Now Celebrating 27 Years!
Up Wee Grow, Inc. is an agency approved by the NYS Early Intervention and CPSE programs to provide evaluations and services to children and families in their homes and schools, In-Person (or via Telehealth). Evaluations and Therapies are provided for children from birth through age 5 in Suffolk County, Nassau County, and all 5 Boroughs of New York City.
Our services are provided to children by fully licensed therapists and certified teachers through the New York State Early Intervention Program and the New York State Board of Education Committee for Preschool Special Education.
ABA - Applied Behavior Analysis
Psychology
Service Coordination
Speech Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Audiology
Special Education
Physical Therapy
Social Work
Serving seven counties of New York State: Suffolk | Nassau | Queens | Brooklyn | Bronx | Manhattan | Staten Island
Contact us and speak with an Early Intervention Specialist.
Birth To 3
Early Intervention
Birth To 3 - Early Intervention
Up Wee Grow, Inc. is approved by New York State and has contracts with Suffolk, Nassau, New York City, and Westchester to provide Early Intervention services.
Ages 3 to 5
CPSE
Ages 3 to 5 - CPSE
If you are concerned about your child's development between the ages of 3 and 5 you may refer him/her to your School District’s Committee for Preschool Special Education (CPSE) to request an evaluation.
Autism
ABA Program
Autism - ABA Program
Up Wee Grow, Inc. provides the highest quality A.B.A. programming (Applied Behavior Analysis) at the direction of our Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Licensed Psychologist (Ph.D.).
We teach parents Maximum Strength Parenting through use of F.E.A.T.S. (Family-friendly Evaluation and Teaching System), our comprehensive system to empower parents to promote positive growth across six developmental domains with a multi-modal approach. This includes six interactive charts that we created based on 22 well-normed, peer-reviewed assessment instruments to provide families with realistic guidelines regarding typical developmental milestones in six areas from birth through kindergarten.
F.E.A.T.S Tips For Parents
How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? One, but the light bulb has to want to change
Try to guess the best predictor of success for those who engage in therapy with a psychologist. Is it a patient factor, like the patient’s age, intelligence, or...
A.T.I.P. You Should Never Forget
“I don’t know what to do about (this or that or the other) behavior……I guess I need A.T.I.P.!” We saw the great importance...
How ALL (met and unmet) Expectations Undermine Happiness
It is obvious that expectations decrease happiness when those expectations are not met, but expectations also decrease happiness when they are met! How?...
Building Abdominal Strength
“Gut Check” Sit on the floor and allow your child to lie face-up on your extended legs. Bring your child’s feet up toward your chest, then quickly push them away,...
Lying: Liar, Liar, pants on fire!
Why does my child lie? Children younger than age 5 or 6 frequently blur the line and can have difficulty making the distinction between fantasy and reality. Beginning...
Define specific behavior problems/goals
Step 1: Clearly define a Goal – a specific negative behavior that you want to decrease or a specific positive behavior you want to increase By clearly defining a...
Using a “Hurried” Walk/Running
“Oh My, Aren’t You In A HURRY!” Prompt your child to engage in games of chasing and being chased. Play “follow the leader” and introduce running into behaviors to be...
Manipulating Objects at Midline
Grasping and manipulating provide the basis for exploration and learning. Use pull-apart toys (e.g., Mr. Potato Head, interlocking blocks, pop beads, objects to bang...
I was walking down the street one day…
Imagine being on a walk with your child and you are approached by a frail, physically non-threatening stranger who begins to yell at Junior. Given the...
Resistance of Sharing
“Mine, mine, all mine!” or “Share, share, that’s fair!” Of course, sharing can be very difficult for some children (at any age). Often children do not distinguish...
“Should I Use ‘Time-Out’? What do the experts say?”
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) stresses the importance of teaching coping skills to children and therefore concludes that...
Safely Exploring Cabinets and Drawers
“Christopher Columbus, Magellan, and Now: Your Child!” Create opportunities for your child to safely explore household objects. Empty one or two drawer cabinets and...
Tantrums – Tirades and Tyranny
“WHAT is a Tantrum?” tan·trum noun. A fit of bad temper. (according to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright © 2000 by...
A-Ha!
I was greatly inspired by the book “Single Session Therapy: Maximizing the Effect of the First (and Often Only) Therapeutic Encounter,” by Moshe Talmon. Psychologists...
Independently Feeding with a Spoon and Fork
“Fork it Over, and Get The Scoop!” Give your child opportunities to use utensils throughout the day. During play, have your child pretend to cook, eat, and serve. Take...
Does success leads to happiness, or does happiness leads to success?
Do you believe that you will be happy when you are successful, or that you will be successful when you are happy? For those who define “success” in...
Quiz: Are you a Democrat, Dictator, or Doormat?
To determine your parenting style, take this little quiz by circling what you would do in each of the following scenarios. Of course, “it depends on the...
Conversation PEACE: Speak now AND forever hold your peace
Who are the happiest couples? (a) those who argue frequently and intensely (b) those who argue with respect and resolve issues (c) those who never argue Research...
Yes-When, If-Then, or No-Until?
When you use “Yes-When” deals it is important that you remain positive in your tone of voice and demeanor. When parents experience frustration, it is very easy for...
Using a Napkin
“Wipe That (Messy) Look Off Your Face!” Give your child opportunities to wipe his face with a cloth, towel, blanket, tissue and wipes. Point to the napkin and then to...
“But my child will just ignore me and do whatever he wants on his own.”
Never forget that you control the privileges, and therefore you control the “Yes-When deals.” If you allow your child to wander off and enjoy freedom after he has...
Toilet Training “Triumph!”
“Readiness”: We don’t teach algebra in kindergarten because 5-year-olds aren’t ready. So how do you know when your child is “ready” for training? To begin training,...
“What is the PURPOSE of ‘Time-Out’?”
While “Time-Out” is a simple enough concept, its purpose is subject to great interpretation, complexity, and nuance. Some say that “Time-Out” is intended to be a...
Walking Alone
“These Boots Are Made For Walkin” Walk holding both of your child’s hands, hold just one hand, then briefly withdraw and re-introduce your hand(s) for support....
“But my child doesn’t understand ‘Yes-When Deals’!”
Of course, your child may not fully understand the “Yes-When deal” that you offer. No problem! There are plenty of ways to make “Yes-When” deals developmentally...
“But I’m too busy to be able to teach with all these fancy techniques!”
“F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are specifically designed to be easy to implement, fun, and effective. The “F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are...
Knowing the Proper Place for Objects and Toys
“Have You Seen The Cordless Phone?”----“No, But Why is the Dog Ringing?” Everything has a place. During daily routines, show and tell your child where things are...
“What’s the difference between Punishment and Discipline?”
“Punishment” only refers to decreasing negative behavior, while “Discipline” not only refers to decreasing negative behavior but also to increasing positive behavior. ...
Trichotillomania (Self Hair Pulling)
What is Trichotillomania? Trichotillomania (sometimes referred to as TTM or "trich") is a disorder involving the repeated urge/behavior of pulling out one’s own hair. ...
Helping To Dry After a Bath
“UGH! Twisted Wet Pajamas!” Provide your child with opportunities to wash and dry dolls and toys. Give your child a small cloth or dishtowel to practice drying dolls...
Test your “vision”
Agree or Disagree? The glass is Half-Empty. Agree or Disagree? The glass is Half-Full. Agree or Disagree? It is TERRIBLE for a toddler...
The “Dirty-Dozen”: 12 Reasons Why YOU WILL FAIL with your Behavior Management Strategies
Here are the “Dirty-Dozen”: Twelve reasons why your behavior management efforts will fail. These are different types of common, yet irrational, factually incorrect...
Pulling to a Standing Position
“You’ve Gotta Pull Your Own Weight” Draw your child’s attention to a favorite toy that you have placed on a couch or low table. Then place your child in various...
Well-Rounded or Sharp? Will your child be heard from the herd?
Do you consider yourself well-rounded, accomplished in many areas, and a Renaissance Person? Or do you consider yourself an “expert” in one or two particular areas? ...
“But my child doesn’t comply when I offer “Yes-When deals” Instead of obeying, he throws tantrums or hits!”
Everyone wins with “Yes-When deals”, regardless of your child’s response. Here’s why: If your child does not give you the compliance that you are requesting in your...
How do I know when to Avoid, Teach, Ignore, or Punish? What is the “Manners Manager”?
You may ask, “So, I know A.T.I.P., but what should I do?” Just use the ‘Manners Manager’! To debate specifics about various behaviors is futile because the purpose of...
The Missing Tile Syndrome
The “Missing Tile Syndrome” refers to a preoccupation with imperfections and anomalies. Picture a large beautiful tile mosaic where out of the 1,000 tiles, 10 are...
Siblings (with or without) Rivalry?
In the classic 1994 book, “Siblings without Rivalry: How to help your children live together, so you can too” authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish make several...
Keep the boat (and behavior) on course: “The Navigator’s Mind-Set”
Medical doctors often strive to cure diseases (e.g., an antibiotic “works” because it “fixes” and eliminates an ear infection), however, it is equally important for...
Discipline Using Physical Contact (that is NOT Corporal Punishment)
Corporal punishment refers to the use of physical pain to punish and change a person’s behavior. In this section, we consider discipline involving the use of physical...
Modify as needed
Step 6: Modify as needed Based on the results of Step 4 (Monitoring the Effectiveness of my Strategy) and Step 5 (Monitoring my own attitude and behavior in the...
Don’t Berate, Educate!
The son refused to clean up the mess. The Daddy yelled, “How many times have I told you?! You know better!” The Daddy drove off for work...
Combing/Brushing Hair
“Doin’ the Doo” Have your child go with you to the store to buy a comb or brush. Buy a small comb or brush for your child to use to brush a doll’s hair during play....
“Your Duty, Honor, and Privilege”
It is every parent’s duty, honor, and privilege to teach their child. No doubt, you will find that many of the following “F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” are obvious, but...
“What is ‘Time-Out’?”
The term “Time-Out” is an abbreviation that originates from the longer phrase “Time-Out from opportunities for positive reinforcement.” It may be defined as “a...
Magical things every parent should know about Peter Pan
James M. Barrie was born in 1860, as the ninth child of ten in a large Scottish family. James was 6 years old when his brother, David, died in a skating accident, just...
Spreading With a Butter-Knife
“Spreadin’ Yourself Thin” Frost a cake, cupcake or even cookies. Spread peanut butter or jelly on a cracker. Spread cream cheese or butter on toast or a bagel....
Drying Hands Independently
“Dry As A Bone” Encourage your child to wash hands as part of daily routines (e.g., before eating, after toileting, when coming in from outdoors, after messy...
Brushing Teeth
“Show Them Pearly-Whites” Take your child to the store to choose a toothbrush. Make sure it is developmentally appropriate, colorful and interesting. Buy a second...
Real Live Make Believe
“Play” is the instinct of all young beings. It is observed all over the world, among cubs and calves, and among puppies and pip squeaks. Play is the fast track to the...
Wait Training
Consider your use of “Yes-When” deals to be a version of “Wait Training” for your child. By offering him opportunities to earn privileges, you are building his...
“What is this ‘school’ all about?”
In this “school” you will find teaching tips and “F.E.A.T.S.™ Techniques” to help boost your child’s development in the areas of Language (speaking and understanding),...
BITING: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Biting is fairly common among young children. But just because biting can be considered a “typical” behavior, we still need to stop it as soon as possible because...
Monitor your own attitude and behavior in this process
Step 5: Monitor your own attitude and behavior in this process You may recall from the previous chapter, the “Dirty-Dozen” reasons why your behavior management efforts...
Zipping and Unzipping
“Just Zip It!” Practice makes perfect. Give your child opportunities to zip and unzip. Present your child with sweaters, coats, pants, zip-loc bags, pocket books,...
Should I give ‘warnings’ to my child before implementing ‘Time-out’?
No. If you give your child a warning (or two, or three!) before placing him in “Time-Out,” all you are doing is demonstrating inconsistency, which will undermine the...
Removing Clothes
“Undress Yourself and Get Ready For Your Bath!” Give your child opportunities to assist with undressing. Make undressing fun and interesting for your child. Play...
“It’s Not FAIR!”
Definitions of “fair” vary. To be “fair” can mean being free of bias, injustice, or deceit. “Fair” can mean moderate conditions or quantities (e.g., fair weather,...
Snaps and Unsnaps
“SNAP TO IT!” Have your child practice snapping on coats, pants, shirts, and sweaters that your child is not wearing. Demonstrate how to hold one piece of the snap with...
“Sleep: Those little slices of death, how I loathe them” – Edgar Allen Poe
Bedtime often is a stressful, hectic time, and if you need help managing Junior’s sleep, refer to the section in Chapter 4 entitled “Sleep: Good Night.” Once you get...
Choosing Appropriate Clothing Based On Weather
“You’re Gonna Get A Cold!” Help your child to learn which clothing is appropriate in different situations. You can use a paper doll (you can make one yourself or you...
Finger Feeding
“Finger Foods” Eating with the fingers allows your child to enhance skills such as coordination, grasping, and independence. Introduce foods that are easy to...
Your moment, make it a good one
Fast forward many years: The master plan was kind to you. Your “moment” has come. You had a nice run, and you’re ready to check out. Hopefully, you won’t be in too...
Holding a Writing Implement Properly
Holding a crayon or pen properly is important because it builds good habits that will facilitate neat and efficient hand-writing. Use writing implements that...
“At what age can I begin to use ‘Time-Out’?”
Remember that “Time-Out” by definition is a “Punishment” as it is intended to decrease negative behaviors. Nowhere in the definition is it mentioned that a child must...
“Forget my child…I wouldn’t mind a little ‘Time-Out’ for myself!”
“Time-out” is as much for you as it is for your child. Take your child’s “Time-Out” as an opportunity for you to calm down and “take a break.” You can view his...
“What is the difference between Rights and Privileges (and why is that SO important)?”
There are rights and privileges in the world. In each country, governments decide for their citizens what is a “right” and what is a “privilege.” In your role as...
Reality Show
One of the Buddhist noble truths is that “Desire is the root of all suffering.” In thinking about disappointments, you will no doubt find this to be...
Where there’s a Will there’s a way – The importance of having a Last Will and Testament
Sure it’s an unpleasant topic, and of course, we can’t control the world from the grave, but having a will is an important legal document not only for leaving assets to...
Paving the Road to Self-Regulation (for children with hyper-sensitivity/anxiety)
Self-regulation of hyper-sensitivity/anxiety occurs along a continuum. Recognition of the steps along that continuum is important so that you can help your child grow...
Words that Wound: The worst fairy-tale you can tell your kids
Let’s say your child speaks nastily. You then try to teach Junior to be kind, and you say, “When you say that, it makes me sad/angry/feel bad.” That sounds simple...
Paving the Road to Empathy
Of course, demonstrations of empathy depend not only on individual characteristics but also on situations. Still, here are some age-based guidelines regarding the...
“How do I build my child’s self-control through Time-Out?”
“Time-Out” is clearly a technique of “Punishment,” as it is intended to decrease negative behavior. However, “Time-Out” can (and should) become a technique of...
“I Can’t Use Time-Out Because my child (1) doesn’t care, (2) screams and fights, AND/OR (3) laughs in my face!”
When in “Time-Out” most children either (1) scream/cry/physically aggress, (2) appear unaffected, or (3) appear to enjoy time-out (e.g., laugh, test-limits), and very...
Putting Shoes On
“Well Heeled” Have your child try on shoes that are much too big, so he learns the feeling of slipping into shoes. Have your child watch as you place shoes on your...
What is Maximum Strength Parenting?
Maximum Strength Parenting is the art of using all of your gifts and knowledge in the most important and influential job you will ever have, parenting. “Maximum” refers...
Somersaults
“Tumbling Tykes” Don’t be afraid! Show your child how it’s done! Talk to your child about each action while it is happening. Have your child squat down and put both...
Monitor the effectiveness of your strategy
Step 4: Monitor the effectiveness of your strategy Periodically monitor the effectiveness of your behavior management strategy. You may need to monitor more frequently...
Behavior, Understanding & Language: How are the three related?
Parents and professional often assume that a child’s behavior will improve when his language skills and understanding advance. While this may be true, it...
The “Pain of the Problem” versus the “Pain of the Solution”
Marie Meyer, Ph.D. was a professor emeritus in the Psychology Department at Hofstra University, who taught that “people make changes only when the pain of the problem...
“Where did God come from?” asked my 5 year old
It took me a few seconds to get my mind around his question when my 5-year-old son asked one day, “Where did God come from?” On another day, my 4-year-old daughter...
Illusion of Invulnerability: The source of actions, both great and crazy
George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young.” But what if some young whipper-snapper quips, “Experience and knowledge are wasted on the old”? In youth,...
Fun
I was recently reading “The Dangerous Book for Boys” by Gonn and Hal Iggulden. The contents included (but were not limited to): the greatest paper...
Running From a Caregiver (in public places)
Many young children run away from their caregivers in public places. You may find yourself conflicted about how to react, due to anxiety, anger, and/or concern with...
“I Know I shouldn’t compare kids, but…”
Comparing Kids? Go Ahead! COMPARE (but do it right): Somewhere along the line, a notion has evolved: “YOU SHOULDN’T COMPARE KIDS.” Still, many parents go right on to...
The Short Tale of WAGE and SAGE
Two old friends (one named “Wage” and the other named “Sage”) crossed paths. Here’s what they said: WAGE: So how old is your son? SAGE: 2 years, 4 months, 10 days...
Placing Outerwear into Assigned Locations
“How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You To HANG UP YOUR COAT!!?” If your child is reluctant to hang up a coat, hat, etc, he may have some difficulty remembering where the...
Giving Up The Bottle
“What Do I Look Like, Some Sort of Baby?” Once your child has mastered drinking from a cup, gradually decrease the amount of liquids in the bottle. Give bottles less...
Teacher or Torture?
It’s the day after Halloween. Do you hide the bowl of candy (to avoid tantrums), or do you keep it within your child’s view (and set limits on when and how much candy...
Defiant/Oppositional Behavior
Throughout the age range (and especially at about age two), children usually begin to test limits and explore “independence”. Here are some things to help make this...
Pouring Liquids
“Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk…Just Learn How To Pour” Position your child in a sturdy position. Demonstrate pouring the liquids into both a cup and a bowl. Give your child...
Standing Alone
“Stand On Your Own Two Feet” Use a standing position to remove your child’s coat. Hold the coat but not your child’s body. Following a bath place your child in a...
All the simplicity money can’t buy
It’s a classic scene: the birthday gift sits in the distance, while the kids play with the wrapping paper and box the gift came in. It’s enough with...
Knows Edible vs. Non-Edible
“To Eat or Not To Eat? That is the Question”. Does your child mouth non-edible objects? If so, take the objects away and present something else. Give your child an...
Mother Nature’s guidelines for giving up the bottle/pacifier
There is evidence that babies have used some version of a pacifier for “non-nutritive sucking” since 1,000 B.C. Also, “non-nutritive sucking” begins in the womb and is...
Independently Dresses
“Dressed to the Nines” Give your child opportunities to assist with dressing. Make dressing fun and interesting for your child. Make sure the environment is relaxed and...
“What is a “Yes-When” Deal? And why are “Yes-When’ Deals ‘The Way of the World’?”
Every child should have a RIGHT to certain things. These RIGHTS (or entitlements) include food, shelter, love, and education. Aside from these RIGHTS, children have...
Without failure, improvement is impossible
My dear friend Trevor Smith wrote: When I was learning to walk, often I would fall. Never asking “why”, I’d stand back up. As time went by, I would still fall, but...
Returning Objects To Their Proper Location When Finished with Them
“CLEAN UP THIS MESS!!” Go with your child to where the toys are kept (playroom, den, basement, bedroom). Take out a variety of toys that you know he likes to play with ...
PAIRenting: Where do you land (or fall) on ‘agreement’ with your partner in child-rearing?
It is often said that “You don’t know somebody until you live with them.” We reject that notion, and, offer, instead, the following: “You don’t know somebody until...
Up Wee Grow, Inc. was founded in 1996 by Andrew Vaughan, Ph.D., Lauren Resnick, M.S., CCC, SLP, and Anne Long, M.S., Sp.Ed..
We value Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and although these ideals are never truly fully achieved and completed, we strive to keep them ever-present in our day-to-day work.
We value equal access to opportunity, engagement, education, health, stability, respect, and compassionate care in all communities.
The obvious and subtle qualities that make us different also make us resilient and strong. Join us as we celebrate our passion and work: Taking care of each other.