Category Archives: ASD

A Time of Renewal

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Every year most people make resolutions. Usually, they have to do with conquering issues that deal with self. I admit that I make some as well, but I like to call them New Year’s goals.  For some reason the word “resolution” makes me feel like I’ll forget about it after March. I also like to make goals for my youngest son in the beginning of the year.

Since my oldest son has now graduated from college, I continue to encourage his ongoing growth and the pursuit of his aspirations. As far as my youngest goes, there are so many possibilities I know he will achieve as he moves into the second half of his ninth grade year, despite any obstacles he may have faced in the fall. Although ASD can bring a lot of challenges, when I look back from January 2024 until now, my son has conquered a lot of goals.

Now that 2025 is here, I want to make sure we keep moving forward and not resting on last year’s victories. As I write down goals for myself, I do the same for him.  Looking at a notepad or board with real objectives helps to keep everything in focus. Whatever method you utilize, it should always be in view. I love the refrigerator as a place to keep the goal board or even on the wall near a desk.  I also recommend breaking down larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks to prevent feelings of overwhelm while working toward significant goals. Additionally, since our kids usually love receiving praise, providing them with little rewards along the way seems to help their confidence as they continue the journey throughout the year.

Furthermore, moving into a new year also provides an excellent opportunity for parents to gather resources for their children, particularly in relation to new therapies, activities, and camps that may be beneficial for them.

Many school districts host resource fairs that provide valuable information for parents about local events and opportunities specifically tailored for children on the spectrum. These fairs can be a great way to discover new options for your child’s growth and exploration. I highly recommended that parents attend as many of these fairs and workshops as possible to stay informed and engaged in their children’s development.

It is essential that we capitalize on opportunities each year that can facilitate our children’s development and help them realize their full potential. Establishing clear goals for our children and maintaining focus and consistency in pursuing these goals can lead to numerous achievements over the course of the year. This year there are abundant possibilities for growth and success, and every child deserves the chance to embrace the positive opportunities that lie ahead.

Transitions…Again

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Summer is here, and for many students, that means a serious break from academics and a time for fun and relaxation. However, for many kids on the autism spectrum, it also includes increasing therapy sessions. Getting additional speech or occupational therapy during the school year can be challenging, so the summer is a great time to add more sessions.

For children or teenagers like my son, this summer also means transitioning from middle school to high school. The transition from fifth grade to sixth grade was scary for me, but now that my son has entered the “teenager” phase, it’s even scarier. He will have to handle a larger school with students ranging from ages 14 to 19, and that worries me. I feel like shouting, “Dorothy, we are no longer in Kansas,” but as a mom who has handled numerous challenges, I know we can overcome the beginning of the high school phase.

Whenever my son is about to enter a new phase in his life, I usually make two planners – one physical and one digital. You can choose whichever one suits you best to keep your child’s information organized. Personally, I like having both because items can sometimes get lost with technology. Many organizations have planners such as TACA (The Autism Community in Action) that are extremely helpful for keeping track of information.

Before summer started, I made an effort to attend numerous events designed for high school students with special needs. My goal was to collect and organize as much information as possible. In the planner, I have sections or folders that contain a list of my son’s therapies, recent evaluations, IEP’s, and essential resources. I categorize physical resources into areas such as volunteering, employment, and applicable camps for the near future, as well as a separate section for future events. For the virtual planner, I include links to the various companies and camps.

During any transition, organization is key. It is important not to become overwhelmed during the midst of camps, therapies, and summer fun activities. You do not want to be burdened by tedious work. Doing a little at a time will help in getting items together.

As I continue on this journey of transition this summer, I am preparing to meet teachers, therapists at my son’s high school as well as look for activities he can be a part of during the school year.

I am also giving myself grace and some time to just enjoy my son outside of academics and therapies. It is still summer and we should “kick up our heels” a bit and enjoy the break as much as possible.

Spring Forward

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Spring is on its way here and with that brings on decisions about summer activities for your child or teen.  Now is the time to start looking at various programs, filling out applications and exploring what type of scholarships and funding is available.  For the last few years this process has been fairly easy for me but now that my son is a teenager, I want to make sure the programs are appropriate for his age and abilities.

Some important questions to ask when looking for summer camps and programs are: What is the age group of the program? How are the children grouped (abilities, age or both) and what activities are offered? Specifically, are there themes for each week or certain activities the camp will focus on during the day?

Another key question to ask the coordinators is whether the camp is part time or full time? Some programs offer both and if they do, make sure you find out the specific hours and various fees for each one. The ratio of counselors to campers is another essential question and if the camp utilizes therapists such as OT speech and music.

Although it is only March and summer is three months away, it is vital for parents, especially if you have kids with ASD (because spots are extremely limited), to start exploring options now.  It is important to get ahead of the game so that our kids can have a fun and productive summer and we are not stressed at the last minute to find our children activities to explore.

Under the resources tab I have a list of some websites that may be helpful when looking for summer camps and activities.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

A New Year for Goals

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The new year usually brings in resolutions or changes to our routine for the betterment of ourselves. Many goals we stick to, others may fall by the wayside, but the key point is that we continue to have ambitions and objectives as we move along throughout the year. This is especially true for our children on the Spectrum as well. Some kids with ASD may not have traditional New Year’s resolutions as their peers but no matter what their goals may be, we need to honor them. As parents and caregivers, we must embrace this notion as well. We may want our kids to jump leaps and bounds over the next few months and yet they may only take “baby steps.” Our kids deserve all the accolades of any achievements large and small throughout the year.

I encourage parents and caregivers to talk with their children about what goals they may want to achieve throughout the year and making a plan to assist with helping them try to achieve the objectives. This New Year is a wonderful time to sit down with our children and find out their dreams and aspirations. We need to support them in creating goals that they can attain in shorter lengths of time but also those objectives that challenge them. These are healthy habits for strengthening our kids’ confidence no matter what their age or abilities and the beginning of the year is a perfect time to have these conversations.

Changes

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Summer flew by and now fall is truly upon us with leaves falling swiftly and cool breezes in the air, not to mention that school holiday breaks will be coming up soon.

In the midst of these changes, I think about my son’s transition from elementary to middle school. Although this was a big adjustment for me, he seemed to take it all in stride. It did not hurt that a lot of his elementary school friends were in the same classroom. In addition, he was able to see old classmates that had graduated a year or so before him at the new school. He seemed to be just fine but for mom it was HUGE!! The transition from elementary to middle was difficult for me because I thought that by this time he would be in a regular or inclusive classroom. I had hoped that this change would at least happen by the end of fifth grade.

Although this was challenging, I realize that everything is a process, and our kids have to operate at a pace that works best for them. We cannot always get caught up with what we want for our children, if it does not provide them with the best situation for their success.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of that when I get into the “why isn’t this happening now” phase. Those reminders have helped a lot along the way.

This new adjustment into middle school feels better now and I am seeing my son maturing at a nice pace. Every moment is precious, and I want to make sure I am enjoying each one with my son at every level. He has helped me to embrace this new phase in his educational journey.

Outdoor Summer Fun

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Summer is in full swing right now and most of us are getting back outside, soaking up the sun, seeing friends, family and participating in outdoor activities. This is especially important for our kids on the spectrum because many have been at home with virtual school and therapies. Taking part in summer camp, field trips and family vacations helps to give our kids some much needed enjoyment, since many have not had the chance to have outdoor fun with others in the last year.

During the summer, I like to think of activities, usually outdoors, that my son may have never tried before. This time of year, gives us a slower pace and I can give him more assistance with the activity.

This summer, my son is finally learning to ride a bicycle. This has been on our list for several years now, but it always seemed like the timing was not right.  I was able to get his OT on board with assisting in the process.  In fact, she has been a crucial part of helping him get the feel of the bike.

After several months he is now wanting to put his feet on the pedals of the bicycle, and he is also riding an adaptive one by himself.  I am hoping that by the end of the summer he will be ready to ride the regular bike.

Many parents want to try a variety of activities for their child and this season is one of the best times to do it.  No matter what it may be, such as swimming, biking or horseback riding, use this time to explore and try a new activity this summer.

Most outdoor activities can help build your kids confidence, allow them to have fun and maybe get them more social time with peers. As we all know, life is precious and there is no time like the present to get out there and enjoy it with your children.  They will definitely thank you for it in the future!

Autism Awareness Month

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Yesterday, began Autism Awareness Month and today April 2nd, marks World Autism Awareness Day.   Even though there is so much going on around the globe, we must continue to make our society cognizant of Autism and how families are dealing with the disorder.  This information not only assists our communities in understanding Autism but also helps families who believe their child may have ASD or assist parents that have a newly diagnosed child.

One of the essential tasks we have as parents and caregivers who care for anyone with ASD is to always be the beacon of light and hope for them. We must let our children know that they can achieve goals and are essential to our communities.  When we give them as many tools to succeed, they can feel confident as they move forward in all endeavors.

Also, as we continue to spread the knowledge about Autism this month, let us remember to support and uplift all those that help us on this journey with our children.  We are a village, and no one should ever walk this road alone.

Please check out the resource page for information that can assist families dealing with ASD.  Also, many organizations such as TACA (The Autism Community in Action) and ARI (Autism Research Institute) have wonderful webinars being offered this month.