Autism Advocacy

We as parents of special needs children have many challenges that we are facing during this time of crisis. With many of the schools across the country closed, many parents are now tasked with implementing school at home. But what about parents of special needs children? Yes, we are also in that boat of implementing school at home but our children are also losing valuable access to therapy services. These services are usually protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that puts the student’s IEP in place. What can I do about losing IEP services? IDEA or Section 504 of the Rehabiliation Act don’t specifically address school closures of this length. However, IDEA mandates that all eligible students still have a right to…

When my daughter got her autism diagnosis, one of the first things I needed was support. And one of the first things I did? I started looking for resources in my area on how to create and nurture a strong support system. As a parent of an autistic child, this was one of the most important things I could have done. So now, I want to share this with you. Just some of the ways to best support families with autism.  How to Best support families with autism First? Please check your judgment at the door. Don’t tell us that you’ve heard about how so-and-so “cured” their child. Don’t ask us if we’ve tried this or that.  And please? Do not pray for the autism to…

  After my daughter with autism turned 18, there were several things that I had to do for her future. Many of those things started well before she turned 18 and that included financial planning. But this one thing? This is one of the most important steps I took for my daughter’s future. Thanks to ABLEnow®  for sponsoring this conversation. I’m thrilled to be able to speak with you about it. My Best piece of advice for parents who have just received an autism diagnosis I want to start this by sharing a little bit of advice with you. This may seem like unnecessary advice. However, it’s one of those things that I’d wish I’d known about before. And it’s as simple as this: if…

“Just use your words” How often do you hear that phrase? For that matter, how often have you used that phrase? With my neurotypical daughter, I have tried to refrain from using it. And that’s not because I don’t want to remind her of her expansive vocabulary. But, it’s mostly because I never really had to use it before. Except I did.. just not in the typical way that most people think. When we say “use your words” to our children, we are really asking for them to communicate with us, right? But for autistic children like my daughter, they may not always have the expressive vocabulary. We want our children to have a voice and to use that voice. As parents of autistic children,…

Just as your child is going to receive a back-to-school supply list? Here are a few things that you should be doing to get ready for back to school. Yes, you- mom or dad of an autistic child. There are some specific things that you’re going to need. I won’t leave you empty-handed though. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a handy checklist with these back to school survival tips for parents of autistic children.  What parents of autistic children need to do before school starts Aside from the back to school shopping for supplies or clothes, there are a few key things that parents need to do before the mad-rush of back to school. And yes, parents of autistic children, that includes…