Category: Useful Tips

Anyone can get sensory overload. It can occur when an individual is in a loud or colorful environment. It can feel as though you’re taking in too much, leading to a pressing sense of overwhelm.

When someone lives with autism, this experience may become commonplace. A person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often has sensory hypersensitivity. For example, what might not sound loud to you can seem blaring to them.

Ultimately, supporting someone with autism means being aware of their heightened potential for sensory overload.

Sensory overload: one of the challenges of autism

Here, we’re talking about sensory overload, which people with autism more commonly experience because of oversensitivity in combination with their balance and spatial awareness. On the flip side, ASD can cause undersensitivity, making it hard to see details or discern verbal cues.

Ultimately, the sensory differences that someone with autism experiences present a significant challenge. And while hyposensitivity can make social settings and general daily living more difficult, hypersensitivity can send a person into sensory overload. As a result, they might have a meltdown or shut down completely.

To better understand sensory overload, let’s look at the way it affects the individual senses:

• Sight: Things might seem brighter and it may be difficult to focus on the whole rather than individual details

• Hearing: Settings might sound overly loud and background noise can be more difficult to filter out

• Taste: Foods and drinks taste stronger or feel textured, which can result in picky eating

• Touch: Being touched can feel uncomfortable and even painful, clothing may feel scratchy or otherwise intolerable, and certain food textures may be problematic

• Smell: Odors are heightened, which can make perfume smell overpowering and bathroom activities challenging

Sensory overload can also affect someone with ASD’s balance and their awareness of their body, both as they move through the world and as it sends them cues (e.g., tells them they need to use the bathroom).

Signs of sensory overload

To be aware of sensory overload, look for these indicators.

• Avoidance. Once the person with ASD recognizes that something overstimulates them (e.g., bright lights, certain fabrics in clothing), they usually actively try to avoid it. That can lead to challenges in adopting certain behaviors. That could be picky eating or refusal to enter certain environments, do specific activities, or wear certain clothes.

• Stimming. Many children with ASD self-soothe through self-stimulatory behavior, or stimming. This usually looks like repetitive sounds or body movements.

• Meltdown. A strong expression of emotion indicates that the person is experiencing sensory overload.

• Shutdown. In sensory overload, the child may stop talking or responding in general. They may even cover their eyes or ears in an effort to block out the overstimulation.

If you have a child with ASD, tune into how they experience the world. Once you learn what’s bothering them, you can start making modifications to help them. That may mean dimming the lights, enjoying quiet time at home, choosing softer clothing for them, etc.

Here at Stride Autism Centers, we can also help you both identify hypersensitivity in your child and find the right modifications to help them succeed. What’s more, we’ll adopt those modifications here at our Centers so they can enjoy their time with us as much as possible.

To learn more about how we help preschoolers with ASD, get in touch.

Sleep matters for everyone, but it can become especially important in households with children with autism. When kids aren’t getting the rest they need, they have a more difficult time reguating their emotions and reactions.

At the same time, when children aren’t sleeping, it’s harder for parents to get the time they need for themselves. That could interfere with your own sleep, too.

There are, however, specific actions to make everyone’s nights easier. Here are a few sleep strategies you can employ to help your child (and yourself) to get a good night’s sleep.

#1: Optimize their bedroom

Because autism changes sensory perception, your child’s surroundings when they go to bed matter a great deal. Ask them about how they like their bedroom to be when they go to sleep. They might be able to tell you specific things that bother them, like a night light that’s too bright or bedsheets that feel scratchy.

It might also be helpful to change their bedroom so that there’s less visual clutter they can see from their bed. Fill the room with soft materials — both in terms of texture and color. You want to create a calming, comfortable environment that encourages rest and relaxation. Stray from bright colors and bold patterns.

Also, think through their pajamas. They should also be soft and comfortable, especially if your child has hypersensitivity to touch.

#2: Establish a routine

Children with autism spectrum disorder usually struggle with the unexpected. To make getting to bed each night easier on the family, set a bedtime routine and stick with it. That means starting to think about getting to bed at the same time each night.

For example, if your child has an 8 o’clock bedtime, you might start changing into pajamas and brushing teeth at 7:30. After that, you could get into bed and read one or two bedtime stories.

Once your child learns this routine, it should help them prepare themselves — both physically and mentally — for going to sleep on a nightly basis.

#3: Talk to their therapist

You don’t have to navigate your child’s sleep challenges on your own. If they’re seeing an applied-behavior analysis (ABA) therapist — something that has been backed by research for the benefit of preschool-aged children — that person can help.

It is recommended to share sleep obstacles with them. They can work with your child during the day to modify problematic behaviors at night. At the same time, the therapist may be able to recommend specific tools you can use during bedtime to help your child.

What your child does during the day, including their time with an ABA therapist, can help you at night. Don’t hesitate to involve your child’s ABA team in any sleep challenges. Doing so can help your child get the rest they need, supporting their day-to-day happiness and their healthy development.

If you want to talk to a team of ABA specialists about sleep strategies for your child, get in touch. At Stride Autism Centers, we offer ABA programs for preschoolers that are designed to support them in their overall lives — and that includes at bedtime.

The holidays can be overwhelming for any of us. When a child lives with autism, though, many things can be especially challenging. Sources of comfort — like their normal routine — get stripped away and replaced with things that can be overstimulating, like new people and environments. The sights, sounds, and smells of the season can quickly feel like too much.

You want your child to be able to enjoy what many consider the most wonderful time of the year.

Fortunately, with some tools at your disposal, you can help them do just that. Here are a few ways to support autistic children during the holiday season.

Helping children with ASD prepare for the holiday season

Talk with your children before the holiday plans start to let them know what they can expect in light of celebrations. Explain what will happen in as much detail as they’re ready to process.

For activities outside the house, explain where you’re going and what you’ll be doing. Call out anything that you think might get them excited (e.g., “When we go to grandma’s house, you’ll get to play with the car toys there”).

Start these conversations well in advance. If you begin introducing them to what’s coming now, you can help to eliminate some of the newness and fear of the unknown that can come with holiday activities.

Changes in your home can also feel disruptive, so put some preparation work in there, too. You might show your child a picture of the Christmas decorations from last year before putting them up this year, for example. Or if new people will be coming over, talk about them and show your child pictures of them in advance.

Incorporate their passions

Many kids with autism have areas of specific interest, like trains, dinosaurs, or certain types of movies. The holidays offer a time to celebrate those interests.

Bring them up at the family dinner or when everyone is sitting around enjoying each other’s company. You may even want to brief friends and family members on the interest area beforehand so they can have something to talk about that your child will enjoy. Even if your child feels socially overwhelmed and doesn’t participate in the conversation, kids enjoy the opportunity to sit and take in people talking about something they like.

Those interest areas can also give you a great source of gift ideas, too. Consider sharing their favorites with anyone who might get them a gift. Getting a treasured toy can distract from the challenges of a missed routine.

Have a backup plan

Make a plan for what you’ll do if your child experiences sensory overload while you’re at a holiday event. If you’re going to a family member’s house, for example, you might ask them if there’s a quiet room you could use. That way, you have a place you can take your child to help them escape the overstimulation.

Also, remember that you can always leave. Friends and family will understand that you’re prioritizing protecting your child. With that in mind, you may want to take your own car to events this holiday season.

We’re also here to help. To work with our team that specializes in supporting preschool-aged kids with autism, get in touch.

Behavior therapy is therapy with the goal of helping the individual modify their behaviors. That could mean adopting healthier behaviors or working toward eliminating problematic ones.

When it’s tailored to kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavior therapy can be a powerful tool both for the kids and their families. By enforcing positive and healthy actions, it helps to set children up for success. At the same time, the therapist can share tools the family can use at home to further support the child with ASD.

Applied-behavior analysis therapy for ASD

Experts — including medical associations and the U.S. Surgeon General — recommend a specific type of behavior therapy for kids with ASD. It’s called applied behavior analysis therapy, or ABA therapy, for short.

As the name suggests, this type of therapy roots itself in the analysis of both behaviors themselves and the rationale behind them. In other words, ABA therapy explores how we act and why we act the way we act.

That makes it uniquely useful for children with autism. By incorporating what we know about autism with best practices in behavioral therapy, we can tailor sessions to give your child what they need to lead their healthiest, happiest life.

What ABA does for ASD

What does that look like, exactly? With ABA therapy, we can help kids:

• Learn new verbal and nonverbal communication skills
• Increase their capacity for focus/attention and memory
• Move away from problem behaviors
• Build social skills
• Improve self-care and hygiene
• Develop academically

ABA can take different forms. Children with autism often benefit from one-on-one sessions with a trained therapist alongside group sessions that use ABA principles. Here at Stride Autism Centers, for example, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) oversee programs for both one-on-one therapy sessions and group activities.

Starting ABA early

ABA can help people of any age, but studies show that it’s more helpful for kids with autism when they start it young. Specifically, children benefit from beginning this specialized form of therapy between the ages of two and six.

That’s partially because ABA therapy evolves with your child. Through ongoing assessment, our BCBAs adapt your child’s program as they develop. This way, we can help your child get the support they need in the areas where they need it. While one child might struggle with communication, another may need help moderating harmful behaviors. What’s more, their growth areas will likely change through the years. With ABA, we tailor care to set your child up for success as they grow and develop.

If you’d like to learn more about how behavior therapy can help with ASD, don’t hesitate to talk to our team of ABA specialists. At Stride Autism Centers, we offer ABA programs for preschool-aged kids with ASD. We blend one-on-one therapy with naturalistic group activities, all tailored to your child to help them thrive.

If you’d like to see what a behavior therapy preschool could do for your child with ASD, contact us.

If you think your child might have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), you’re likely wondering about your next steps. You probably have a sense that you should talk to your doctor, but most parents want to know what to expect right away.

Fortunately, there are tools that medical professionals can use to accurately diagnose your child with autism. Let’s take a closer look at the process for identifying ASD in kids.

How Autism Gets Diagnosed

There’s no lab test your doctor can use to determine if your child has autism. Instead, autism diagnoses rely on developmental monitoring. Usually, this starts with both your doctor checking in with your child and you monitoring at home.

To start, your doctor will likely ask you a range of questions about your child and their behaviors. They may also engage with your child and determine if their behaviors and responses seem in line with what’s expected for a child of that age.

To a large extent, though, identifying autism happens at home.

Monitoring at Home

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that parents screen their children for ASD from birth until the age of five. Specifically, you should be looking at how your child:

• Acts
• Learns
• Moves
• Plays
• Speaks

What, exactly, should you be checking? That depends on your child’s age. At-home monitoring for ASD means looking to see if your child is in line with all or most developmental milestones. The CDC has a robust resource you can use to see average milestones based on age.

Here’s a quick overview of many of those milestones:

• 2 months: Looks at your face, makes sounds beyond crying, responds to you (e.g., smiles when you smile, calms down when picked up)

• 4 months: Coos and chuckles, turns toward your voice, holds a toy, brings their hand toward their mouth

• 6 months: Laughs, squeals, seems to know familiar faces, reaches for things, rolls from their tummy to their back

• 9 months: Has varied facial expressions, lifts arms to ask to be picked up, responds when you say their name, gets into and maintains a sitting position alone

• 12 months: Waves, looks for hidden objects, starts speaking (e.g., “mama,” “dada”), tried to stand and walk

• 15 months: Shows affection for you or loved items (e.g., a stuffed animal), has a growing vocabulary, points and gestures, feeds themself with their hands

• 18 months: Has at least three words besides “mama” and “dada,” mimics you or other children, follows simple directions, walks

• 2 years: Reacts to your emotions, says two words together, uses a spoon, points to things when you ask (e.g., “where is the cat?”)

• 30 months: Follows simple instructions, has a vocabulary of around 50 words and uses two or more together regularly, plays pretend, has some dexterity to turn pages, get dressed, etc.

Many kids can get an accurate ASD diagnosis around age two. Monitor their milestones and if something seems amiss, talk to your doctor.

Getting a Formal Evaluation

To get a proper autism diagnosis, you should get a formal evaluation from a knowledgeable ASD professional, like a child psychologist or a developmental pediatrician. Your doctor should be able to connect you to someone who has the necessary    training.

That person may use screening tools like a test your child takes or a questionnaire you fill out as their parent. The diagnostic process gets tailored to your child based on their age and abilities.

This process tells you more than whether or not your child has autism. It can also help you get a clearer idea of their strengths and challenges.

For more help there, consider an applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy-based preschool program for your child. At Stride Autism Centers, we personalize our care for your child to help them reach their unique milestones. To learn more, get in touch today.

That’s a tricky question. Autism — or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — is an umbrella term that captures a range of developmental challenges. In other words, autism looks different in different people.

All of that said, there are some hallmark characteristics. Knowing the common autism indicators can help parents spot autism in their children as soon as these signs start showing up. That makes a difference because early treatment plays an important role in helping the child overcome any challenges related to their autism diagnosis.

As specialists in autism, our team can help. We developed this guide to serve as a resource you can use to learn about the signs of autism.

The Two Main Signs of Autism

While the way autism appears in people varies widely, most symptoms can be captured in one of two buckets:

• Trouble communicating with others
• Repetitive and restricted behaviors

Both of these are behavioral. That means identifying autism may come down to watching how your child interact with the world around them.

To help you get a better handle on what autism can look like, let’s list out some of the most common indicators of this condition.

Symptoms of Autism

As we mentioned before, the developmental differences autism causes result in behavioral changes. All kids are unique, so it may be hard to tell if your child is displaying autism symptoms or is just expressing themselves in a unique way. Are they having trouble communicating or are they fixated on a narrow interestdue to ASD?

To help there, we’ve listed out some of the common indicators that a child is living with autism:

• Non-response to their own name
• Repetitive movements (e.g., rocking, hand movements)
• Trouble making or maintaining eye contact
• Regular repetition of specific words or phrases
• Delayed speech or lack of speech altogether
• Difficulty coping with changes to their routine
• Picky eating
• Aversion to touch
• Light and/or sound sensitivity
• Trouble following and engaging in a conversation
• Fixation on a certain interest
• Organizing toys or other objects in a specific way
• Hyperactivity
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety

As a parent, it can feel alarming to notice that your child doesn’t behave like their peers — or like your expectations. Resist the urge to gloss over what seem like unusual behaviors in your child and assume it’s “just a phase.” Keep monitoring your child carefully.

You should know that autism is both common and treatable. But getting your child the right autism care first requires a diagnosis.

Screening for ASD

If the signs we just outlined sound familiar, talk with your doctor. Getting your child diagnosed requires ongoing monitoring of their development, so starting now matters.

You should probably discuss autism with your child’s doctor if they don’t:

• Respond to happy faces by six months
• Make any noise by 12 months
• Gesture by 14 months
• Say any words by 16 months

Also, if your child seems to suddenly lose language skills, talk to your doctor. It’s possible for children to develop “normally” to a certain age (e.g., 18 months), then regress. This commonly indicates autism.

If your child gets diagnosed with autism, we’re here. At Stride Autism Centers, we offer personalized, supportive, applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy-based preschool programs. To get started with this wraparound care for your child (and your family), contact our team today.

If you’ve met one individual with autism, you’ve met one individual with autism. While there are specific diagnostic crtieria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the expression of specific symptoms of autism can vary significantly from person to person. In some people diagnosed with autism, we can link the ASD to a genetic condition — but in others, there’s no obvious cause.

It is worth taking the time to understand this complex condition, particularly because it’s so common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that one in 44 children under eight has some form of autism.

With such prevalence, it’s important for the neurotypical people to be well-versed in ASD. In this guide, we give you a quick overview of autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder 101

Autism impacts the way a person’s brain develops early in childhood. Autism is now used as an umbrella term that encompasses several previously differentiated conditions, including Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder.

When a child gets diagnosed with autism, it means that they will deal with certain deficits due to the way their brain is developing. Generally, autism impacts the way that the individual learns, communicates, and behaves.

While an autism diagnosis means the child’s brain develops differently, it may not affect them physically. A child with autism may present as a neurotypical child.

In lieu of physical symptoms, medical professionals have identified two main traits of ASD:

• Social communication behaviors
• Restricted, repetitive behaviors

To help us all understand more about this condition, let’s talk about how it impacts the people living with it.

How ASD Affects People

Autism can be hard to wrap your head around because it exhibits differently in different people. While some individuals living with autism are nonverbal, others can have lengthy, nuanced conversations.

Generally, though, ASD creates challenges for the diagnosed individual in the following areas:

• Communication, both verbal and non-verbal (e.g., gestures)
• Social interaction
• Eating and sleeping habits
• Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Limited interests
• Repetitive behaviors

Ultimately, autism is a complex developmental disorder that can create a range of challenges for the individual. Fortunately, those obstacles don’t have to be insurmountable.

Spotting Autism Early

Extensive research shows that early treatment for people with ASD makes a big difference in helping them realize positive life outcomes. As a result, it’s important for parents to monitor their child’s development. In most kids, the signs of ASD develop by age 3. In some cases, you may start noticing differences as early as 12 months.

Once a child gets diagnosed with autism, their family has the opportunity to create a support system around them. The diagnosis often feels overwhelming. Remember, though, that you now have clarity about the situation at hand. Armed with your child’s diagnosis, you can start taking steps to give them the right care at home and connect them to treatment to help them. Many people with autism go on to lead healthy, happy, productive lives.

You don’t have to navigate this road alone, either. Our team of autism specialists here at Stride Autism Centers can help. We offer tailored programs for preschoolers with autism designed to help them thrive. If you think your child might be living with autism, let’s talk.