HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — According to the CDC, about one out of every 36 kids in Tennessee is diagnosed with Autism as of 2020. On Saturday, BlueSprig Pediatrics is celebrating the opening of its new autism center with a back-to-school-themed party.
The event is from 9 to 11 a.m. at the BlueSprig location in Hendersonville on Tennessee Way. Families can meet the care team and tour the center.
They can also help other students who just started school by bringing supplies that will be donated to Nannie Berry Elementary School.
There will be fun, sensory-friendly activities and treat giveaways for the whole family to enjoy. Parents can learn more about the autism center's "applied behavior analysis" or ABA therapy services while there. Michael Gutierrez, an operation support specialist at BlueSprig, explained what that is.
"You'll see us working on repetitive behaviors, what we call modeling, on a certain behavior that we want to see more of or increase, and we do all of that through positive reinforcement," said Gutierrez. So using positive reinforcement we want to increase behaviors we want to see more of and also work to decrease behaviors we want to see less of."
The most common advice from experts for parents with a child on the spectrum getting ready for the first day, practice and review your new daily schedule with your child so they know what to expect and feel confident.
