Let’s Go! Plus allows parents to quickly establish a fun and easy to use behavior management plan when going out to common activities. Our free Let’s Go! app covers five activities: going to a store, going to a restaurant, going in a car, going to worship, and going to a birthday party. Let’s Go! [...]
I see many ASD kids who have high anxiety about being in a room by themselves, leading to an inability to go to the bathroom or even to their own bedroom alone. This fear often leads children in this situation to insist that someone else accompany them everywhere they go. What can be done, other [...]
One of the diagnostic criteria for ASDs is difficulty with changes in routine. Therefore it is not surprising that if you change the driving route you take from one place to another that your ASD child may get anxious or frustrated. Routines help ASD children (and all of us, at times) feel safe and secure. [...]
Sending your child to residential treatment can be both a heartbreak and a great hope for new possibilities. I have been involved in that decision for many children and teens. Today’s post is for a new acquaintance who is planning for that transition next month, and who requested a story to help her young child [...]
I had a request from a reader (thanks for following me Jen!) asking me to address the topic of ASD children who are runners. Although my focus is to look at it from the behavioral side, I first suggest thinking of the safety issues. Check out the website AWAARE Collaboration (AWAARE = Autism Wandering Awareness [...]
In yesterday’s post, I discussed supplies (a “survival kit”) that families could take when bringing their ASD child to a big family event such a family reunion. Today I want to discuss other kinds of plans that can be helpful. Visual Schedule I made brief mention of bringing a visual schedule. Make sure to map out [...]
I live and work in Utah, where family reunions are big annual events. So many of the families I know are bringing their ASD child to a family reunion and hoping for the best. I suggest planning for the best, rather than hoping for the best, and recommend bringing a survival kit of helpful supplies. [...]
Why are days like this a problem? Fireworks can be very difficult if you have sensory sensitivities. Additionally, children and adults who have a trauma history can find that these loud explosive sights and sounds trigger anxiety and flashbacks. Even if you choose not to go to a fireworks display, it can be hard to [...]
I have heard it said that structure is the glue that holds children with special needs together, and I don’t think this is far from the truth. When parents bring in their children who are struggling in for therapy, one of the first things we will look at is whether or not there is some [...]