How To Handle Puberty in Autistic Kids

How To Handle Puberty in Autistic Kids

ByKori
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If your autistic child was diagnosed as a toddler, it’s hard to imagine them becoming a teenager– but it will happen one day. Here’s how to best support your autistic child through puberty. Children grow up. It’s inevitable. It’s a part of life. All children grow up. But how do you handle this with autistic kids? How do you handle puberty in autistic kids? This, is after all, something that we deal with when it comes to parenting an autistic child. That’s something I’ve wrestled with since Sweet B was a toddler. And clearly, it’s not something I could ever stop. She’s turning 14 this year (in 2015) and has developed into a young woman. Even without her autism, this could have been difficult to…

The Benefits of Getting a Support Dog for Your Autistic Child

The Benefits of Getting a Support Dog for Your Autistic Child

ByKori
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Over the years, I’ve contemplated whether or not getting a therapy dog for Sweet B would be worth it. Certainly yes, I’ve always seen the benefits of having a dog. My dog was my best friend until he passed away several years ago. I still get teary eyed thinking about it because yes, he was part of the family. He was more than just a dog to us, he was family. You have to choose carefully when it comes to getting a dog. Some people love a little dog that stays little and others love to buy from a litter of newborn chocolate lab puppies for the children to grow up with. It’s so important that you pick the right breed for your dog,  even…

20 Books About Autism for Kids

20 Books About Autism for Kids

ByKori
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We are a family of readers and we absolutely love having books in our house. I have a bookshelf in practically every room of the house and books are located nearly everywhere. To help my neurotypical child understand, we turned to books about autism. It’s also given me some thought about eventually writing my own book about autism. But, not just yet. For now, we will rely on this list and supplement as we go. I’ve posted my Top 10 Books for Parents of Autistic Children and I’m working on a post specifically for parents of girls on the spectrum. But today I wanted to share a list of books about autism for kids. If you have children who are not on the spectrum, they may not…

Addressing Autism and Divorce: What To Do When Your Marriage Crumbles

Addressing Autism and Divorce: What To Do When Your Marriage Crumbles

ByKori
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Why do people divorce when they have children with special needs? How do I divorce my spouse when we have an autistic child? How do I learn to parent an autistic child on my own? Dear friend, these were just some of the things I struggled with when I realized that my marriage was falling apart. This is my story, just one of many, when it comes to divorce with an autistic child.  Is the divorce rate higher for parents of autistic children? I would be highly inclined to tell you, yes- it is. Sweet B’s father and I were married for 12 years. As of 2016, we were legally separated and as of 2018, our divorce was finalized. At the time, neither one of…

Top Tips to Prepare Your Autistic Toddler for Preschool

Top Tips to Prepare Your Autistic Toddler for Preschool

ByKori
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If you received an early diagnosis of autism, chances are likely that you’ve gone through Early Intervention services. At least that’s how it went for my family, but your situation may be different. Still, if you’re starting to think about what happens with your autistic toddler and preschool, read on. You are just about to embark on a special needs advocacy journey. Is preschool right for my autistic toddler? Maybe you’ve received therapy services in-home to this point, but what happens next? Sure, there’s nothing wrong with receiving in-home services or going to a clinic to receive these services. But your child may need more support. For us, that meant setting up a meeting with our local Committee on Preschool Special Education to decide what would…

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…