Barclay has been watching YouTubers for years, so when he asked me to help him record his first video, I was happy to help. While we have lots to learn about quality, I’m confident we will get here in time. Barclay wants all children with autism to know they can do ANYTHING!
Ever since my seven-year-old autistic son, Barclay, was able to stand on a chair and reach the counter, I’ve had him in the kitchen with me. He loves to collect the tools needed for whatever dish we are whipping up. He then selects the ingredients and places them on the counter in the order inContinue reading Lessons Learned From Making Red Velvet Cake
If you have a child with exceptional needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, and they attend school, daycare, therapy, or spend time with a sitter, it’s a good idea to send a personalized “About Me” brochure to those caregivers. An “About Me” brochure is a brief, tri-fold document that provides very basic yet detailed informationContinue reading How to Create an About Me Brochure at The Autism Helper
My husband and I always talked about moving to the West Coast of Florida someday. But nestled in Central Florida, our autistic son Barclay was in a top-rated autism charter school and his amazing ABA center was just a few miles away. We thought it would be years before we could take him out ofContinue reading A Goodbye Letter to Our ABA Center
This year to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I pledge to answer one question about autism per day. Day 6: What community accommodations exist for families of an autistic individual?Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 6: What Community Accommodations Exist for Families of an Autistic Individual?
This year to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I pledge to answer one question about autism per day. Day 5: How does a diagnosis of autism impact a family?Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 5: How Does a Diagnosis of Autism Impact a Family?
This year to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I pledge to answer one question per day about autism. Day 4: What should a parent do after an autism diagnosis?Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 4: What Should a Parent Do After an Autism Diagnosis?
This year to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I plan to answer one question about autism per day. Day 3: How does a parent pursue an autism diagnosis?Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 3: How does a parent pursue an autism diagnosis?
Happy World Autism Day! As the mother of an autistic son, I appreciate the world taking a day to honor what life is like for families like mine. Because, from education to the community to home, life with autism differs from life without.
This year to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I pledge to answer one question about autism per day. Day 2: How would a parent know to pursue a diagnosis?Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 2: How would a parent know to pursue a diagnosis?
This year, to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month, I pledge to answer one question about autism per day. The first question is, “What is autism spectrum disorder?”Continue reading Autism Acceptance Month Day 1: What is autism?
Even though I haven’t crossed the threshold from parent to grandparent, I’ve heard it’s one of the most rewarding roles in a person’s life. But if you are the grandparent of a child with autism spectrum disorder, your role, although equally rewarding, comes with a unique set of challenges. Challenges that you probably haven’t experienced.Continue reading 5 Tips for Grandparents of Autistic Children
Consistency is important for all children, but for autistic children, consistency is a must. Here are 5 ways in which you can create consistency for your child across all environments, from home to school and beyond.Continue reading 5 Tips To Create Consistency For Autistic Children Across All Environments
Creating your child’s childhood is an enormous responsibility. One day they will be adults looking back on the memories you helped create. Here are 10 tips you can start using today to help give your child a childhood they’ll one day cherish.Continue reading 10 Tips for Creating a Positive Childhood for Your Child
A few weeks ago, my husband and our 6 1/2-year-old autistic son visited our oldest daughter and her husband for an annual family get-together. They don’t have children, which means they also don’t have a verbal filter. Do you get where this is going?Continue reading Be Careful What You Reinforce: You Just Might Get It
Every family has its own set of challenges, particularly for families impacted by exceptional needs. But experiencing joy shouldn’t be one of them. Continue reading Unlocking the Joy Within Your Exceptional Needs Family
Vacationing with an autistic child can be incredibly challenging, but focusing on what happens before, during, and after your vacation can ensure everyone has a good time. The following tips will help!
Fear of needles (needle phobia) is common for children, however it can even be worse for children with autism. These 5 Tips will give you some great ideas in helping your autistic child tolerate medical procedures involving needles. Continue reading 5 Tips to Prepare an Autistic Child for a Shot
When things become overwhelming for an autistic child, numbers can be used as a coping mechanism.Continue reading Using Numbers to Help Your Autistic Child Remain Calm During Chaos
You’re a parent in 2021, so chances are your child has either been affected by or will be when this happens: COVID cases shutting down classes and leaving you scrambling to figure out how to manage both your job and help your child with virtual school for about ten days. And if your child isContinue reading Virtual School Induced Meltdown
Are you looking for a way to keep your autistic child from unbuckling their car seat? Read on and find out how we kept our son safely in his.Continue reading How to Keep an Autistic Child in Their Car Seat
Moving to a new home can be stressful. Find out how you can make things easier for your autistic child by following these five tips by guest post author, Tilda Moore.Continue reading Five Tips For Moving With Your Child on the Autism Spectrum Guest Post by Tilda Moore
“Neurodivergent” is a relatively new term to describe people with any form of neurobiological variation. It’s a more accurate term for those who don’t fit the typical mold. But awareness isn’t enough – we need action.Continue reading Neurodiversity: Awareness Isn’t Enough
If you’ve ever had to explain autism to a child, you know it can be very difficult. Autism is very complex. But if you have a child with autism you’ve probably had to do just that. Maybe it was explain autism to your child’s sibling, or a cousin, or a friend.
Raising a child with a developmental disability, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is often overwhelming for parents and caregivers. They need all the help they can get. I know I am one of them.
A few months ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and ran across a post in an autism group that caught my eye. The post was a casting call for for Hear Me, later retitled Mandy’s Voice, a short film about nonverbal autism.
My youngest daughter and I recently attended a disability conference. Seeing her interact with the families of disabled children, as well as disabled youth really showed me the empathy and compassion she’s gained by having a sibling with special needs.Continue reading Having a Sibling With a Disability Changes You – For the Better
When moving to a new location, one of the first things a family with children does is check out the local school system. A school can often be a selling point (or a deterrent) to a family moving to a specific location. Unfortunately, this is understandable because public education often doesn’t look the same fromContinue reading The Frustrating Journey Trying to Find a School for My Autistic Son
Here are five tips on how to keep morning routines consistent and calm for children on the autism spectrum. Continue reading 5 Tips for Keeping Morning Routines Consistent for Children with Autism
In this guest post from Better Speech, the writers discuss the difference between autism presenting at birth versus a regression later in toddlerhood.Continue reading Regressive Autism – Understanding the Causes and How to Help Your Child by Better Speech
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