Clinical Corner – Keep a Summer Routine

Clinical Corner – Keep a Summer Routine

Summer vacation for many children means a break from school — and its strict schedules. But for children with autism, a change in daily routine can be a source of great stress.

Julie Mower, executive director at the Phoenix Center, a not-for-profit school in Nutley serving the educational, therapeutic and behavioral needs of students ages 5 to 21 with autism, said keeping some type of routine is important. Many children with autism crave a schedule that is the same every day.

She offered parents or caregivers some tips for a less stressful summer:

• Create an anticipatory schedule, basically a laundry list of events of a particular day.

• If a family is taking a trip or vacation, talk about that vacation with the child in advance. Look on the destination’s website with the child so he or she can see what the new environment is going to look like.

• Summer camps are a great way to engage an autistic child. Mower said it’s important to visit the camp and visit the counselors ahead of time so the child gets used to the new environment.

• A timer or an alarm is also crucial. Some children respond better to auditory cues than visual ones. So for example, Mower said if a family is getting to leave an event in 10 minutes, have the child set the alarm so he or she understands it’s time to go when the alarm goes off.

• Swimming can be a fantastic fun summer activity for a child with special needs. Mower said it’s important to pick a pool that can accommodate a child’s needs. She said an indoor pool can amplify sound and trigger auditory sensitivities that outdoor pools may not. An outdoor pool may not have the echo effect, but factors like temperature and chlorine may affect a child’s experience in other ways.

• Headed to the beach? Mower said sand can provide a totally different sensory experience for children who are not used to having bare feet. Have them use water shoes so their feet are not directly exposed to the sand. She suggested towels for them to sit on and for those with tactile defensiveness, bring digging tools for them.

Mower said the bottom line is not to get stuck in maintaining the same routine — but if a family is going on a trip, create a new routine. Embed some normal routines such as consistent dinners and bedtime. Have activities planned and take some breaks — with those tips, families with autistic children will be able to better enjoy the summer months together.

To read the full article, visit https://nj1015.com/children-with-autism-spectrum-should-keep-a-summer-routine/

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Shining Examples – Avery

Avery enrolled at Lighthouse Autism Center nearly two years ago. When Avery first came to Lighthouse, he was a very different boy than he is today. “Avery was a very shy and quiet boy. He did not want anyone to look at him or interact with him in any way,” said his Program Manager. With consistent ABA therapy, supportive therapists and a highly qualified BCBA designing unique programs just for Avery, he has made huge strides in school readiness skills, social behavior, and daily living skills.

When asked about Avery’s progress, Program Manager and BCBA, Krissi Borkholder said, “Avery has made incredible progress. He can work independently, read at a third-grade reading level, has full conversations and even requests to play with his peers!” Avery continues to work on other school readiness skills such as writing short stories, typing, learning math concepts and working appropriately on group activities.

Avery’s parents could not be more happy with his progress. “We have had the opportunity to see him grow and blossom in virtually every aspect. Being able to see him come into his own and be able to express himself, articulate his feelings, and express his emotions has almost been like we’ve really gotten to know Avery for the first time. Words are not enough to express our appreciation to the incredible staff at Lighthouse for all of their had work and support along the way.

At LAC, we are seeing incredible progress made by our learners every day.

Lighthouse Celebrates 7 Year Anniversary

Lighthouse Autism Center celebrating seventh anniversary

This past May, Lighthouse Autism Center celebrated it’s seven year anniversary. It’s hard to believe we have been open seven years already. It seems like not all too long ago we were welcoming our first group of kiddos to our center in Mishawaka. Since then, we have grown so much, opening six centers and preparing to open a seventh. We have provided services to hundreds of kids and families and had the opportunity to work with some of the most wonderful and talented colleagues. While Lighthouse has grown and changed, our mission has remained the same – bringing quality, center-based ABA therapy to children and families in need. On this anniversary, we celebrate the joys and successes we have achieved together with our kiddos, families and staff, and look forward to the many more that lie ahead!

Ready for a career where you can make a difference?

Lighthouse Autism Center Announces New Center in Elkhart!

Lighthouse Autism Center, a therapy center for children with autism, is excited to announce it will be opening a new center in Elkhart, Indiana. This will be the seventh location for Lighthouse Autism Center, which opened its first center in Mishawaka, Indiana in 2012.

Lighthouse Autism Center provides intensive, center-based therapy utilizing the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The therapy programs are year-round and each child’s therapy plan is uniquely tailored to their specific needs. Currently, ABA therapy is the only behavioral intervention recommended by the United States Surgeon General for individuals with autism.

Lighthouse was founded by Gregg and Sandy Maggioli, who are parents to a son with autism and have nearly a decade of experience working in autism services.

“We are excited to bring our services to the Elkhart community. With over seven years of experience providing quality ABA therapy and as parents of a child with autism ourselves, we know how important these services are for families,” says Gregg Maggioli, Founder and Executive Director of Lighthouse Autism Center.
The new center will be located at 23426 US-33 in Elkhart. The center is projected to open in September. To schedule a tour or learn more about enrolling your child, contact our Family Outreach Coordinator at 574-387-4313.

Find a Center Near You

Interested in finding an autism center near you? Click Find a Center below to view a full list of current autism therapy centers.

My Child & Autism: How Much Therapy is Too Much?

Prospective parents visiting our center often ask the question, “how much is too much therapy?” At Lighthouse Autism Center, we specialize in full-time, center-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. This is an intensive type of therapy that is the only therapy for children with autism endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General. Our therapy is play-based and child-led, because we know that children learn best while having fun! We meet our learners where they are most motivated and use strategically selected items in our play spaces to conduct therapy. We also create realistic environments in our therapy centers so that our learners and learn and be more comfortable in these environments when they are in the community in the real situations, such as at the salon or at the grocery store.

Children with autism need consistent, targeted, therapy to minimize skill gaps. Intensive therapy, such as ABA, has been shown to be incredibly effective in helping children and adults with autism live more fulfilled and independent lives. Furthermore, the earlier children with autism begin this therapy, the more effective the therapy will be.

If we think of ABA therapy in the same way we think about school for our children, we will see that the time spent is equal. The average child is in a classroom for 6 to 8 hours a day, five days a week. They are being taught and instructed in the classroom and those lessons are carried over at home. ABA therapy is the same. Most of our children spend eight hours each day at our centers where they are being taught life skills, school skills, and working on decreasing inappropriate or problem behaviors. These same skills are also put into practice in a home setting.

While your child may be missing out on a formal academic or school setting to attend full-time ABA therapy, typically children with autism that are recommended for full-time ABA therapy are not quiet ready for a full-time school setting. At Lighthouse Autism Center, it is our goal to get our learners ready to transition into a academic school setting by working with them on the necessary skills and independence to do so. This is why early intervention is also crucial. If we can get the learner in full-time before academic ages, they likely do not need to miss out on a typical school routine and we can prevent inappropriate or problem behaviors before they develop. Additionally, if the learner is already at an academic age, full-time therapy allows them to make greater progress faster, and transition into a school setting even quicker.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential