Autism Family Resource

Diaper digging is one of those topics many families experience but few people openly talk about. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene talks with Cindy Seifert, founder of Prevent-A-Wear and mother to an autistic daughter with high support needs, about a behavior that can be exhausting, isolating, and hard to manage without the right support. Cindy shares her personal...

What if your child's current school setting just is not working? For many families, that question brings frustration, worry, and a lot of uncertainty about what to do next. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene talks with teacher, tech entrepreneur, and Teach Your Kids host Manisha Snoyer about homeschooling, school choice, and what it can look like to create a more pe...

What would happen if your child got lost in the community and could not communicate who they are or how to get home? For many parents of non-speaking or high-support-needs children, that question can keep them up at night. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene talks with Justin Behnke, a father who created ScanMeHome after realizing his own son needed an added layer of...

Parents and caregivers often feel excited when their child finally receives an AAC device. But what happens when the device arrives and your child shows little interest in using it? In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene is joined by speech-language pathologists Lydia McKay and Staci Dover to discuss the final part of a three-episode series on augmentative and alternati...

If your child is non-speaking or experiencing speech delays, you may have heard about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) but wondered how families actually obtain a communication device. In part two of this three-part AAC series, host Brian Keene is joined by Phoenix-area speech-language pathologists Lydia McKay and Stacey Dover to walk parents through the real-world process of getti...

If your child is non-speaking or experiencing speech delays, you may be wondering what communication options are available to support them. In this first episode of a three-part AAC series, host Brian Keene sits down with Phoenix-based speech-language pathologists Lydia McKay and Staci Dover to explore the foundations of communication and language development. Together they unpack what communicati...

Many parents want to understand why their child may be experiencing certain symptoms rather than simply being told which therapies to pursue. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, host Brian Keene speaks with Karen Thomas, founder of Naturally Recovering Autism and author who shares her personal journey supporting her son after his autism diagnosis. Karen explains how she began re...

What do you do when your questions keep getting redirected and you still feel like something important is being missed? In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, host Brian Keene sits down with Debbie Kimberg and her son, Sammy, to share their family's experience searching for answers beyond the explanations they were initially given. Debbie discusses how years of persistent advocacy...

Mealtimes can feel exhausting when your child only accepts a small handful of foods and every attempt to introduce something new turns into stress. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, host Brian Keene talks with registered dietitian Brittyn Coleman about picky eating, nutrition, gut health, and practical ways to support autistic children with limited food choices. Brittyn shares...

Raising a neurodivergent child can place enormous stress on a relationship, especially when families are navigating sleep deprivation, emotional overload, communication struggles, and survival mode. In this episode, Brian sits down with relationship coach Rach Wilson to discuss the realities many parents quietly experience while raising children with complex needs. Rach shares her own personal jou...

Parenting multiple children while supporting different needs within the family can bring up a wide range of emotions for everyone involved. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene sits down with parent guest Crestina Yaiva to talk about sibling relationships, autism, communication, and one parenting shift that unexpectedly transformed the connection between her twin sons...

Description In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene talks with Becca Stoddard, pediatric occupational therapist and owner of Breakthrough Therapy, about Dynamic Movement Intervention, also known as DMI Therapy. Becca explains how DMI uses hands-on support, gravity, sensory input, and repetition to help children build new motor patterns and work toward gross motor milesto...

Many autistic children communicate in ways that may look confusing at first, especially when they repeat phrases, echo questions, or use lines from shows, songs, or familiar people. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with Jodi Thomas, speech-language pathologist and owner of Growing Voices Speech and Language Therapy, about echolalia and gestalt language proc...

Many parents wonder if their child's speech delay is something they will "grow out of" or if it may be time to seek professional support. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with Lenora Edwards, speech-language pathologist with Better Speech, about delayed speech, early communication milestones, and when families should consider a speech evaluation. Lenora exp...

Understanding sensory regulation can feel overwhelming for many parents and caregivers, especially when children experience big emotions, sensory-seeking behaviors, shutdowns, or difficulty participating in everyday routines. In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with occupational therapists Amanda Newchok and Erin O'Hara, co-creators of the Ready to Learn and P...

Parenting a neurodivergent child can feel overwhelming, especially in the early years when families are navigating diagnoses, therapies, school systems, and daily life changes. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with Michele Thorne, founder and executive director of Care for the Caregiver. Michele shares her personal journey as a mother of two autistic childre...

When a child is non-speaking, many parents wonder how to better understand their child's needs, emotions, and perspective. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with Crestina Yaiva, mother of twin boys, including one child who is non-speaking and autistic. Crestina shares her family's personal journey from noticing speech delays to receiving an autism diagnosis a...

Traveling with a neurodivergent child can feel overwhelming for many families. Changes in routine, unfamiliar environments, sensory overload, airports, hotels, and long days away from home can create anxiety for both children and parents. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with author and travel writer Dawn Barclay about practical strategies that can help make...

Sensory processing is one of the most commonly discussed topics among parents of neurodivergent children, yet it can also feel confusing and overwhelming to fully understand. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with occupational therapist Catie Sondrol about sensory processing difficulties, sensory regulation, and practical strategies families can use to suppor...

Siblings of neurodivergent children often experience a wide range of emotions that can be difficult to talk about openly. Some siblings may feel left out, overwhelmed with responsibility, confused about autism, or unsure how to express their emotions in healthy ways. In this solo episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, occupational therapist Brian Keene shares practical strategies for suppor...

Navigating autism alongside a rare medical condition can feel overwhelming for families, especially when diagnoses come with limited information, financial stress, and complicated medical needs. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with Christina Broderick, mother of two neurodivergent children, including a son with autism and PKU (Phenylketonuria), a rare metab...

Many behaviors that look like defiance, impulsivity, or emotional overreactions may actually be connected to executive functioning difficulties. In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with occupational therapist and executive functioning specialist Abigail Wool-Biringer about how executive functioning impacts emotional regulation, routines, flexibility, planning,...

In this solo episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, occupational therapist Brian Keene continues his two-part series on behaviors and emotional regulation by focusing on how parents can respond to meltdowns with calmness, compassion, and connection. Brian explains why behaviors are forms of communication and discusses the importance of looking beyond the behavior itself to understand what...

In this solo episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, occupational therapist Brian Keene begins a two-part series focused on understanding and preventing meltdowns in neurodivergent children. Brian explains why meltdowns often happen when children feel overwhelmed, powerless, or unsupported by their environment. He discusses how routines, visual schedules, calendars, checklists, timers, and...

What exactly does pediatric physical therapy help with, and how is it different from occupational therapy? In this episode of the Autism Family Toolkit Podcast, Brian Keene speaks with pediatric physical therapist Rhonda Schnabl about the role of physical therapy in supporting neurodivergent children and children with developmental differences. Rhonda explains how physical therapists focus on move...