Why Parents Might Feel Grief After a Child’s Autism Diagnosis

Why Parents Might Feel Grief After a Child’s Autism Diagnosis

ByKori
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After receiving an autism diagnosis for your child, you may experience many things. Some, for that matter, you may feel over and over again. Or long after the initial diagnosis. But why do we, as parents, grieve their child’s autism diagnosis? For that matter, is grief an appropriate reaction? Honestly, that all depends on the individual. I’m not going to tell you that there’s a right way or a wrong way to react. Because on one hand you have a diagnosis and that’s a great starting point. On the other hand, this newfound diagnosis brings about a whole new world that you may just be unprepared for. What I felt after my daughter’s autism diagnosis was disenfranchised grief along with a whole heap of parental…

For me, an Easter egg hunt was always one of the more memorable parts of Easter. Here's how to plan an Easter egg hunt.

How to Plan an Easter Egg Hunt for Multiple Age Groups

ByKori
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One of the most memorable parts of Easter, for me, was having an Easter egg hunt. Usually that meant having one at my grandmother’s backyard and one year I went to a larger Easter egg hunt when we were visiting family in Los Angeles. I still remember my younger cousin finding a golden egg, and being quite proud of herself. Squeaker does not quite understand the concept of Easter egg hunting though we will likely dye eggs this year. Next year, however, we will probably do an Easter egg hunt at home or participate in one at church. Here are some tips and advice for how to plan an Easter egg hunt for different age groups. Hiding Easter eggs is something families and many communities…

A Parent’s Guide to Helping an Autistic Child with Anxiety

A Parent’s Guide to Helping an Autistic Child with Anxiety

ByKori
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Autism A to Z is winding down and today’s post is going to follow up on something that was mentioned in the comorbidity and autism post. For the letter X, I wanted to cover helping an autistic child with anxiety. Yes, I realize that it’s not a word that starts with x , but cut me a little a slack, okay? The reason that I chose to use anxiety is because it’s one of the more prevalent co-morbid (or co-occuring) conditions with children with autism. Another reason I chose anxiety is because May is Mental Health Awareness month and I wanted to use this post to tie-in with the upcoming posts that I’ll have on anxiety and depression. While this is not something that all…

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6 Important Reasons to Celebrate an Autism Diagnosis

ByKori
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I had once said that an autism diagnosis is not something that I would congratulate someone on, nor was it something I would order a cake for. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find the upside in a diagnosis. In fact, I think there’s plenty of good things that can be found after receiving a diagnosis for your child. And I’m sharing six reasons as to why you should celebrate an autism diagnosis. And if you’re wondering where to start on this journey, be sure to visit my Autism Resources and Inspiration page. How should you react to an autism diagnosis? If someone had told me to celebrate my daughter’s diagnosis, I probably would have fought the urge to punch them in the face… or…

What Are the Early Signs of Autism to Look For?

What Are the Early Signs of Autism to Look For?

ByKori
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If diagnosed early, you can start therapy sooner. They key, of course, is knowing about the initial signs of autism. But just what are the early signs of autism to look for?  In recent years, more and more children in the United States and worldwide, are being diagnosed with autism. In the United States, the rate is holding steady at 1 in 44 children according to the CDC. I’m a mom to one of those children, as you know. Parenting an autistic child has not always been an easy journey. I’ve had my fair share of wins and I’ve had my fair share of moments where I was ready to just quit and be done. Getting through the initial diagnosis was an accomplishment within itself….

Personal Hygiene and Bedtime Routine Chart and Cards for Girls and Boys

Personal Hygiene and Bedtime Routine Chart and Cards for Girls and Boys

ByKori
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Teaching self help skills is so important for any child and one way to do that is with visual printables for autism. For kids  on the autism spectrum this can be difficult. Many children benefit from visual schedules and routines to help. The personal hygiene chart was meant to become an integral part of creating a functional and predictable evening and bedtime routine. Having these routines in place is huge for autistic children because it helps them have more control over their environment. Using visual schedules and supports can also promote Independence in autistic children. Creating a Visual Bedtime Routine Along the same lines as my daily schedule, bathroom chart, and what to wear chart– this printable set was designed with autistic children in mind and can be…