Summer is a season brimming with fun and exciting activities, and one of the highlights is the biggest birthday celebration ever: July 4th! Many of us eagerly anticipate the fairs, parades, and fireworks displays that take place across the country. The festive atmosphere, vibrant colors, and jubilant gatherings create an environment of joy and excitement. However, for children on the autism spectrum, these festivities can present unique challenges. Children with autism often experience sensory sensitivities that can make the loud

Food refusal is a common concern with young children.  Children with autism or other developmental disorders tend to eat an extremely narrow range of foods.  What is it about autism that often makes children resistant to eating a normal and varied diet?  We know many children with autism spectrum disorder have sensory issues, are overly sensitive to certain textures, sounds and perhaps tastes. Many children also will have an insistence on sameness, are comfortable with routines and have difficulty with

Is your kiddo having a hard time transitioning?  Throwing tantrums? Anxious? They may need help with their functional communication skills. What is Functional Communication? Functional communication training is based on the idea that problem behaviors may be a form of communication.  It aims to teach people with autism to use other forms of communication as substitutes for the ‘messages’ underlying the challenging behaviors.  For example, if the child throws a tantrum as a way to get out of doing some

Some of the easiest tasks can be the most challenging for our kiddos.  Washing hands with soap consistently at critical moments during the day prevents the spread of diseases.  With flu and COVID, we put extra emphasis on washing our hands properly.  We created a visual chart of the step by step process of washing your hands and usually put these in the bathroom as a constant reminder for the correct way to wash your hand or really as a reminder

Don’t underestimate your child — independence can start early at home! As kids get older, the more independent they become every day, so let’s encourage this in lots of ways. One​ way to encourage them is by asking them to do more simple chores around the house​ like putting away their own laundry. ​ These printable clothing labels are perfect for knowing which items of clothing goes in which drawer.​ They also help mornings go smoother when your kids are