Not Your Average Autism Mom

There are many similarities between autism and dyspraxia and for that reason, there are sometimes challenges in diagnosing one over the other or both. Both disorders present very similarly and in some instances, they can occur side by side. Some of the signs of both disorders are seen in early development, those things would include delays in sitting up, crawling, and walking as well as potty trai...

Pragmatic language by definition is the social skills that we use in our daily interactions with others. This includes conversation skills, the use of non-verbal communication skills, understanding non-literal language, and interpreting and expressing emotions. Does your child have a difficult time interacting with others? Do they have a hard time starting a conversation or engaging in back and fo...

In today's episode I am talking about traveling into the uncharted territory we face when our kids become interested in dating and romantic relationships. This time calls for some BIG conversations, so come on, join me as I dive in.   Our teenagers develop sexually in the same way as other teens but they have to build the skill-set to navigate it. Like so many other things, it doesn’t come na...

How do I know if my child's IEP is good or good enough?  Such a common question.   Today I am giving you things to consider when assessing your child's IEP.  What are some red flags?  What is and isn't ok?   Questions to ask so that you understand the goals on your child's IEP and when 80% mastery is not ok.   I talk about what you should always do and what I don't re...

Teenage years are hard, without a doubt.  As their dependency on us and our need to care for them and control their world shifts, it can be super uncomfortable for both them and us. In today's episode, I am talking about the most common things that come up when I am coaching moms of teens or pre-teens.  I am giving you strategies I hope will help you navigate through this time with less...

In this episode, I am talking about one of the behaviors that many parents see in their child diagnosed with autism and that is toe walking.  What is toe walking?  What should you do or not do if you are concerned about your child's toe walking?   Research tells us that as many as 25% of autistic children engage in some form of toe walking. Toe walking isn’t specific to autism but i...

In this episode, I am talking about a HOT topic in our autism world and one that many people have strong beliefs about one way or another and that is high functioning vs low functioning and functioning labels in general. The terms high functioning and low functioning while many people don’t agree with them are still being used all too often. I honestly believe that the terms don’t provide an actua...

I have done many episodes on different areas and important things you need to know about special education, today, I am going to specifically talk about some of the misconceptions parents often have about special education. The school doesn't develop your child's IEP.  An IEP is developed by a TEAM and it has nothing to do with what is or isn’t available at your child’s school but instead, it...

First of all, it’s important to know that while it’s evident that the rate of diagnosis has significantly increased in recent years, researchers only began tracking autism rates in the year 2000.  For some perspective on the numbers, my son Jordan who is 25 was diagnosed when he was 5 years old and when he was diagnosed, it was 1 in 158 and now, in 2021 that number is 1 in 44.   That is...

Most of our kids are so rigid with their routines and schedules and breaking that pattern causes a disruption. So this Sunday, March 13that 2 am we are moving those clocks ahead 1 hour, and that likely means that in your house, you will have an adjustment period, right?  In this episode, I am giving you some tips and suggestions on things that you can do in advance of the clock's changing. &n...

Many parents find themselves unsure when they begin to see their child struggle in certain areas if they should just “wait it out”?  Maybe you are thinking that he or she will grow out of it, get past these quirky or odd things and catch up. Is that you? I have worked with many moms who were sitting in that place of “hopeful”. What I want you to consider is why are you hesitant or even resist...

Yes, we are talking about it again because you still have questions and so I'm going to dive in a little bit more.  While self-harming behaviors look different for our children with autism and individuals without autism, they are very prevalent in the autistic population. You may have heard them referred to as SIB for short. For most individuals on the spectrum, these behaviors are happening...

Have you ever found yourself thinking that you just aren’t “good enough”?  Don’t worry, you are not alone. I want you to give yourself permission to NOT be able to fix everything and you have to take a look at the pressure you are putting on yourself. I know that one of the biggest challenges we have raising our child or children with autism is the emotional roller coaster that we find oursel...

Just because your child has a medical diagnosis of autism DOES NOT mean that they will qualify for Special Education services under the eligibility category of autism. When your child is being evaluated in the educational setting, they are using the LAW of IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act to determine Special Education eligibility. Special Education services are not solely based...

Our life is surrounded by technology. Electronics are a part of everyone’s life but it is important that you understand the negative effects too much screen time can be causing for our children with autism. Some studies suggest that increased screen time in young children is associated with decreased cognitive ability, impaired language development, mood, and autistic-like behavior including hyper...

You can love your child with every ounce of you and worry less.  Yes, that is possible.   Worry is generally based around a fear of something that you have no way to predict the outcome of but here’s the truth… worry never solved a problem.  When we begin to worry, our thoughts usually start with WHAT IF? I know that there are so many things that you probably worry about, I can’t ev...

Raising our children is difficult at times, we know that.  When they exhibit often unexpected and disruptive behaviors it can be hard to determine if it is just a phase they are going through or if there is more?  Autism is not a single disorder, but a spectrum of closely related disorders that share core symptoms, and while every child on the spectrum will struggle to some degree with s...

I remember 20 years ago when Jordan was diagnosed with PDD-NOS and how many questions I had.  Questions about what it all meant? Questions about what I was supposed to do? Was it curable or treatable? Like a disease? I honestly had no clue what getting a diagnosis meant for not only him but for our family.   At the time, I didn’t know anyone who had a child with autism, and listen I was...

Being consistent in our parenting with consequences for broken rules and unacceptable behavior is the only way that things will get easier. It is not going to be easy and you have to go through the hard to get to the other side where it will be easier. Now it is important to know that the goal of a consequence is not punishment. The goal of a consequence is to teach. We need to use consequences be...

We have to stop feeling victim to our lives. We have to stop feeling sorry for ourselves because our parenting journey is different than other people in our family or our friend circle. Look, let's just be honest, raising a child or children with autism is not easy, we all know that. I want all of you to stop thinking about your life and the first feeling you get is overwhelmed or tired. You have...

Things can be different for our families during the holidays.  The holidays are a joyous and festive time of year but for our families who live with an autistic child in our home, this isn't always the case.   From holiday decorations to parties, religious events, and gift exchanges, all of these events can cause increased anxiety for our kids.   No one knows your child better than...

ESY services are defined as special education or related services that are provided beyond the normal school year for the purpose of providing FAPE (Free and Appropriate Education). It is a required part of IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Act and is provided at no cost to you, the family according to the student’s Individual Education Plan. There are many misconceptions about ESY services and...

Self-injury is a very severe form of behavior that has one of the highest risks of medical injury. These episodes can lead to cuts, bruises, broken bones, concussions, and dental problems. Some forms of self-injury most seen in our kids with autism Headbanging/Hitting Biting Scratching Arm Banging Punching Hair Pulling Skin Picking Individuals who are exhibiting these behaviors are doing these thi...

In this episode, I am going to be talking about ways to build a foundation for effective communication with your child’s educational team. The key to effective communication is first to have a willingness to be involved in planning their education. It is important that you are always be prepared for your IEP meetings and what you do or don't do and how involved you are in between those meetings is...

So many of you asked me to address this topic on the podcast so I want you to know that I listen.  Potty training is one of the most asked about concerns of parents of children with autism.  There is no SECRET to it, I promise.  Like so many other things along our autism parenting journey, this is just one more thing that will com Potty training may likely be the most difficult life...