Sleep problems are dramatically more common for children with autism than for their peers, and they tend to stick around without a real plan in place. Rushing into sleep training without preparation usually backfires, more resistance, more inconsistency, more exhaustion for everyone. This guide walk...
ABA Therapy
Receiving an autism diagnosis for your child can bring up a lot at once: relief that you finally have an answer, grief for expectations you’re recalibrating, fear about what comes next, sometimes all in the same afternoon. That’s completely normal, and none of it means you’re not...
Prom is supposed to be a rite of passage, and for a lot of neurodiverse teens, it genuinely can be, with the right preparation. It can also be, as one psychologist working with autistic teens once put it, “a collection of the worst possible sensory experiences” a person can encounter: lo...
The nursery is painted. The bag is packed. And somewhere down the hall, a child who thrives on knowing exactly what comes next is about to have their entire day rewritten by a seven-pound stranger. Preparing an autistic child for a new baby means teaching the new routine before it starts, rehearsing...
Starting therapy begins long before your child’s first session. It begins with intake. The ABA intake process is the series of steps that move a family from a first phone call to approved, ongoing therapy: the intake call, document collection, insurance verification, authorization, and the ini...
Pink frosting on the cheek. A balloon arch by the door. A room of people about to break into song. For many kids, that scene is the highlight of the year. For an autistic child, it can also be the moment the day starts to fall apart. The good news is that birthdays do not […]...
Sand between the toes. Waves rolling in. A cooler full of snacks. For many families, the beach is a summer staple. For families raising an autistic child, the same trip can also mean sensory overload, unfamiliar transitions, and very real water safety risks. This ABA Support Guide for Beach Days bre...
Pools are filling. Lakes are warming. The neighborhood backyards across Maryland and Virginia are about to host the kind of casual summer gatherings where one moment of distraction can become a tragedy. For families of children with autism, this season brings a danger that is documented, statistical...
Deciding if you should sign up your child for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy can be tough. Many people find it hard, especially after hearing about an autism spectrum disorder. It is normal to stop and ask if this therapy will meet your child’s specific needs. ABA therapy is based on ...