention organization that provides 24/7 crisis support services and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ youth
- Engage in active listening
- Ask your LGBTQIA+ friends what would make them feel supported

I hope you have a safe and empowering Pride month ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

Source: Weir, E., Allison, C., & Baron-Cohen, S. The sexual health, orientation, and activity of autistic adolescents and adults. Autism Research (2021). DOI: 10.1002/aur.2604

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34536071/

19/03/2024

Hi there, friends and family! Autismeweek 2024 is approaching fast and we would love it if you could participate. Our friend, Julian, is asking for donations towards this year's Auti-Doe-Dagen. This is a special day, where popular destinations like zoos, theme parks, and museums cater their services towards individuals with autism. This makes for a safe, friendly, sensory-conscious day where all children and adults who have unique needs can enjoy the activities our country has to offer. Please consider donating! Even a small amount makes a difference for kids like Julian and all of the wonderful Autistic people we know 💜 Thank you!

Julian Kämper helpt het Autismefonds in het bereiken van haar doelen door geld op te halen via een online collectebus. Elke gift, groot of klein, is welkom. Geef jij ook?

30/01/2024

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