Features:

Accreditation—Why Parents Should Care About It and Organizations Should Aim for It
Parents learn what to look for in an ABA provider, while providers learn how accreditation can bring business to the next level.
Carla Gross, MA, LPEC


How Physical Activity Can Benefit Your Child with Autism
Find out how different physical activities to help your autistic child improve motor skills, calm anxiety, and sharpen focus.

Martin E. Block, PhD, CAPE; Joann P. Judge, PhD, CAPE; Chad Nichols, PhD, CAPE; and Andrew M. Colombo-Dougovito, PhD, CAPE

How to Help Your Child with Autism Develop Positive Thinking
Discover strategies to help your child understand his/her feelings, improve self-esteem, and think positively.
Louis Carter, MA, and Sarah Andress, LMSW


Preparing Your Child for Incontinence at School
Learn tips and strategies to help your autistic child handle bathroom accidents at school.
Jay Levy, MD


Q&A Help: My Child with Autism Threatens Destructive Behavior

Find out how you can help your child with autism if he/she struggles with aggression when frustrated.
Kelly Beins, BA BHSc, OTR/L


The Everyday Reality of Parenting an Aggressive Child with Autism
Tara Bertic, the mother of an autistic child who is physically aggressive, wants parents who are in her shoes to know they’re not alone.
Tara Bertic


10 Ways to Keep Your Child Safe Online

Keep your autistic child internet safe by using this autism mom’s helpful tips and tricks.
Ruthangela Bernadette


How Society Fails Children with Autism
Society’s misunderstandings of autism often leads to bullying and loneliness for ASD kids. Learn more about why education is important and what you can do to help your child.

Crystal Gallagher


Helping Friends Make Friends with Your Autistic Child

Learn strategies for offering advice to those who wish to befriend your child with autism.

Rita Roem


Growing Through Creativity with Autism
Discover how a sensitive and inclusive approach benefits the integration of autistic students into a class, teaching them life skills, and promoting creativity and literacy.
Jackie Moore


What’s New on the Bookshelf?
New Book Focuses on Meeting IEP Goals with Language Delays

Caroline Lee shares sequential steps in programming to meet more than 100 IEP goals in the areas of receptive and expressive language, listening, and whole-word reading for verbal and non-verbal school-age students.


How to Select a Private School for Your Child with Special Needs
Read on for some important criteria to keep in mind when choosing the right school for your special needs child.
Julie Mower, MAEd


Poetry Corner: My Kite

Mary Kangas


Poetry Corner: Three Inspirational Poems by a Boy with Autism

Ishaan Holloway



Autism and Mainstream Schooling

Learn about a father’s decision to transfer his autistic son to a special needs school and how it seems to have benefitted his son’s happiness and learning.

Ethan Maiden


Occupational Therapy and the Benefits That Keep on Giving

Discover how persistent and early occupational therapy can greatly improve the daily struggles of someone with sensory processing disorder.

Rebecca Duvall Scott


Poet and Speaker Lifts Up the Autism Community During COVID-19
A poet and motivational speaker with autism tells her story of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and brightening the lives of others.
Amanda Harrinauth


Why Grandparents Are Important for Your Child with Autism

Find out several ways actively involving grandparents in an autistic child’s life can be beneficial.

Dr. Ron Malcolm


What’s New on the Bookshelf?
Delightful New Board Book for Children Inspires Love

B.W. Van Alstyne, the father of a child with autism and an illustrator with Asperger’s syndrome, created a beautiful book to inspire spectrum families.


AUTISM Interview with Laura Toro

The mother of an adult son with autism shares her struggles, her proudest moments, and her tips for success as a parent.

Derrick Hayes


Can We Still Do It…? Challenges of COVID-19 from an Occupational Therapist’s Perspective

Learn how one occupational therapist adapted to current difficulties by creating and sharing important therapy and activity resources online.

Prerana Saini M.O.th (Neurology)


Guardian: Who Should I Choose for My Autistic Child?

Learn how preparing a plan and caregiver guide in advance can help in choosing a Guardian for your child with autism.

Ryan F. Platt, MBA, ChFC, ChSNC

Dear Readers,


Caring for your autism family is paramount, whether you’re a mom, dad, grandparent, or guardian. You want your family to be happy and healthy. You want your children to feel cared for, loved, and respected. And chances are, as an autism caregiver, you strive every day to ensure your child’s needs are met before your own. We see you—and we know how important it is to access the information you need to make the best decisions for your family. Our goal to make life easier for you.


Does your child have healthy self-esteem? According to Louis Carter, MA, and Sarah Andress, LMSW, as children mature, they become more aware of their thoughts and how they relate to others. This influences how people behave and respond in social situations. In the article, How to Help Your Child with Autism Develop Positive Thinking, Carter and Andress advise, “This process can be particularly difficult for children with autism since many of their self-soothing and repetitive behaviors already lead to ostracism and judgment in public social situations.” For excellent strategies on how to help your child understand his/her feelings, improve self-esteem, and think positively, please look at their article.One of the most challenging aspects of parenting is when a child with autism responds negatively or aggressively toward you or someone else.


We had a reader reach out to us recently for professional advice as her young son with high-functioning autism continuously threatened aggressive behavior when he didn’t want to follow instructions. Kelly Beins, BA BHSc, OTR/L, clarifies how to respond when a child with autism struggles with aggression in her piece Help: My Child with Autism Threatens Destructive Behavior. As Kelly explains, statements of aggression do not always mean a child will act on them, but it’s wise to pay attention and work to understand why these statements are being made and learn how best to respond. Tara Bertic, the mother of a child with autism who is physically aggressive, has provided her support for families in her piece, The Everyday Reality of Parenting an Aggressive Child with Autism. Take a quick look as Tara shares her personal struggles while offering encouragement.


Are you able to secure therapeutic services for your child? If you are looking to add Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) to your child’s therapy plan, look at Accreditation—Why Parents Should Care About It and Organizations Should Aim for It by Carla Gross, MA, LPEC. Here she explains what parents should look for when selecting an ABA provider to help improve social, communication, and learning skills. She also shares the best ways to navigate telehealth—especially during the current pandemic.


Have you considered occupational therapy (OT) for your child? OT is an integral part of a treatment plan for many children on the autism spectrum as it provides exercises that work on developing skills to encourage independence. Rebecca Duvall Scott, who was a behavioral intervention specialist for children with autism before she became a mother, explains how occupational therapy (OT) became their saving grace for her child with sensory processing disorder (SPD). Read Occupational Therapy and the Benefits That Keep on Giving to discover how persistent and early occupational therapy can significantly improve the daily struggles.


Another concern for families is being able to keep kids safe, especially now with so many kids utilizing the internet for school. If your child spends any time on the internet, you need to read 10 Ways to Keep Your Child Safe Online. Ruthangela Bernadette, whose daughter was targeted by a predator after downloading an innocent-looking app, shares her suggestions on what to consider when allowing access.


This month’s issue is overflowing with beneficial family support. From information on mainstream schooling and ways physical activity can improve motor skills to advice on selecting a Guardian for your child, there is information for everyone.


In observance of Grandparent’s Day this month, we would like to give a big shout out to extended family members who are actively involved and supportive. To celebrate, Dr. Ron Malcolm has written a piece for us on the benefits of this special relationship in Why Grandparents are Important for Your Child with Autism.


Wishing you and your family love and comfort in the months ahead—stay well.


Kind regards,

Amy KD Tobik
Editor-in-Chief

Copyright © Autism Parenting Magazine 2020 | All Rights Reserved