The KEYSTONE ACADEMY is open for enrollment!

Please visit the following links to review Frequently Asked Questions and download an application packet. There are limited spots available, so please submit your application soon.

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Camp News

Keystone Camp offers a fun and educational program for children. Camp activities include: direct instruction, social skills, and play and leisure skills. Direct instruction activities are tailored to each child’s specific academic needs. Social Skills focuses on friendship management, self-help, communication, self- regulation, and conflict management. Our play and leisure skills activities focus on team sports, arts and crafts, and music therapy. Instructors include board certified behavior analysts, certified teachers, and psychologists.

Camp Registration is now open!

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Welcome Joanne!

Joanne Siu graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia (BC, Canada) in 2001.  In the same year she entered the ABA field and worked with children with autism in home, school, and community settings.  She also provided piano lessons to clients as well as typically developing students.  Later, Joanne became the Program Director at an ABA private school in Virginia.  Joanne currently is pursuing her second master’s degree and becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Currently, Joanne works as a Behavior Therapist at Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics.

Welcome to Keystone Matt!

Matt comes to us from the Green Mountains of Northern Vermont. He received a BA in both Psychology and English from the University of Vermont before trading in those long New England winters for the warmth of Florida. Matt is completing his BCaBA studies at Florida Institute of Technology. He arrived at Keystone in February after previously working in a Day Treatment facility for persons with developmental disabilities and managing a group home for teenagers with both Autism and severe behavioral impairments. So far Matt has fit in well as a full time Behavior Therapist and is excited to put his diverse background to good use.

Support of ABA Therapy: Empirical Research

Early Intervention for Toddlers with Autism Highly Effective, Study Finds Significant gains seen in IQ, communication and social interaction

Recently featured on the highly successful Autism Speaks organization website was an article discussing the success of ABA therapy in early intervention for toddlers diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The study was first published in the medical journal Pediatrics in November of 2009. The study involved forty eight children between the ages of 18 and 30 months. The children were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group received community based services that are typically found in most urban communities for children with autism. The second group received 20 hours a week of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, grouped into two hour blocks each day, based on the Early Start Denver Model. The second group also received 5 hours a week of parent centered therapy. It's important to note that each group received services, so the controlled group was still expected to show improvement.

The results of the study showed an average increase in IQ for the group using the Early Start Denver Model of 17.8 points as opposed to 7 points with the group receiving community based interventions. Also, more impressively, the group receiving ABA therapy showed an average improvement of 19 points in receptive language, which is categorized as the receiving and understanding of verbal communication with the child. Additionally, 7 children in the group receiving ABA therapy received an improved diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder: Not Otherwise Specified, which is associated with higher functioning levels than Autism. This compared to 1 child in the group receiving community based interventions. The data indicate a strong correlation between the use of ABA therapy and improved IQ scores (especially regarding receptive language) and diagnoses among children on the Autism spectrum.

The importance of this research is even more pertinent today, as recent studies have shown the prevalence of Autism at 1% with children. These rates are higher among boys, with 1 in 75 on average being diagnosed with ASD. The Early Start Denver Model has utilized ABA therapy with toddlers aged 12 months to 2 ½ years with marked success. This study acts as the first randomized, controlled trial to demonstrate the effectiveness of ABA therapy in early intervention with toddlers. It also ranked as the second most important progression in Autism research by Autism Speaks, and has been cited in numerous other studies since being published. Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics appreciates the scientific community providing statistical reassurance of our methodologies and evidenced-based practice.

Dawson et al. Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: the Early Start Denver Model. 

Pediatrics. 2010 Jan;125(1):e17-23. Epub 2009 Nov 30

Introducing the Keystone Pre-teen/Teen Social Skills Group

Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics is developing a "Pre-teen/Teen" group therapy social skills program!  This group will be held for pre-teens/adolescents in middle and high school (generally between the ages of 12 and 16) and will meet once a week from 5:00 until 6:00 p.m. (date TBA).  Program curriculum will focus on a variety of social skills, tailored to client areas of need as determined by child and parent surveys.  Areas of focus may include conversation skills, making and keeping friends, coping with stress and anger, problem-solving and conflict resolution, dealing with teasing or bullying, family relations, as well as many other subjects.  During sessions, topics will be introduced and discussed and children will engage in problem-solving and role playing.  Additionally, children will be taught the use of “Hassle Logs” which will allow them to record information about recent life stressors and to self-reflect, critique, and improve their responses.  These logs will be reviewed during session and used to facilitate group discussion about common social and emotional difficulties.

This group is being developed based on client interest and need, so please contact us if you feel that your child might be a good match! 

Keystone Kids

This month, Lori K. got a glimpse into the life of Natalie T. and her two sweet and adorable children.  Keystone staff have seen their smiling faces for a little over a year! Thank you Natalie for talking with us and sharing some of your secrets!

Lori: How have you managed having one child on the GFCF diet, and have your other children/family on another diet?
Natalie: Thankfully, my son loves following rules, so it doesn't bother him if he eats different food from everyone else. However, since his little sister loves him so much, she usually wants to eat whatever he eats, and even asks for a hamburger without a bun at restaurants!

Lori: How has Keystone been able to help you and your family?
Natalie: My son is a different child since Keystone helps us in all aspects of life. He has learned how to control his outbursts and calm himself down. The protocol Keystone developed for him helps me to keep my cool when he acts out. Keystone has also provided great IEP support - Dr. Falwell and her staff are a true blessing!

Lori: What is your favorite GF/CF recipe?
Natalie: Plain meatballs. All you have to do is form meatballs from plain hamburger meat, bake on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Take out of the oven when done, put on a plate, wash the cookie sheet, then put back on the cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for a couple hours. Then put in freezer container or bag. They are great for lunches!! Just take out what you need, put in a pan with about a half inch of hot salted water and heat for a few minutes, then stick in a thermos! My son loves them!

Lori: Describe your perfect day (without children and then with children!)
Natalie: Ooohh, without children… it would be reading a big fat book at the beach or by the pool all day, and only getting up when I want to! A perfect day with children would be going to Disney and staying in a hotel - that's they're absolute favorite thing to do!

Lori: What is the one thing you would want others to know about your son?
Natalie: He is the smartest, most loving 6-year old that I know (when he wants to be!) 

Lori: What is your biggest challenge?
Natalie:  My biggest challenge is feeling like I'm doing everything for my son needs since I work full time.

Lori: What is your favorite color?
Natalie: Green.

Lori: Anything else you want the world to know?
Natalie:  Follow your instincts as a mom-you know your child better than anyone. Don't let what other people think get you down. Also, these kids are going to change the world - they are such a gift!!

Meet-N-Greet

On the first Wednesday of every month from 5:00-6:00 p.m., you will have an opportunity to meet and greet with the doctors at Keystone Behavioral Pediatrics. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know Dr. Katie Falwell, Dr. Adrienne DeSantis, Dr. Joy Kolb, and Dr. Paras Nabizadeh. Please bring any questions you may have about our practice.

The next Meet-N-Greet will be held on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.

Keystone Staff