The month of April is Autism Appreciation Month! According to the CDC, 1 in 44 children are autistic, so it is very likely that your child will interact with or know someone with autism. This month is a great opportunity for you and your child to learn more about empathy. Here are a few ways to do so! Read Books Together There are so many great picture books that can help kids learn about autism, and autistic people. Here is a list of 10 books th...

In 2018, I started working with children on the Autism Spectrum as a Registered Behavioral Technician. Communication is critically important for children during the fastest growth phase of their lives. Children with autism are often not able to communicate as effectively as children not "on the spectrum". At first, it was extremely difficult. I caught a glimpse of what it must be like for the parents of these precious little kids. Children with a...

  Feeding a child can cause the most anxiety-inducing moments of the day... OR it can be an enjoyable experience that brings parent and child closer together. The following guidelines can empower your family to start out on the right foot when feeding your baby, or if you have a picky eater , to take steps toward positive feeding moments. Mealtime peace The foundation to success in eating and feeding is creating peaceful mealtimes. If your c...

If you are the parent of a child with Autism, you likely have many days when you just feel tired. Parenting is exhausting as is, but parenting a child with special needs can be next-level difficult, and that difficulty is only increased if our child is also struggling to sleep at night. At least half of all children with Autism struggle with some sort of chronic sleep problem due to things such as sensory sensitivities, less natural melatonin pro...

The Eight Sensory Systems "It's too loud! Can you turn down the volume?" "No hugs! Stop touching me!" "If he keeps eating, he's going to gag himself again!" "Why is he rocking back and forth?" Have you ever heard these phrases? If you have, you are probably familiar with sensory processing. Without us knowing it, our bodies perform infinite amount of processes within seconds to keep us alive, one of them being the process of deciphering sense sig...

As adults, we use each of our senses everyday to help understand and process the world around us. As children develop, they are learning how to use each of their senses too. Some children may struggle with sensory processing, either feeling overstimulated easily or having a hard time processing any sensory input at all. Whether or not your child struggles with sensory processing, doing sensory activities at home can be really fun and help any chi...

Close your eyes… focus on your breath… do not try to change it, just focus on it. Now, I want you to imagine yourself lying in the soft grass. As you rest, you notice a tree next to you; this tree has big, beautiful leaves. Also, notice that there is a stream nearby; you are resting near the bank. As any thought enters your mind, imagine it is a leaf on the tree. Notice the wind and allow the thought leaf to blow from the tree to the stream and f...

Parents naturally want to provide the best possible environment for their children.When your child is on the autism spectrum, surroundings can make a big impact in helping her to prosper.Here are some suggestions to help you design the best possible bedroom for your child with autism. Create zones .  Creating zones in your child's bedroom can be a boon to helping her feel comfortable and thrive. Make a space dedicated to playing, another spa...

As a parent support specialist with Help Me Grow Utah, I sometimes get asked questions regarding receiving an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Frequent questions often sound like: Does Help Me Grow screen for autism? My pediatrician administered the M-CHAT to my child and it said he is at high risk-- doesn't that count as a diagnosis? My child just received an autism diagnosis-- what does she need now? For any parent that has similar que...