Organizational skills can be a challenge to master for many young children. While children are still quite young, certain daily strategies can help them learn
A confident kid who becomes self-sufficient is what every parent hopes for their children. By encouraging independence, you can help gradually build their confidence and
We see impulse control issues all the time. Running into the middle of the street after you’ve told your child to stay nearby. Hitting the
Social problem solving is figuring out how to handle problems in social situations. Sometimes, children have trouble handling tough situations. They might get upset when
Learning from failure is difficult. Parents want their children to do well and be successful. As a result, we may try to clear away any
The stimulus belief response is a key tenet of the Son-Rise program (more info about Son-Rise here: https://autismtreatmentcenter.org/). When my son was about 5, I
The importance of routines is to support your child’s healthy growth and progress by establishing a consistent schedule and regular routines. Research shows that routines
Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is when babies, typically 6 months and older, are allowed to feed themselves using their hands instead of the traditional approach of
Screen time for kids. It’s one of the biggest topics parents think about when it comes to their child’s development and health. On the one
Helping your child focus is no easy task. Kids are doing a lot of multitasking these days, and constant distractions compete for their attention. With
Did you know why it seems there’s a birthday party every week in September? That’s because more people have their birthdays in September than in
Covid-19 and the associated Long COVID Syndrome have changed our lives in many ways. Things we used to take for granted, such as going to
Conducting a college search is stressful for many reasons. You have additional considerations when your child has a disability or mental health issues. Your child
Before heading back to school, follow these tips to help ensure your kids have a safe, happy, and productive year! 1. Make the First Day
Congratulations, Superhero Parents! You are to raise one of the most incredible and unique humans on the planet. I would like to welcome you to
Is your child up late tossing and turning before the first day of school? Don’t worry. It won’t be that bad! Just tell your child
Children may be thrilled by the end of the school year, but summer break can be stressful for parents. While all children do better with
Sensory play for toddlers can be fun and yet provide benefits to your child’s development. Hot weather and the slower summertime pace provide excellent opportunities
Being a special needs caregiver is one of the most selfless roles. As a parent, carrying out this role can be both a satisfying and
The transition from school to summer might sound blissful after a packed school year, especially if your child struggles with academics or doesn’t enjoy the
One of my areas of expertise and interest is promoting healthy balance and boundaries when it comes to technology addiction. It’s a very complex topic
You as parents can be one of the key ingredients to maximizing your therapist’s efficiency in occupational therapy. You spend the most amount of time
You don’t go to the IRS for help with your taxes…am I right? This question is one of my favorite things to say to parents
When people find out that I homeschool my 15-year-old autistic** son, I often get asked, “why?” Or “how did you decide to do that?” Or
Occupational Therapists (OTs) are uniquely positioned to address picky eating due to their training in analyzing activities. OTs also understand how to facilitate lasting behavior
Neuroatypical or typical, picky eating is very common among little growing children. In the early formative years, underlying developmental issues could cause your child to reject certain
One of the biggest challenges for many families is dealing with meltdown behavior. “What calming methods have you found successful?” is often a common question.
Ho, ho, oh….no. Things can get really busy now that the holidays are here. Not only are you in charge of taking care of their
.Gifts for building social and communication skills can be both fun and skill-building. The holiday season is upon us once again. Here are some fun
Holiday traditions for the sensory-sensitive can mean some small changes to your usual holidays. ‘Tis the season to be….overwhelmed. While many people look forward to
Family gatherings can be difficult for children with unique issues. Family gatherings are time for food, family, & fun. Families travel to spend quality time
For our families, ‘the most wonderful time of the year,” must also include sensory friendly gifts. Our kids who thrive on familiarity and routine can
In this article, I want to share how to safely and effectively use planned ignoring as a strategy to handle tantrums and other problem behaviors.
Getting good sleep can be quite elusive to many children. I know from experience just how big of an impact sleep deprivation can have on
Autism sleep issues affect around 80% of autistic people. If your child is one of them, chances are you’re not getting enough sleep either.
Your child has newly received an autism diagnosis and you are most likely overwhelmed with all the early intervention – OT, PT, SLP, IEP, etc.
Neurolyrical Cafe is an AWESOME event to explore nonverbal communication in children and individuals organized by I-ASC – The International Association for Spelling as Communication.
Does your child hold it together for most of the school day and then have a meltdown at home? As a pediatric therapist, I often
Getting early intervention services is hard, even for me, a Pediatric Physical Therapist by profession. Advocating for my (therapy) kids has always been a passion
Aching backs and shoulders? Tingling arms? Weakened muscles? Stooped posture? Does your child have these symptoms after wearing a heavy school backpack? Carrying too much
I enjoy cooking and baking with my daughter. Cooking has been a great way for her to learn many daily living skills. What is wonderful
Recently, I have seen many parents ask me about behavior issues and how to understand and manage them better. We often think of bad behavior
Whenever the topic of transition is discussed, it is mostly about the issues surrounding young adults with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. Usually, there is very
A sensory-friendly Halloween can be challenging to create. For most families with young children, Halloween is a time full of fun, excitement, and anticipation. However,
If you have a child with a disability, planning early and ahead for their future transition into adulthood is very important. In this article, I
Raising neurotypical and autistic siblings can be a challenge. Many parents of children with disabilities become dedicated to caring for that child at the expense
Sensory Friendly Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are easy to make. They are also nutritious and delicious. If you are anything like our family, you or someone
I want to share my journey with my children’s mental health. I am the mother of a beautiful 21-year daughter. She has had more than
Want a pizza recipe to do with your kids? Look no further. Have you ever had a week that really wore you out, and none
For parents unfamiliar with the term ‘summer slide,’ nope, it’s not fun playground equipment. It means the setback in the summer when our children with
When parenting children with different needs, it’s common for a parent to wonder if you give each child enough time and attention. This often becomes
A Parent’s Guide to Autistic Meltdowns Read more from Suzanne Shaft Suzanne is a fierce advocate for her children and has done much to
Every person is different, so it is impossible to say if someone will continue to have meltdowns throughout their life. My son is 14,
It was not until I became a little boy’s mother that I discovered the strong correlation between food and ADHD / hyperactivity. I did not
How one mom’s intuition helped her son’s uncomfortable situation with his foreskin, especially when she was getting no help from her doctor who had never seen this type of case
before.
Here’s my story of how a baby milk allergy turned out to be quite an ordeal. When we became parents for the first time everything
Your child has newly received an autism diagnosis, and you are most likely overwhelmed with all the early interventions – OT, PT, SLP, IEP, etc.
This pandemic has forced many parents to consider homeschooling their children, especially those needing extra support or having medical reasons (to avoid exposure to COVID-19).