A Parent’s Perspective: Celebrating the Unique and Beautiful Things About Children with Autism April is Autism Awareness Month, a time dedicated to understanding and celebrating the incredible uniqueness of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Often, the conversation around autism focuses on the challenges. However, there’s an incredible array of strengths and awesome traits our children with autism possess that deserve the spotlight. Dedicating a whole month to Autism Awareness gives us, as parents, permission to freely acknowledge and appreciate our children for who they are. It ..read more

Exploring Sensory Processing in Children with Autism Aisling Hagan, MA, and Clinical Resident at Bright Behavior Inc. Have you ever noticed your child gag when eating certain textures? Or prefer for the lights to be off in the room? Or even cover their ears outside, even though you didn’t hear anything?  Individuals impacted by Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can rarely detect what sensory stimuli are affecting them and how. However, with a bit of information about SPD, you can be aware of what may be impacting their senses and how to help support them. What is Sensory Processing Disord ..read more

A Parent’s Perspective: 10 Things to Help Prepare Your Child for Camp Now is the time of year when parents begin chatting about how they will keep their kids entertained this summer. It’ll be here before you know it, even though the ground has just begun to thaw. Popular camps fill up fast, so you must plan ahead. Those of us with differently abled children understand that so much more preparation is required for our kids to have positive summer experiences. Many children with autism — and their parents — struggle without the routine of the school calendar year. Camps can be an excellent optio ..read more

A Parent’s Perspective: Tips for Sensory-Friendly Haircuts I used to cut my son’s hair. I knew if I took him somewhere for a haircut, he would freak out from the overwhelming sensory experience. But if I cut it, I could set the stage for success — cut it dry (no spritzing him with water), give him toys to stim with, and provide access to an iPad for entertainment. It worked for years until I realized my skills were sorely lacking. And I want my son to look his very best. So we decided to venture out for a haircut in the wild.  Many kids with autism have a hard time getting a haircut. It i ..read more

As parents of young children with autism, creating a supportive home environment is essential to promoting your child’s development, comfort, and well-being. A home that is tailored to meet the unique needs of your child can significantly and positively impact their daily routines and overall quality of life. In this blog post, we’ll explore tips and strategies to create an autism-friendly home environment based on evidence-based practices and recommendations from peer-reviewed journals. Establish a Structured Routine: Children with autism thrive on routine and predictability. Establishing a ..read more

As parents of children with autism, finding ways to foster your child’s development and learning is a top priority. One of the most effective and enjoyable ways to achieve this is through play-based learning. Play has a profound impact on a child’s development, especially for those on the autism spectrum. Play is a natural and essential activity that facilitates learning, social interaction, and skill acquisition. Numerous studies and experts have emphasized the vast array of benefits that play-based learning offers to children with autism. Here are just a few: Enhanced Social Skills Play p ..read more

A Parent’s Perspective: Reflecting on special needs parenting and looking toward the new year For many of us raising children with autism, our goals for the new year may differ greatly from our parenting peers. Losing 10 pounds or striving for a promotion at work likely isn’t our primary focus. Even simple resolutions, such as timely birthday cards or daily flossing, may not align with our journey. It’s not that healthy habits and new challenges aren’t important to us; it’s simply that everything in our world is overshadowed by autism. Autism parenting can be all-consuming at times. As the wor ..read more

The holiday season is often a whirlwind of activities, from cooking festive feasts to wrapping presents and decorating the house. Amidst the hustle and bustle, finding activities that keep your child engaged and happy can be a challenge, especially for parents of children with autism.  Crafting a sensory box is one way to provide a soothing and stimulating experience for your child. What is a Sensory Box? A sensory box is a container filled with various materials to stimulate the senses – touch, sight, sound, smell, and sometimes taste. It serves as a safe space for children with autism ..read more

A Parent’s Perspective: No more holiday stress The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. However, for parents and caregivers of children with autism, it can also bring unique challenges as well as full-on stress. I think the pressures of the holiday season make special needs parenting ten times harder than the rest of the year.  The sensory overload, crowded gatherings, and disruptions to routines can make this time of year incredibly overwhelming for your child and yourself. At ABA Connect, we want every child and their family to enjoy the festivi ..read more

A Parent’s Perspective: The awesome things about autism I’m most grateful for this Thanksgiving November is a season of thanksgiving and gratitude. If we’re honest, thankfulness is not typically our first response when parenting a child with autism. It takes intentionality to see the good and the beautiful in the midst of the hard, messy disruptions autism brings into our lives. It’s all too easy to focus on the meltdowns and frustrations, the communication barriers, the lack of friendships, and the deep grief of a life that is different from what we planned. Autism is a unique journey that br ..read more