Celebrating 26 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
Frustration and Easily “Giving Up”
“My child frustrates very easily…I feel like I’m always walking on eggshells” When an activity could not be completed or a goal could not be reached, your child’s...
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...
Washing Hands
“Did You Wash Your Hands?!” Encourage your child to wash hands as part of a daily routine (e.g., before eating, after using the toilet before coming in from outside,...
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...
SLEEP: Good Night!
How much sleep do we need? Infants usually sleep about 16 hours and 2-year-olds sleep about 10 to 14 hours (including naps). How common are sleep problems? 25% of kids...
“I tried ‘Time-Out’ and it doesn’t work!”
As indicated above, the term “Time-Out” is an abbreviation and originates from the longer phrase “Time-Out from reinforcement.” As such, there are many ways to conduct...
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...
What were the names of your great-grandparents?
Are you just two generations away from being forgotten? These can be biting questions, but, nevertheless, they are questions that beg answers. “What were the names of...
Wiping Nose with Help
“Don’t Look Down Your Nose At Me!” Leave a box of tissues within your child’s reach. Make sure the tissue is soft so it doesn’t irritate your child’s nose. During play,...
Knowing “9 – 1 – 1” and When To Use It
“Just in Case” It is very important that your child knows how to reach someone in an emergency as soon as possible. Discuss various situations that your child...
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...
Eats Solid and Semi-Solid Foods
“Breakin’ Bread” Using foods of different textures, allow your child to accept new foods. Position the food toward the back of your child’s mouth to elicit a swallow....
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...
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...
Walking on egg-shells is for chickens
Do you S-P-E-L-L O-U-T W-O-R-D-S in front of your kids to purposefully prevent them from understanding what you are talking about? I’m not talking about spelling out...
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...
Transitions
How can I get my child to ‘Go with the flow’?” When your child’s routine is interrupted and/or when transitions are imposed, he may become frustrated, resist, and/or...
Anger: It’s all the rage
“You gotta vent, let it all out, go ahead, it’ll make you feel better.” Such is the common wisdom about anger. It seems, though, the...
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,...
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...
Generate a list of possible solutions
Step 2: Generate several possible solutions from the categories of A.T.I.P. Of course, each of the categories in A.T.I.P. may not be applicable in all situations...
SILENCE! (for your moment of Zen)
When was the last time you were in total silence for 20 minutes? I mean total silence. Not with Seinfeld or Green Eggs and Ham. Not with Barney or Beethoven. Not...
Requesting Help To Clean-Up Spills
“Into Each Life, A Little Spill Must Fall” Your child may be resistant to help or may not know when or how to ask for help. Here are suggestions to help: When...
Holding Own Bottle
“Message in a Bottle: MMMMM!” Position your child at a 90-degree angle. Make sure both you and your child are comfortable and supported. Present a bottle to your child,...
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...
“Should I Be a Democrat, a Dictator, and/or a Doormat?”
Parenting decisions can be complex, yet a simple framework is helpful for seeing how three common styles (i.e., Democrat, Dictator, Doormat) vary along four dimensions...
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...
The Sacred Parent-Child Relationship
As we wrote this book we always remained mindful that the parent-child relationship is sacred. We have great respect for this sanctity, and we will not desecrate your...
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...
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...
“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. ...
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...
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 educational principles are “F.E.A.T.S. Techniques” based upon?
Two of the most well-known and well-respected theorists in the field of early childhood development are Jean Piaget (1896 to 1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896 to 1934)....
Choose and implement the solution(s) most likely to work
Step 3: Choose and Implement one/some of you’re A.T.I.P. techniques Choose the technique(s) that are most likely work based on your knowledge of: what has been...
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
In the previous section we considered “Useless Dissatisfaction” and “Useful Dissatisfaction” in the terms of the moral obligation parents have to their children to be...
Resistance To Changes
“How do I help my child move past ‘ritualistic’ behaviors so that we can have some ‘smooth sailing'? How do I decide what is ‘ big deal worth ‘battling’ over?”...
Riding a Tricycle
Riding a Tricycle with Pedals, Maneuvering Around Obstacles, Turning, Stopping and Starting “Road-Test” To determine if the tricycle is the right size for your child...
Looking Both Ways Before Crossing the Street
“What is the Chicken Supposed To Do Before Crossing The Road?” Accompany your child to a road or street where there is no traffic light and explain that you are going...
“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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
Imitating Adult Actions
“Do As I Do (AND as I say)” Allow your child to participate as you do household chores. When preparing meals, give your child a spoon to help mix. Give your...
“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...
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...
Anxiety and Fear
The expression “Time heals all wounds” is nice, but not entirely true. Specifically, time heals most wounds, but not anxiety. For example, if you have a fear of...
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...
Cooperating with Dressing and Undressing
“Dress-Up: Mess-Up or Yes-Up?” Create a calm and relaxed environment while dressing and undressing your child. Make dressing a fun activity. Sing songs, put on music,...
Fastens and Unfastens Buttons
“No BUTS, Just BUTTON IT!” Demonstrate buttoning and unbuttoning so that your child can see how it is done. Have your child practice buttoning and unbuttoning on...
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?...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
“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...
Indicating a Wet or Soiled Diaper
“HELP! Somebody, Please Save Me (From Myself)!” Observe your child’s verbal and non-verbal signals for indicating a soiled or wet diaper (e.g., vocalizations, hugging,...
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...
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...
“Show-and-Tell Scaffolding”
“Show and Tell” is an easy way to remember and implement the technique of scaffolding. “SHOW” involves providing your child with...
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...
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 ...
Shyness
How much of shyness can be attributed to “nature” and how much to “nurture?” While we cannot say with certainty, it is clear that shyness has a strong...
Mother Nature’s ‘optimal’ Birth Spacing
Due to economic and social factors, couples are waiting longer and longer to have their first child. As a result, there has been a decrease in “birth spacing” (i.e.,...
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...
“But my child does not care when I withhold privileges”
I have just advocated patience, reasonable criteria in your “Yes-When deals”, and consistency. But perhaps most importantly, never conclude from your child’s...
“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...
Carefully Compare
“Keeping up with the Joneses” drives the economy. Making comparisons of oneself to others is one way to “participate” in society (e.g.,...
“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...
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...
Rotary/Diagonal Chewing Patterns
“CHEW YOUR FOOD!” Present your child with a variety of foods. Vary the texture (e.g., mushy, crunchy, lumpy, etc.). Place the foods in different parts of your child’s...
Hopping Forward Ten Feet on Either Foot Without Help
“Let’s Go Do The Hop!” Demonstrate hopping forward on one foot for your child. Talk about what you are doing as you are completing the skill. Repeat hopping several...
“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...
“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...
“What is the process of a ‘Yes-When Deal’?”
“Processes” are used with most jobs. Consider two examples: flying to the moon and doing the laundry. When flying to the moon your process is complex: Build a rocket,...
“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,...
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...
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...
“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...
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...
Assisting with Bathing
“SCRUB in the TUB” Give your child a basin, a bar of soap and a washcloth. Provide your child with opportunities to wash dolls, toys, and dishes. Guide your child’s...
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...
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...
When All Else Fails – “I have tried everything and nothing @#%^$ works!”
Which category you choose (Avoiding, Teaching, Ignoring, or Punishing) to manage a given negative behavior is less important than your consistency and your...
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....
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...
Put Shoes on Correct Feet
“Do You Have Two Left-Feet?” Have your child select a pair of shoes from a pile of several. Encourage your child to sit on the floor or a chair as your child attempts...
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...
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...
Puts Outerwear in an Assigned Place
“Hang-Up Your Coat!” Create a designated area to place the family’s outerwear (coat rack, closet, hook). Place your child’s name in the designated area so your child...
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...
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...
Sitting Alone
“Sittin” Pretty” Move your child to a sitting position and provide support at the hips or just above the hips. Fade your support as necessary. Set up a “Busy Box” or...
Crawling
“You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk” To achieve a quadruped position (on hands and knees): While your child supports weight with forearms or hands, lift the pelvis and...
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...
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.
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