My friend Mitch Leppicello, LICSW, has 30 years of experience with autistic kids and their families. He's here to share some tips for managing the transition to summer.
Resources to Help Kids with Autism Develop Emotional Regulation By Dr. Jason Kahn Children with autism often struggle with emotional regulation. Building these skills is part of growing up, no kid is born with these skills. However, for kids with autism, these challenges can often be more acute, leaving parents looking for resources and wondering what they can do to help their kids. A bit of knowledge can help a ton A little bit of understanding can help you empathize with your child and also set expectations. The Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University has a terrific rundown on what these skills are and puts them into context of how they help kids grow up healthy. You can read more here. Likewise, the Child Mind Institute has some…
Why Swimming Lessons are Critical for Kids on the Autism Spectrum By: Michael Morris, Goldfish Swim School Everybody in the pool! Yes, that really means everybody. It is widely recognized that all kids need swim lessons. In fact, the American Red Cross says that the number one thing that parents can do to keep kids safer around water is to enroll them in swim lessons. Researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health recently conducted a study that concluded that children with autism are 160 times more likely to drown than the general pediatric population. The lead researcher stated, “Given the exceptionally heightened risk of drowning for children with autism, swimming classes should be the intervention of top priority.” (Source: My Autism.Org) https://youtu.be/WE3NIKGEhOM The swim and water safety…
As with any guest post, the views and opinions don't necessarily reflect those for The Autism Dad blog. Guest Post by Jack Carter Child-proofing can seem like a hard task, but it is so incredibly important. If your youngster is quickly realizing the fascination of switches and just about everything else; it is time to child-proof your kitchen like there is no tomorrow! But where do you begin? Read on to discover the easiest and effective ways to child-proof your kitchen and eliminate the risk of accidents. Keep Things Out of Reach Luckily, this isn’t too much of a task when children are small. The most important things to keep out of reach include hazardous chemicals and sharp objects. If you have cupboards above the fridge, put the most dangerous…
As with any guest post, the views and opinions don't necessarily reflect those for The Autism Dad blog. Guest Post by Jack Carter The thought of planning the perfect camping trip can be very daunting when you need to take various circumstances into consideration. Regular outings can be hard for families with an autistic child, but it does not mean that you have to miss out on the fun. Camping trips, in particular, are the perfect chance for children to experience new situations and surroundings – it is an enjoyable adventure for all! Of course, there are a variety of things to consider to make the trip as comfortable as possible for an autistic child. Whether they like routine and the familiar or need something at all times to stay…
Parenting is definitely not for the faint of heart. Just when you think you know what you are doing, your child throws you for a loop. Hiding homework. Trying to get out of chores. Getting out all the paints and… you get the idea. What makes things harder is when you and your spouse don’t agree on how to handle things. One parent may be more lenient, and the other harsher. Who is right? Well, that’s the hard part. There is no parenting handbook, no definite rules for every child in every situation. What works for one family may not work for another. And so, you may feel like you are constantly going back to the drawing board. If you disagree about parenting, here are five ways to resolve the…
Photo via Pixabay by Theresa_Quagraine Deciding whether or not homeschooling is right for your child on the autism spectrum is difficult, and it’s not something to be entered into lightly. There are many things to consider--including whether you’ll need to modify your home in any way--and taking over the way your child learns and receives information can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Yet many public schools find it a challenge to be able to meet the needs of their special needs students, and it’s a big concern to parents as to whether or not their children are getting everything they require during an average school day. Because there’s such a wide range of treatment options available for children who fall on the autism spectrum, many schools just aren’t equipped to…
How To Make the Holidays Fun For All The Family A Guest Post With decorations hanging in the malls and Christmas commercials already on TV, the holidays are here again. While Thanksgiving and Christmas are the perfect times to get the family together, not all families have the luck of living in the same state, country, or even hemisphere, and it can be hard just to get everyone together, let alone make the holidays fun. According to Power to Change, nothing defines a family more than how it celebrates together, as family traditions and rituals promote stability and create deep roots. They can also be a lot of fun! At the same time, though, the festive season can be a source of incredible strain and frustration, loneliness, or sadness.…