Today, a parent asked me a question I hear often: “Is autism a lifelong disability?” As an early interventionist, that can be a difficult question to answer. I always try to be honest while explaining that autism is a spectrum, which means it can affect each person differently. As a parent, I can imagine wanting a simple yes or no answer, but every child’s journey is unique. I often explain it this way: “Think about a rainbow. Every color is different, but together they make

Why Does My Child Cry So Easily, and How Can I Help? The other day, a mom asked me: “My child cries easily and often, sometimes over things that seem unimportant. I notice it happens more when he wants something he cannot have, but other times, we cannot figure out what is wrong. It has become a ‘boy who cried wolf’ situation in our house. When he is crying because he is truly hurt, it can be difficult to know how serious it is. Why does he cry so much, and how can I help him

A few weeks ago, I was working with a little boy during a session when he started scratching his eyes, laying his head down, and covering his ears. I asked his mom if he was feeling okay, and she told me he had a fever earlier, but she had given him Tylenol and he seemed fine afterward. I said okay, but in the back of my mind I was hoping he didn’t have the flu that was going around. I finished the rest of the session and went on with my day. Two days later, that awful feelin

Choosing Toys That Support Meaningful Play As a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), it can sometimes be difficult to tell a parent that a particular toy may not be helping their child develop new play skills. I never want a family to feel judged, especially when a toy was chosen with love or given by a grandparent or another special person. Instead of labeling a toy as “good” or “bad,” I try to help parents think about how their child uses it. Does the toy encourage explora