As with any travel plans, preparation is key. It is especially challenging when traveling with an autistic child. From finding autism-friendly destinations to transport options and even insurance, ensuring you prepare well will reduce risks and make the trip a happy experience for everyone.

Preparing for a Trip With Autistic Children 

Planning any family trip or vacation is always fun but also incredibly stressful. This becomes even more challenging when you need to prepare for a trip with an autistic child. Apart from the normal checklists any trip requires, parents who combine the challenges of autism and traveling have to consider many other factors.  

From managing your and your child’s autism-related travel anxiety to ensuring their safety and comfort in new environments, here are a few tips on how to reduce risks and increase the fun on your next trip. 

Planning the trip

The planning phase of the trip is crucial to travel for a person with autism. It requires extra attention and preparation to ensure that the child’s needs are met at every stage of the trip so that everyone can enjoy the vacation. 

Research your destination

Before you book anything, research your destination to ensure that it is suitable for your child. Highly stimulating experiences like amusement parks, playgrounds, and performance venues can be overwhelming for children, especially those living with sensory overload.  

Consider destinations like Sesame Place, the world’s first theme park to be designated as a certified autism center. They have trained staff who are knowledgeable about autism and how to provide support to individuals with sensory sensitivities as well as sensory guides to help families plan their visit and navigate the park. There are also quiet rooms where visitors can take a break from the noise and crowds and have some downtime.  

Here is a comprehensive list of questions you can forward to any prospective destination to assess their readiness to host you and your child: 

• Can you tell me how long the wait times are? 
• Where can we find our room or seat? 
• How long does the program, event, or attraction typically last? 
• What sets your location apart from others like it? 
• Do you offer sensory guides for your guests? 
• What type of training do your employees undergo, if any? 
• Are there any times when staff members won’t be available to assist me? 
• Do you have any employees who specialize in autism? 
• How many people are usually around? 
• Is the street typically busy? 
• What kind of view can we expect from our room or seat? 
• How noisy is it usually? 
• Is it generally quiet during the night? 
• Is it hot and humid outdoors? 
• What material are the seats/linen made of? Cloth, leather, or plastic? 
• Is it possible to receive a menu beforehand? 
• Am I allowed to bring my own food? 
• What kind of food substitutions are allowed? 
• How far away is our room from the pool and kitchen? 
• Do you use scented detergent or cleaners in the rooms? 
• Where is the garbage and waste collected, and how often is it done? 
• Is there a designated area where I can take my child if they become overwhelmed? 
• How easy is it to get to that space? 
• What safety procedures do you have in place in case of a medical emergency? 

Special travel insurance

Autism travel insurance is a type of travel insurance that’s specially designed to provide extra coverage and protection for people with autism when they’re traveling. Beyond normal travel coverage, special autism travel insurance can also cover additional expenses that may arise due to autism-related incidents.

For example, if someone who is autistic experiences a behavioral or sensory meltdown during their trip, the insurance can help cover any costs associated with that incident, like the cost of a hotel room or a medical professional’s assistance. 

Autism travel card

An autism travel card is a special card or document that autistic children should carry when they travel. It helps to let transportation officials and other service providers, like hotel staff, know that your child is autistic and might need some extra help or accommodations during their trip. 

The card usually has basic information like their name, age, and picture, along with details about their sensory needs, communication preferences, and any other support they might need. Combine the card with a list of your child’s specific issues so that if they get lost or wander off, adults who find them are able to respond accordingly.  

Different organizations or agencies might have their own version of the card, but they all serve the same purpose. 

Preparing your child

This is perhaps the most important aspect of the trip. Both you and your child may be entering an unfamiliar environment which can spark anxiety and serious behavioral reactions.  

Ensuring that your child is well prepared and ready to tackle these new challenges and changes to routine and environment will go a long way to making their and your trip enjoyable. 

Create a schedule and social story 

Detailed schedules should include the travel process, holiday activities, meals, and breaks. This will help your child feel more comfortable and reduce anxiety. 

It’s a great idea to illustrate the schedule in a picture and/or word social story. This will help them understand what to expect and feel more comfortable with the unfamiliar experience. 

Include pictures or descriptions of all aspects of the trip, especially when you combine autism and air travel. Make sure to illustrate security processes, the terminal, the airplane, hotel/accommodation, activities etc. You can also add sensory experiences that your child may encounter during the trip, such as ear-popping during takeoff and landing. 

These concepts require reinforcement. A useful technique is to get your child to explain the schedule back to you repeatedly. You can also mark the departure date on a calendar at least three weeks before and get them to mark each day off. 

Additional training

If you find your homespun efforts are falling a little short, then consider travel training for autism, a program that helps autistic children learn how to travel in a more structured way. It teaches them many of the skills and knowledge they need to be able to navigate the trip, while also helping prepare you as a parent. 

Travel training programs can vary depending on the specific program, but they usually include a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on training. These could include exposure therapy where the child can be acclimated to certain sensory stimuli like sand, snow, escalators, or even the feel of wearing a bathing suit. 

On the way

Release pent-up energy 

Travel often requires long periods of sitting still and being quiet, which can be challenging for children who have a lot of energy. To help your child relieve any pent-up energy before departure, encourage them to engage in high motor activity. 

Activities that involve gross motor movements, such as running or jumping on a trampoline, for approximately 20 minutes, can be especially helpful. This type of activity can help your child release energy and reduce feelings of restlessness, making it easier for them to remain calm and comfortable during the journey. Many airports now have child play spaces that would be ideal for a pre-flight activity session. 

Bring items of comfort along

Comforting items from home, such as a favorite blanket or toy, help your child feel more at ease in unfamiliar surroundings. You should also consider not washing certain items to keep the smell of home constantly present as a comfort in times of distress.  

Sensory supplies 

A good idea is to keep a bag of supplies in the car based on what you know about your child’s needs and their sensory sensitivities. Consider giving your child a small backpack with items they can access on their own as well. 

Include sensory blockers like headphones to help with noise hypersensitivity. Other helpful items for sensory relief can include portable fans, hand sanitizer, and moisture-wicking towels. 

While you’re there

Once you arrive at your destination, it is important to reinforce much of the preparation that was done with your child and ensure that the venue/accommodation can deliver on what was presented. You also need to be prepared for any eventuality you may not have considered.  

Establish a routine

On arrival, it is important to remind your child of all the preparation that was done and then establish a routine for the rest of the vacation. Use all the tools you would at home to make them immediately comfortable in the new space, and put up the schedule you prepared as a visual reference.  

Plan for sensory breaks 

Your child may need breaks from sensory stimulation, so plan for quiet or calming activities during the trip. This can include activities like reading, drawing, or playing with sensory toys. Assuming you booked at a certified autism center, the resort, hotel, or park may offer specially-designed facilities for this.  

Inform all service providers

Let hotel staff and tour guides know about your child’s needs in advance so they can be prepared to provide any necessary accommodations. It is, however, important to remind them when you arrive and during the stay, as staff can rotate, or your instructions may not make it all the way down to the cleaners, waiters, and other service staff.  

Have a backup plan

With all the planning and preparation in the world, there will always be situations that you cannot anticipate. In these cases, you need an emergency backup plan to mitigate any unforeseen stimuli, changes, or triggers that could overwhelm your child. 

This could include returning to your hotel room for a break or finding a quiet, less stimulating activity. To avoid unnecessary anxiety and distress, be prepared to stop any activity immediately to limit the impact on both you and your child.  

Lighthouse Autism Center, a partner on your autism journey

Planning for any changes in your child’s life is a challenge. Let Lighthouse Autism Center help you navigate these spaces through their innovative programs and products like their Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy and the numerous autism resources they house on their website. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses seem to be on the rise. Why is this? We investigate what current data reveals about autism rates, the disparities that exist, and why the statistics don’t necessarily tell the whole story. 

If There’s No Autism Epidemic, Why Are the Autism Statistics Climbing? 

Having just emerged from the throes of the COVID pandemic, it’s fair to say that we have become acutely aware of the many medical conditions that afflict us as a society. More recently, though, we are witness to another perceived crisis, the autism epidemic.  

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person’s communication, social interaction, and behavior. It’s called a “spectrum” disorder because it affects people in different ways and to varying degrees.  

Some people with ASD may have difficulty with social cues or communicating their wants and needs, while others may struggle with repetitive behaviors or intense interests in specific topics. ASD is typically diagnosed in childhood and can affect a person throughout their life. 

According to multiple reports from the CDC and other medical journals, autism spectrum disorder statistics show sharp increases in the last few years. Yet experts say there is no need to be alarmed and that there is no epidemic. Let’s look at the data and investigate why the numbers continue to rise, and why experts remain calm. 

What the data says

According to several studies reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as medical journals like Pediatrics and Autism Research, autism facts and statistics show a marked rise in the number of ASD diagnoses in children between the ages of 4 and 8, both in the USA and the rest of the world. 

Autism in the USA

A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that the rate of autism among children in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas tripled between 2000 and 2016.  

In the CDC’s 2021 follow-up report on autism in the USA, statistics showed similar increases to what was observed in New York and New Jersey. In 2016, one in 54 children had been diagnosed with autism by age 8, compared to 1 in 150 in 2000. 

Another study announced by the CDC in 2023 showed that the number had jumped significantly to 1 in every 36 children. This was up from 1 in 44 in 2021. 

Autism across the world 

A recent study published in the journal Autism Research revealed that the global prevalence of ASD has increased to around 100 in 10,000 (or 1 in 100) children. This is a significant rise from the 2012 global prevalence report, which estimated that 62 in 10,000 children had ASD. 

What are the reasons for the rise in numbers? 

So what do these statistics on autism really mean? And why don’t the experts seem to be worried? The answer, it appears, is layered. There are a number of factors that contributed to autism seeing an increase in statistics, but most of them point to better reporting rather than an increase in the actual number of cases. 

Better diagnoses

According to the team who conducted the New York and New Jersey study, the increase in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is mainly due to the advancements in diagnostic capabilities and a greater understanding and awareness of the disorder. This is especially prevalent in diagnoses of ASD in children without intellectual disabilities.  

The study showed the percentage of 8-year-olds diagnosed with autism in New York and New Jersey without intellectual disabilities had increased more rapidly than those with intellectual disabilities. From 2000 to 2016, the percentage of those without intellectual disabilities increased five times, while the percentage of those with intellectual disabilities increased only twice. 

This is primarily attributed to advancements in diagnostic techniques rather than an increase in cases. 

The increase in autism prevalence in other parts of the world is also attributed to improvements in public awareness and healthcare systems that respond to autism. 

Now, children are diagnosed at an earlier stage, and regions such as Africa and the Middle East, which were previously underrepresented, have made progress in measuring autism prevalence. 

Racial and gender disparities

The New York and New Jersey study also showed that although the gap has decreased, there are still racial disparities in autism diagnoses. In the past, Black and Hispanic children were diagnosed with autism less frequently than white children.  

The recent analysis revealed that Black children without intellectual disabilities were 30% less likely to be diagnosed with autism than white children. 

According to a neurodiversity scholar at the College of William & Mary, too many marginalized individuals who belong to racial or gender minority groups may not receive an autism diagnosis due to less effective screening tools.  

As diagnostic tools and expertise continue to improve, more individuals from these groups may receive a diagnosis, leading to an increase in autism diagnoses overall. 

Autism in women and girls

Studies have shown that autism is often underdiagnosed in girls and women, as well as in people with less visible symptoms. The latest CDC report shows a 4-to-1 ratio of male-to-female diagnoses, but some scholars are not completely convinced that this accurately reflects the reality on the ground. 

In other research, some academics found that there are often more autistic female students than male students in college groups. And as one social worker has shown, many women are diagnosed with autism later in life, often after they’ve become mothers or grandmothers. This suggests that there are still many girls and women who are going undiagnosed today. 

As these diagnoses increase, so will the overall number of cases. 

Genetics

According to one analysis, around 83% of the risk of developing autism comes from inherited genetic factors. The study pointed out that autism is likely influenced by 2,000 to 3,000 genes, but only about 100 of them are consistently linked to the disorder. 

It was also shown that older parents are more likely to have autistic children, and recent trends show that more people are waiting longer to have children. This is flagged as another possible contributor to the increase in ASD prevalence. 

Lighthouse Autism Center makes life better

Given the increased awareness of ASD prevalence in the USA, it is important to seek out support systems and resources to help families with autistic children. The vast repository of autism resources and LAC’s innovative and groundbreaking Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy provide autistic children with the ideal path to holistic well-being. 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a necessary medical expense to help our autistic children thrive. But do our health insurance providers cover ABA therapy? Let’s find out how to check your coverage, how your coverage works, why you might not be covered, and how to get the best out of it.

How Do I Know if My Insurance Covers Aba Therapy?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a well-known and understood condition, yet we often don’t know whether our health insurance providers cover the treatments our autistic children need to thrive in the world. This is especially true of insurance coverage for ABA therapy. 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a treatment that helps people with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities improve their behavior and communication skills using behavioral principles. 

ABA typically involves working with a licensed ABA therapist, who designs and implements a personalized treatment plan for your child. The frequency and duration of therapy sessions may vary depending on their specific needs. Obviously, these treatments and sessions cost money. 

So does your insurance actually cover ABA therapy? To avoid any nasty surprises when we submit claims against our health insurance policy for ABA therapy, it is important to know the answer to this question beforehand. You’ll need to know your coverage works, why you might not be covered, and how to get the best out of your coverage. 

How does ABA coverage work?

Health insurance coverage for autism, and more specifically, ABA therapy insurance, is dependent on a few things. Firstly, you need to understand the type of health insurance plan you have.

In the past, there were very few formal regulations governing ABA therapy for autism and insurance coverage. More recently, however, state and federal governments introduced laws to ensure more uniform coverage across plans and divided the plans into two specific types: self-funded plans and fully insured plans.

Self-funded

These plans are regulated by federal laws rather than state laws. Under this plan, your employer decides what is covered and what isn’t. These plans are not mandated to cover ABA therapy, but as a result of federal mental health parity law requirements, ABA coverage on self-funded plans is increasing.

Fully insured

These are the most common plans offered by employers and must comply with state laws regarding coverage of ABA benefits. Under this type of plan, the insurance company decides what is covered and what is not covered, subject to state regulations. All 50 states mandate that these plans cover ABA. 

The following list will give you an idea of how fully insured plan regulations differ from state to state.

Arkansas

ABA therapy is covered if provided by a supervised, Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

California

A plan covering physical treatments must also cover mental health services. ABA is considered a covered treatment.

Delaware

ABA therapy and necessary items or equipment needed for treatment are covered.

Florida

ABA therapy is covered under state-regulated plans. If you were diagnosed with a developmental disability at age eight or younger, you are eligible for coverage. If you’re over 18, you will still receive coverage as long as you’re still in high school. Coverage for autism in Florida is capped at $36,000 per annum, with a lifetime limit of $200,000.

Georgia

ABA is not explicitly covered in Georgia.

Indiana

In Indiana, ABA is not explicitly covered, but treatment for autism and related disorders can’t be subject to limits or deductibles.

Massachusetts

ABA therapy is covered under MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, and Family Assistance. There are age limits, but private, fully funded options are available too.

Montana

ABA is not explicitly mentioned, but treatment for autism spectrum disorder can be capped at $50,000 per year for children under eight.

New Hampshire

Coverage for autism is covered under state-regulated plans. Coverage is capped at $36,000 per year for individuals aged 0 to 12 and $27,000 per year for those aged 12 to 21.

It is crucial, however, to check your plan properly. While all 50 states include ABA therapy and autism treatments in their base requirement, some may not enforce full coverage as part of the state regulation. 

How to find out if you’re covered

The first step is to establish which type of plan you’re on. Call your employer’s health insurance representative (usually the HR department) to find out exactly which plan you are on. Once you know if you’re on a self-funded or fully insured plan, you need to find out if you have ABA insurance coverage.

When talking to your health insurance representative about insurance for ABA therapy, you need to ask the following questions: 

1. Does my current plan cover the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorder?
2. Does the plan cover ABA therapy?
3. Can I obtain a copy of the Summary Plan Description (SPD) to review coverage details and specific exclusions in writing? It’s crucial to document coverage in writing for future reference.

Choosing a new or different plan

If your current plan does not offer sufficient cover, consider changing your plan. Most employers offer multiple plans, while some even offer both self-funded and fully insured options.

If you have the option of a fully insured plan, you should inquire about the state that regulates the plan, which is typically the state where the company is headquartered rather than your place of residence. 

You should also ask whether it is a small group or large group plan. You can then check whether the state that regulates the fully insured plan mandates coverage in the type of plan offered by your company.

Child-only insurance

Young children with autism often require up to 40 hours of ABA therapy per week, making a child-only insurance plan a wise financial decision. This will allow your child to receive the recommended amount of therapy necessary to reach their full potential.

You can go through the Healthcare Marketplace to obtain a child-only insurance plan. The ABA benefit is included in the “Essential Health Benefits” package, which is mandatory for all Marketplace plans in Texas and Colorado.

It’s important to note that Healthcare Marketplace plans can only be purchased during designated Open Enrollment periods.

How to get the most out of your coverage

Once you have selected a plan that suits your needs and budget, you should spend time interrogating the details of ABA therapy for autism and the insurance coverage per benefit. Knowing how your plan works will empower you to extract as much value as possible without incurring additional costs. Here are some benefits and rules you should keep in mind when using your insurance. 

Deductibles

The deductible is the amount you need to pay before your insurance starts contributing. You’ll have to pay this every year.

Copayment or coinsurance

You’ll either have a copay or a coinsurance. A copay is a fixed amount you pay per visit, including for ABA therapy. Coinsurance is a percentage of the total charges you’re responsible for paying after you’ve paid the deductible.

Out-of-pocket maximum

This is the highest amount you’ll have to pay in a year. Once you reach it, you won’t have to pay any other out-of-pocket expenses for ABA therapy for the remainder of the year. Like your deductible, the out-of-pocket maximum resets each year.

Documentation requirements

Experts recommend that a good insurance plan requires ongoing documentation of your child’s progress. Your child’s Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) will need to submit documentation to show that the treatment is effective. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) will review the progress reports. Although you are not responsible for creating these reports, they are a crucial component of ABA therapy.

In-network practitioners

Use therapists and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) who are in-network with your insurance provider.

Pre-authorizations

Make sure to submit all necessary paperwork before beginning ABA therapy sessions to be certain the costs have been authorized. Failing to do so could leave you responsible for paying the entire bill. A formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and a comprehensive behavior assessment are generally required for ABA therapy.

Lighthouse Autism Center covers your autism treatment needs

Lighthouse Autism Center meets the requirements of most health insurance plans. Through diligent use of your insurance, you can take full advantage of our Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy and the many other autism resources available from the Lighthouse Autism Center. 

It’s difficult to know when, or even if, you should move your autistic child from ABA therapy to a mainstream school. We take a look at all the different elements you need to factor into your decision so that you can make the right choice for your child and family.

Moving From ABA Therapy to a Mainstream School 

As a parent to a child with autism, you don’t have to worry about asking yourself whether you understand “what is school readiness” or “why is school readiness important” if you’ve been working with an ABA therapy provider. ABA therapy is an important tool in helping your child gain the specific skills they need to ready them for a transition into a traditional schooling environment and to ensure they tick all the boxes on a school readiness checklist.  

However, there is still a lot for you as a parent to understand if you’ve been thinking about when to transition your autistic child into a mainstream school, and you may even have doubts and questions about the process (you can also find out more about autism with our dedicated autism resources).  

This is why we’re going to take a closer look at why the move into a traditional school is important for so many children with autism, the pros and cons you may need to consider, and many other important elements related to this transition. 

Can my child with autism fit into a regular school?

As a parent, the first question you’ll probably ask long before you make any decisions is “Will my child manage in a regular school environment?” The good news is that an overwhelming majority of autistic children are placed in a typical school environment. The article “Educating Autistic Children”, written by Aubyn Stahmer and Laura Schreibman from the American Federation of Teachers, shares how 89% of autistic children attend regular public schools (even if the time they spend in a regular classroom may vary depending on their individual needs).  

There’s no doubt that it may not be as easy for many children with autism to adapt to a mainstream school, but they can make the switch from an ABA therapy program with the right skills and support. 

Should my child with autism transition to a school environment?

But as you’ve undoubtedly realized yourself, just because your child can attend a mainstream school doesn’t automatically mean that they should. There are various pros and cons for a child with autism entering the traditional school system that you need to consider first. Let’s unpack the advantages and disadvantages that your autistic child may experience in a mainstream schooling environment. 

The pros of attending a mainstream school

There are many advantages to moving a child  with autism into a regular school. These include: 

• A child with autism may feel better knowing they are included in a regular school with other children, even if they know they are different from their peers. 
• A mainstream school environment will help them develop the social skills to navigate life both during and after school, directly from their peers 
• It will help your child with autism develop relationships outside of their immediate family or therapists they work with in other programs 
• Public schooling is not only free, but many public schools offer support to help an child with an autism diagnosis make progress in a traditional classroom, such as Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). 
• Your child will play an important role in helping neurotypical children better understand neurodivergent children through their daily interactions. 

The cons of attending a mainstream school 

However, just as there are advantages, there are also disadvantages that may affect an child with autism in a regular school. These include: 

• Your child may feel left out in a mainstream school if their social skills are lacking. 
• Neurotypical children may not understand the differences children with autism have which could lead to isolation or difficulty connecting to peers. 
• As much as a mainstream school may offer some degree of support to your child with autism, there may be a lack of teaching resources and academic support to empower your child’s success at school. Though teacher may have the best of intentions, they might not have the resources to support your child the way they want to. 
• Your child’s confidence may suffer if they aren’t able to keep up academically with their peers. 
• Depending on their symptoms of autism , your child may struggle with handling the day-to-day tasks of a regular day at school, such as making sure you’re at the right class on time or navigating a large school building. 
• Negative experiences may lead to additional negative outcomes as your child with autism grows older.  

Ultimately, it depends on your child as an individual 

It’s undoubtedly difficult to weigh up these pros and cons, but ultimately, the decision to move a child from ABA therapy into a mainstream schooling environment very much depends on your child and whether they meet the requirements for school readiness. While some autistic children have great difficulty adjusting to regular school life, it may be much easier for others to adapt to traditional schooling offerings. 

Signs that your child with autism is ready to start mainstream school 

While you are likely working with your ABA provider who can help you gauge when your child is ready to make the move into a mainstream school, it’s also important to better educate yourself on this important time in your child’s life. The article “When Is a Child Ready for Mainstreaming?” written by Yael Goldmintz-Rosenbaum, Ph.D., and Susan J. Schwartz, MAEd, covers this topic for the Child Mind Institute, an independent nonprofit that works with children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.  

In this piece, they identify four important factors to keep in mind when deciding to move your child into mainstream schooling, which we go through in detail below. 

School Readiness Checklist

These are the four elements that you should consider part of your school readiness checklist for your autistic child: 

1. What grade is your child going into? 

There are specific years when children are introduced to new academic challenges, and these could be very difficult or even too much for an autistic child to handle. It’s important to make sure that your autistic child has the necessary skills to meet these demands before you move them into a specific grade at a regular school. 
 

2. Can your child meet expectations in the new class?

An child with autism who may not  have the cognitive skills to match their peers may become demoralized, resulting in them falling even further behind. It’s recommended that your child undergo testing to see what their cognitive and academic strengths and weaknesses are to make sure they are put into a grade in a regular school environment where they are able to perform adequately. 
 

3. How resilient is your child?

If your child has the mental and emotional fortitude to push through and overcome their challenges, then they might be able to manage a mainstream school environment despite any academic or social weaknesses they may have. However, a child who isn’t quite as confident in this regard might need a more supportive schooling environment. 
 

4. Is your child comfortable being an advocate for themselves?

If your child is able to speak up and let the teacher know they don’t understand and they need help, they are more likely to manage in a traditional classroom. Children who aren’t quite so confident may not be able to express themselves properly and struggle with the learning process as a result. 

How to support your autistic child during this process 

One of the most important things to remember once you’ve decided to place your child in a mainstream school is that your ABA provider will be there to assist you. They will play a role in ensuring that your child with autism understands all the things to do to get ready for school, and some providers specifically teach goals to achieve school readiness skills in mock classroom set-ups. Your ABA provider should also engage with the school you’ve chosen to ensure it is properly equipped to meet your child’s needs and support the IEP as needed 

By working with your autistic child, ABA provider, and your chosen school, you’ll be able to help your child make the move from ABA therapy to mainstream schooling as easy as possible. 

Ensure your child is ready for a mainstream school with Lighthouse Autism Center

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we offer the Lighthouse Fusion ABA therapy program, a unique program that combines the best elements of ABA and speech therapy to ensure that your autistic child can achieve the best outcomes. We also provide a variety of autism resources to help you better understand autism and any issues related to it. 

IEPs are an important educational tool that can help autistic and other special-needs children develop the skills they need to navigate life. We explain what IEPs are, who is involved in their development, whether your child qualifies for an IEP and the benefits an IEP can provide.

Learn About Individualized Education Programs

Parents of  children with autism may have heard discussions of an IEP for their child, or may already be involved in the IEP process but are unsure of their role in it, or what qualifies a child for an IEP. In this blog, we’ll take a look at exactly what IEPs are, how they work, who’s involved in the IEP process, and how they can help your child. 

What is an IEP? 

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It is a specific type of education program that is aimed at helping special needs kids and is a part of the PreK-12 education system. This means an IEP aims to address the education needs of special-needs children from 3 to 21 years old, when in a public school system. 

The IEP must lay out achievable educational goals for a child for a school year, while also outlining what services will be necessary and available to achieve these goals.  

How does an IEP work?

The creation of an IEP consists of several phases.  

The process begins with an assessment and eligibility phase that aims to identify whether your child qualifies for special education services. This is usually initiated by a teacher (who must get consent from a parent or guardian) or a guardian who recognizes the child may be struggling with learning.All parents have the right to request their child be evalutated for an IEP. The evaluations and assessments are typically conducted by a multidisciplainary team within the school system.  

After the assessment is completed and it is determined by a group of qualified professionals that a child qualifies, the creation of the IEP itself will begin. The IEP will aim to create specific, detailed, and measurable short- and long-term goals, take into account any educational accommodations or modifications that are required, as well as ensuring that your child has all the support services they need. This may include supportssuch as occupational or speech therapy, assistive technology, additional time on tests, or transportation. 

As your child works through their IEP, progress will be recorded and feedback provided to you. An IEP is regularly reviewed to ensure that it adapts to your child’s needs as your child grows. These reviews are usually annual but could occur more frequently, depending on your child. Parents can also request to meet with their IEP team at anytime throughout the school year.  

Usually, from the age of 14, the IEP will also start to include post-school transition goals. The IEP will then look at what services are needed to help your child achieve these objectives and be ready for adult life. 

Who is involved in the creation of an IEP?

An IEP is a team effort that requires input from a child’s parents and education specialists. Other highly qualified health practitioners, such as behavioral specialists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, may also be required to assess your child’s needs.   

As a parent or guardian, you will have an opportunity to review the IEP and provide feedback. This way, you can flag any issues you have with the IEP with the people involved in putting it together and work on producing a program that best suits your child. 

It’s important to get as many of the original team involved in the IEP’s creation as possible for IEP reviews. 

How does a child qualify for an IEP?

There are 13 criteria that make a child eligible for an IEP under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These include: 

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) 
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 

• Developmental delays 
• Emotional disorders or disturbances 
• Intellectual disabilities 
• Physical disabilities 
• Sensory impairments, such as hearing or vision impairments. 

A child is also covered if they are affected by multiple disabilities that are listed under the IDEA. 

The benefits of an IEP

Now that you understand how an IEP works, you might be wondering if it’s worth all the effort. Here are the benefits that an IEP offers to children who need it. 

Can help a child with special needs achieve better educational outcomes by providing an opportunity for success

Without access to additional supports in a traditional learning environment, children with special needs may be constantly behind their peers, not because they lack the ability to learn, but because material isn’t being taught in a way that works for them. An IEP can provide the child with an education that suits their needs or style of learning. 

It is a planned and structured system for learning for a special needs child

For the child, parent, or guardian, it’s reassuring to know that you can go into each lesson knowing what to expect from an educational program and how it is going to be presented. You can also look ahead to see how the educational process will unfold for your special needs child, and you also have an idea of each person’s role and what is expected of them. 

Has advanced measurable objectives to track progress more accurately

While all educational programs have some metrics that allow you to monitor a student’s progress, many IEPs take things a step further with SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-bound. This means that very detailed goals will be created for the child to reach, as opposed to aiming for any improvement in general. For example, a non-SMART goal would be that a child’s reading speed will improve, versus a SMART goal that says a child’s reading speed will improve to 150 words per minute. This elevates IEP goals and objectives above the goals and objectives of a traditional educational program. This also means that progress can be tracked and available to the parent at their request. 

Ensures a quality education is provided

An IEP is more than an ordinary educational program. IEPs fall under the IDEA, meaning there are even stricter requirements that will ensure a special needs child receives a high-quality education. For example, an IEP must be planned and taught by professional educators and other highly qualified individuals.What is written into an IEP is considered law, and must be follwed by the team working with the child.  
 

It caters specifically to the needs of an individual child

Not only is an IEP created that caters to the specific strengths and weaknesses of an individual child in mind, but many IEPs ensure that a special needs child gets additional one-on-one time with a teacher to improve their educational outcomes. 

Help your autistic child gain the skills they need at Lighthouse Autism Center

Lighthouse Autism Center is the home of the unique Lighthouse Fusion ABA therapy program, a special program that combines the best of ABA and speech therapy to help your autistic child achieve their goals. These, when combined with our in-depth autism resources, can provide your autistic child with a solid foundation to develop their skills so that they can successfully navigate through life. 

Medicaid helps millions of people across the United States to gain access to much-needed health services using special Medicaid waivers. These waivers allow states to provide services to those with specific needs, including low-income families that have an autistic family member. Learn more here.

Everything You Need to Know About Medicaid Waivers & Autism

If you’re in need of financial assistance for your autistic child, you may be able to get that help from Medicaid’s waiver program. Join us as we take a look at what Medicaid is, what they are, how a Medicaid waiver could help your autistic child and how you can apply for assistance.

What is Medicaid?

According to the official Medicaid website, “Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government.”

In a nutshell, it’s a public health insurance program for those who can’t afford to pay for specific health-related services on their own. 

While certain federal government rules apply to all Medicaid programs, the programs are run by each state, meaning that specific rules may differ depending on which state you live in.

What is a Medicaid waiver?

A Medicaid waiver is any exception that’s made to existing Medicaid rules in order to cater for a certain individual’s or group’s specific needs. For example, if you’re disabled or have a chronic illness, instead of having to move into an institution to receive assistance, this waiver may make it possible for you to receive assistance in your own home. Each state decides how to implement waivers in order to meet the needs of its citizens. 

Different types of waiver programs

There are many different types of Medicaid waiver programs depending on where you live. That said, three types of waivers are most commonly used across the United States:

Section 1115 waivers

This type of waiver allows a state to experiment with different methods for operating their Medicaid programs, such as using new methods to provide care or additional funding. Basically, any program that can improve assistance to those who need Medicaid can be tested under this waiver.

Section 1915(b) waivers

This type of waiver allows a state to provide its own care delivery system which a Medicaid beneficiary is required to use. While this may sound restrictive compared to allowing a beneficiary to use any Medicaid provider of their choice, care delivery programs that are run under this waiver must demonstrate that it’s more cost-effective, efficient and represents the overall values of the Medicaid program.

Section 1915(c) waivers

This type of waiver allows a state to provide long-term care services to an individual in their own home or community instead of requiring them to seek care at an institution. 

How can a Medicaid waiver help autistic children?

Medicaid can provide financial assistance to families that need help meeting the needs of autistic children. In July 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) federal agency made it clear that states are required to provide services to help treat Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children who are eligible for Medicaid and are under the age of 21. This is done through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit.

However, this does not mean that all autistic children will automatically qualify for Medicaid. While there is a Medicaid waiver for autism, the qualifying criteria may differ from state to state and you’ll need to apply for Medicaid to find out if you meet the requirements for assistance through the program. 

How do I apply for Medicaid?

Before you apply, it’s important to know who’s eligible for Medicaid assistance since there are specific requirements one has to meet in order to become a Medicaid beneficiary. Firstly, you must either be a citizen of the United States, a United States national, or have the relevant immigration status in order to qualify. Secondly, once you’ve met this baseline requirement, you need to find out if you qualify for Medicaid in your state. Other factors, such as household income, the size of your family, and age, will play a role in whether your application is successful or not. If you have any questions, you should reach out to your state Medicaid agency to learn more about Medicaid eligibility.

Since your application will be processed at state level, it may be useful to find out more about applying for Medicaid in your state on the Medicaid & CHIP How-To Information page on the Medicaid website. 

Lighthouse Autism Center is ready to help your family

At Lighthouse Autism Center we provide Lighthouse Fusion ABA therapy, an approach which combines ABA and speech therapy techniques to create a unique program which helps to improve your autistic child’s outcomes. You can also make use of our helpful autism resources to improve your understanding of autism and how to approach life with an autistic child. Contact us to learn more about how the Midwest’s leading autism therapy institution can assist your family.

Positive reinforcement for autistic children is a strategy to manage behavior and promote growth. Find out what positive reinforcers are, how they differ from bribery, and how to find the right ones for your child.  

Positive Behavior Support

As a parent of an autistic child, it isn’t always easy to know how to help your child negotiate daily life in a positive and productive way. Whether it’s a simple task that needs to be accomplished or complex problems that distress your child, it is important to find positive behavior strategies that work for both of you.  

Encouraging positive behavior can help autistic children recognize their own emotions and needs, as well as teach them how to ask for help or self-regulate when they are overwhelmed.  

Let’s find out how positive reinforcement can help your child, what reinforcers are, how to use them, and which ones are right for your child. 

What is positive reinforcement in autism?

Positive reinforcement helps autistic children to articulate their emotions and needs in a positive way without acting out or resorting to destructive behaviors like elopement or violence.  

You can use positive reinforcement at home by selecting suitable reinforcers like praise, games, sporting events and even tokens like stickers that accumulate towards earning a privilege or desired item or activity. Reinforcers may vary from child to child and finding ones that suit your child can be a rewarding process requiring observation, analysis, as well as trial and error. 

Why use positive reinforcement?

Reinforcers for autism have proved to yield the best results and is largely recognized as the most ethical use of Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (ABA), the foundation for using learning to help increase or decrease certain behaviors in autistic children. 

What is negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement is when you remove something that creates discomfort or distress to your child to increase a desired behavior. 

For instance, if a child responds with extreme anger or aggression to loud music with physical outbursts, it should be communicated or demonstrated to the child that the music can be softened or removed if they request it in a calm manner.  

After teaching the child the appropriate response parents can provide opportunities for them to request the removal of the irritant calmly and achieve the desired goal.  

Punishment should not be used

Punishment is not an accepted practice. According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts, punishing a child may not just further distress them but cause them to backslide into unhealthy behaviors. 

What is the difference between reinforcement and bribery?

As a parent of an autistic child, knowing the difference between bribery and positive reinforcement is key to the successful use of reinforcers.  

Bribes are generally offered to children without explaining what is expected from them or simply to stop an undesired behavior in the heat of the moment. This form of reward often entrenches bad habits in the child and often perpetuates a pattern of extracting rewards rather than learning how to articulate needs.   

Reinforcers, on the other hand, are not chosen and implemented arbitrarily. They form part of a much broader strategy and employ analysis as well as tried and tested techniques that do not entrench a pattern of unsustainable habits.  

How to use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a technique that ABA therapists use in treatment but also needs parents to implement at home. Here’s how you can use it to help your child.  

The ABCs of ABA

ABA practitioners use the ABC model to assess problem behaviors in autistic children. ABC is an acronym for Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence. With the help of an ABA therapist, you can assess your own child’s behaviors using this model.  

• Antecedents refer to “what comes before” or triggers the behavior and can be anything from a situation or item to a time of day or even a topic of conversation.  

• Behavior is fairly self-explanatory and refers to the action that needs to be understood and changed.  

• Consequences refer to what happens immediately after the behavior is observed and, in the context of ABA, can result in reinforcing or punishing positive or negative behavior. 

Assessing the child’s needs

Every autistic child’s situation is unique. From environment to family dynamics and where on the spectrum they fall, as a parent, it is important to work with ABA therapists to observe and evaluate the exact needs of your child and what reinforcers to use. 

Without a proper understanding of these factors, positive reinforcement interventions may not work properly and may even have the opposite effect. Assessments will include but are not limited to: 

• Past motivations  
• Interviews with the child to understand their likes and dislikes 
• Assessing the child’s main triggers (i.e., what do they desire or find difficult to attain?)  

Finding the right reinforcers for the child

Once you and the therapist have done a full assessment, you will move on to selecting the right reinforcers for your child. These can range from simple things like praise to more involved reinforcers where praise, for instance, is combined with a toy and activity to effect a positive response. 

It is important that parents enlist the support of ABA therapists to do the assessments and identify the most effective reinforcers for their children. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all model, and using unsuitable reinforcers for your child could actively harm your child as well as negatively impact their behavior. 

How to use reinforcers effectively 

Once you and the team have identified the reinforcers, they need to be implemented in a controlled and structured manner. Otherwise, you run the risk of receding into bribery or unuseful habits. 

Here are a few guidelines on how you can optimize the use of reinforcers. 

• Reduce dependence on the reinforcer. At the beginning of the therapy, there will be intense use of the reinforcer to establish a pattern. However, it is important to phase it out as the new behavior becomes entrenched. 
• Always combine the reinforcer with praise and verbal encouragement until the verbal praise becomes the main reinforcer and not the item or activity. 
• Model the behavior you want to see in your child. Always practice what you preach! 

• Be clear and concise in your instructions. 
• Make sure your child understands as much as possible why they are doing something, rather than just doing it because they are told. 
• Try not to allow free access to the reinforcer as this may lead to the reinforcer losing its impact. Instead limit access to about 80% to keep the child engaged in the future.   
• Be aware of how you implement the reinforcer. Introducing it suddenly may actually reverse the effect, as many autistic children do not respond well to sudden changes. 
• Have a backup for when your child doesn’t succeed.

ABA at Lighthouse Autistic Center

If you want to see how positive reinforcement affects behavior look no further than the Lighthouse Autism Center. They are leaders in the implementation of positive reinforcement through their ground-breaking Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy program, which fuses the best practices of ABA and speech therapy into a one-of-a-kind clinical model that delivers better outcomes for children with autism. Combined with world-leading autism resources, LAC is the Midwest’s leading autism therapy institution. 

Elopement presents a major risk to your autistic child’s safety. Find out the causes for elopement, what prevention strategies to use, as well as how to plan for a possible elopement.

Autism Elopement Prevention & Safety

Elopement or wandering can be defined as when someone who may require supervision leaves a safe area or a responsible caregiver. When that person is an autistic child, the consequences can be tragic. Autistic children who elope often fall victim to harm through traffic accidents, drowning, falling, extreme weather, or even encounters with predators (human or otherwise).  

When faced with such a terrifying prospect, it is no wonder that parents of autistic children can be tempted to employ extreme measures to protect them without considering whether their interventions will be effective or not.  

The fact, however, is that nearly 50% of autistic children have eloped at some point in their lives, often with tragic consequences, and many parents are left in a constant state of anxiety.  

According to the Organisation for Autism Research (OAR) following their Safety Planning Cycle helps parents to constantly equip themselves and their children with the tools and skills to secure their child’s safety through prevention and planning. 

Why do autistic children elope? 

Firstly, it is important to understand why many autistic children elope. In their review of the assessment and treatment of elopement, Dr. Megan Boyle and Dr. Reesha Adamson of Missouri State University describe the four most common reasons for elopement as follows: 

1. To get away from a place, activity, or person (escape) 

2. To obtain access to an item, activity, or person 

3. To engage in an intrinsically pleasurable activity, such as running 

4. To gain attention 

Understanding your child’s triggers makes prevention and safety much easier to manage. If it is not immediately apparent why a child elopes, consider keeping a log of every elopement, to help you identify trends.

Here are a few questions to guide what to log: 

• What sequence of events preceded the elopement? 
• Who was present? 
• Can you remember any significant stimuli or obvious triggers? 
• Where was the child going?
• What happened after the elopement?   

Once there is a fairly good understanding of the reason for elopement, parents need to develop an elopement prevention plan that anticipates these triggers and mitigates the need for elopement as a response.  

The prevention plan may include some of the following interventions. 

The Safety Planning Cycle

There are five basic steps in the Safety Planning Cycle: 

1. Understand

What does your child need? What makes the child safe or unsafe in a particular situation?  

2. Prepare

What skills does your child need to practice in order to be safe? What resources do they need? What can be done to support your child?  

3. Practice 

Once you’ve created your plan and identified the various tools and skills, implement them and find effective ways to reinforce them. 

4. Share

This is a key step towards securing your wandering child. Share your plan, skills and tools with everyone entrusted with your child’s safety as well as those who form part of your support network. From school teachers to community safety personnel like police and firefighters and EMS, the more people who are aware of your needs, the safer your child is. 

5. Update

Work with your child to constantly assess the plan, tools and skills. See what works and what doesn’t then revise and update the plan accordingly.  

Behavior modification

Elopement prevention for children with autism should go beyond just locking the house down to create a gilded prison for your child. Remember that a child who feels safe, who feels that they have choice in their decisions, and who feels that all their physical and emotional needs are met, are far less likely to elope.  

Your prevention plan should therefore begin with behavioral interventions that reduce the need for your children to elope. These should also be supplemented with more practical interventions to inhibit them should they be overcome with the urge to run.  

A behavior intervention plan for preventing elopement should focus on addressing the triggers mentioned above. A key tool in this is to implement Functional Communication Training (FCT), a process of reinforcing alternative behaviors to elopement that meet the needs of the child as defined by the triggers. Here are a few FCT interventions that you can discuss with your professional support network to consider in your plan.  

Attention-seeking 

In the case of a child seeking attention, parents should use visual aids to teach the child how to get their attention without running away. Parents, who are often the preferred person, should be the ones using visual aids to reinforce the alternative behavior. It might also help to give increased fun and exciting attention in spaces where you want your child to stay.   

Parents should avoid overly angry responses in response to elopement as this will make it even more reinforcing for attention. Instead, provide positive reinforcement for all things you want your child to do, other than elopement.

 

Trying to escape

First, try to identify what would trigger a child’s need to escape a particular situation. This could be overstimulation, change in environment, or even just a chaotic or noisy environment.  

Parents need to teach their children how to ask for a break from whatever the trigger is rather than elope. If they run anyway, it is important to bring them back, safely and then review better strategies for escape in the future. 

Once back, parents should adjust the task or change the environment to reduce the stress on the child by introducing breaks or moving to a quieter room. This should then be followed by positive reinforcement of getting back to the task. Again, meeting elopement with anger will trigger further elopement or in this circumstance, turn it into a game.  

Doing something pleasurable

Sometimes referred to as “automatic reinforcement or maintained behavior,” autistic children often elope simply to engage in something they enjoy doing, like running or the feeling of the breeze outside.  

In cases where automatic reinforcement is the trigger, parents need to provide more regular access to that activity in a controlled environment. This will reduce the impulse to elope to access it. For example, a child who loves running should have additional access to a gym or track with supervision.  

Desire to access an item, person, or area

Where the trigger is a desire to gain access to an item, person, area, or activity, parents need to teach their children how to ask for it or access it in a safer way. It is also important to establish a routine for access and explain when they will get access and reinforce this by making absolutely sure that they get it on schedule. A break in routine will definitely encourage elopement.  

Teach your child essential skills

Here are some situational elopement strategies on how to prevent autistic children from wandering off, as well as ways to protect them should they succeed.  

Swimming

Swimming lessons for children with special needs can be difficult to find. The YMCA in many locations across the country offers this specialized service at affordable rates. 

How to navigate traffic

Teach your child basic traffic navigation skills like what traffic lights mean, when and where to cross the road, and how to avoid moving vehicles.  

Stay with you in public spaces

Teach your child to understand the difference between walking and running. Reinforce holding hands or to walk within 6-12 inches of an accompanying adult as well as words like “go, walk, stop”. Reinforce things like staying by the cart in a grocery store, or keeping a hand on the cart in a parking lot.   

How to communicate contact information

Verbal children can be taught to memorize parents’ phone numbers, addresses, and other critical information and should be taught how to provide the answers. This may be difficult or impossible for non-verbal children so alternative means may be necessary in the form of an ID bracelet or card. Even in verbal children, this is a useful tool.  

Practical interventions

Behavioral interventions will only go so far towards mitigating the underlying reasons for elopement while skills are usually employed once in distress. Even if you have a high-functioning autistic child, there may still be a risk of elopement, which requires parents to take very practical steps towards preventing a child from wandering off and to be in a state of readiness should the child elope.  

Create an emergency plan

There are many resources available with templates for an emergency plan in the case of elopement. This plan should include emergency contact information and a step-by-step guide on what to do should your child wander off.  

Your emergency plan should include things like a Google map of the area, a 911 emergency call script, highlights of dangerous areas like bodies of water and high-traffic zones, possible points of interest for your child, etc.  

You should have multiple copies of the plan stored in your home, car, office, school, etc. Be sure to share the plan with key people in your safety network like neighbors, schools, EMS, and others, especially if your child has a history of elopement in the past.  

Secure the home 

In instances where your child routinely wanders, you may need to consider securing your home with locks for your doors and windows, home alarms, printed STOP signs around the house, and even fencing off your yard. It would be a great idea to discuss these options with your local emergency responders to determine what is most appropriate, but also safe.  

Explore a tracking device 

There are numerous wearable tracking devices that use different methods. Some use radio frequencies and triangulation while others use GPS. Consider the right wearable for your child. Some may prove irritating and be removed.  Many devices double up act as elopement prevention devices by alerting parents when a child leaves a predetermined radius or location.  

ID bracelets

Traditional medical ID bracelets will include your name, telephone number, and other important information. They may also state that your child has autism and is non-verbal, if applicable. If your child will not wear a bracelet or necklace, consider other means of ensuring that critical information is located on your child.  

Establish a safety network 

Informing those around you and your child of your child’s vulnerabilities will go a long way to preventing wandering into extremely dangerous situations.  

Introduce your child to your neighbors 

Creating a safety network starts with those in closest proximity. Introduce your child to the neighbors and try to establish a rapport where possible. Provide them with a picture of your child so they will recognize them.  

Introduce your child to first responders

Providing first responders with key information before an incident occurs may improve response. Informational handouts should include all pertinent information and be copied and carried with caregivers at all times. Circulate the handout to family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and first responders. See the tool kits below for resources to use to alert them. 

Work with your child’s school

Ensure that your child’s school has a crisis plan in place in anticipation of possible wandering and elopement of autistic children.  

What to do if your child elopes

Should your child manage to elope, follow these steps to reduce the possibility of harm and ensure a speedy recovery.  

• Call 911. 
• Locate your emergency plan and follow the action steps.  
• Alert first responders in your area and request an amber alert.  
• Explain to first responders that your child has autism and, if applicable, that their cognitive impairment makes them unaware of danger. Explain how they should interact with your child and what may trigger a flight response or paralysis. Give them suggestions of what to do and what not to do specific to your child’s needs.
• Request that your child’s information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File.  
• Alert neighbors and enlist them to help search for your child.  
• Distribute prepared materials with the following details: child’s name, communication level, how to calm your child if they are distressed, a recent picture of your child, caregiver’s contact information, and places your child is likely to go to. Distribute this information to individuals in your search party as well as public authorities. 

Lighthouse Autistic Center

The Lighthouse Autism Center is the Midwest’s leading autism therapy institution, which also provides world-class autism resources and is the proprietor of their unique, ground-breaking Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy program, which fuses the best practices of ABA and speech therapy into a one-of-a-kind clinical model to deliver better outcomes for autistic children. 

We look at the best ways to navigate your autistic child’s school refusal. Find out how to work with the school and how to aid your child.

Navigating Autistic Child’s Refusal To Go to School

School can be a frightening and overwhelming place for many kids, especially autistic children. This can cause a child to refuse to go to school. With all of our knowledge and autism resources, we will navigate the reasons and how to address autistic children’s school refusal in a positive and proactive way. 

What is school refusal?

School refusal can occur when children become distressed thinking about going to school. Although allistic (non-autistic) children may also struggle with this problem, it may be more pronounced in autistic children. Autism and school can lead to a tough environment as factors such as sensory challenges, difficulties with reading and verbal comprehension, and executive functioning fine and gross motor skills all play a part.  

School refusal can go from being reluctant to go to school to not being able to leave home or go to school at all. This will result in the child missing some or even all of their school days.  

What are the signs and symptoms?

The signs of school refusal are similar between autistic and allistic children. Knowing what to do when your child refuses to go to school can be difficult as you try to navigate the reasons. Let’s take a look at some of the signs and symptoms of school refusal:  

• Your child begs and pleads not to go 
• Trouble sleeping the night before school 
• Increase in complaining of being sick and feeling unwell before a school day 
• An increase in anxiety  
• More meltdowns and avoidance behaviors 
• Difficulties following morning routines 

When it comes to learning how to help a child with anxiety about school, it is important to understand the reasons behind these heightened feelings. Here we will look at the reasons behind school refusal. 

The reasons behind autistic children’s school refusal

Some children may find it difficult to cope with the demands that the school environment can place on them. It is very important for the parents to get to the root cause of the problem. It’s very important to act quickly on these signs that suggest your child’s school refusal. School refusal will not go away on its own. Let’s take a look at some of the added pressures of the school environment and what your child could be experiencing. 

• Your child may lack social skills, which could cause them to struggle to make and keep friends, or they might experience some form of bullying. 
• The school curriculum could be a bit difficult for them to cope with. Autism support in schools may not exist. 
• They might struggle to cope with the school timetable. 
• The sensory differences in the school environment could be overwhelming, such as noises, lighting, and smell. 
• They might get into trouble with their teachers for unintentionally being inappropriate or not respecting authority. 
• Sudden changes in their routine could be difficult. 

How to strategize with the school

Autism  support in schools is needed to ensure that autistic children can thrive in the school environment. You can use your understanding of your child to identify coping strategies that can be used in schools. Here are some ways to strategize with the school: 

• Make sure to utilize your child’s IEP (individualized education plan) to get the supports needed.  
• Request the school to make some reasonable adjustments at the start and end of your child’s school day. A staff member your child feels comfortable with could meet them at the school entrance. 
• Ask the school if extra breaks could be allowed for your child throughout the school day. This will allow your child to redirect their attention and energy to different activities. 
• Ask the school if they are willing to reward your child for some small improvements in achievement. 
• Find out if autism support in the school for staff is an option. More autism awareness will ensure that your child’s needs are met. 
• Be sure to set up a regular meeting with your primary contact at the school. This is often the teacher of record on his/her IEP, but could be the home-room teacher, principal, counselor, or student support group. 

Working on school refusal strategies at home

Of course, there are some practical strategies that you can implement at home!  

• Acknowledge their feelings: show your child that you understand their feelings and anxiety about going to school. 
• Make it clear and reassure them that things will be okay at home if their biggest fear is leaving home. 
• Regularly remind your child about activities that can help them feel calm, such as using a fidget toy or practicing deep breathing. 
• Set up a routine for the morning to set your child up for success for the day 
• Set a plan for reinforcement right when your child gets home to make a successful day a big deal 

Lighthouse Autism Center is here to help

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we provide the highest quality therapy! Compassionate care meets clinical excellence in a beautiful play-based environment. Contact us and find out about all our services, such as Lighthouse Fusion ABA therapy and so much more! 

We often hear the term elopement when talking about autistic children. Find out what it is, why autistic children elope, how to prevent it, and what to do should your child elope. 

Elopement – What Is It?

Running away is a fairly well-known behavior in neurotypical children and is often romanticized by a cute image of the little boy with his stick and wrapped lunch draped over his shoulder, moping along the railway tracks in an act of benign defiance.  

The reality, sadly, is much grimmer. Every year, we are confronted with stories of children escaping the relative safety of their homes and schools with their pictures ending up on the proverbial milk carton or worse.  

This scary and dangerous behavior is known as wandering and elopement. Though elopement isn’t uncommon for children in general, it is seen more often in people with autism, and is often more of a safety concern.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Autism Association (NAA), the statistics on how many individuals with autism display elopement behavior are alarming: 

• 49% of autistic children elope 
• 35% attempt elopement at least once a week 
• 33% of autistic elopers cannot communicate basic information like name, address, or phone number 
• 90% of elopement deaths are drowning related 
• 42% of autistic elopements aged nine or younger end in death 

These numbers are enough to drive any parent of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to despair. That said, you are not completely without options to reduce your child’s risk of becoming one of these statistics.  

To mitigate the risk of losing your child or avoiding any harm, you need to be clear on what eloping is, know why ASD kids elope, watch for signs of elopement, take steps to prevent it and, perhaps most importantly, know what to do if it does eventually happen.  

Why do autistic children elope?

The underlying reasons for both autistic and allistic (non-autistic) children to elope are fairly similar. Usually, a child is either trying to get away from something painful or pursuing something desirable.  

According to a review of the assessment and treatment of elopement, Dr. Megan Boyle and Dr. Reesha Adamson of Missouri State University broke these two primary causes into four distinct reasons: 

1. To get away from a place, activity, or person (escape) 

2. To obtain access to an item, activity, or person 

3. To engage in an intrinsically pleasurable activity, such as running 

4. To gain attention 

While these may seem fairly universal to all children, some children with ASD, depending on age and developmental level, may lack the mental acuity, awareness, and intuition to avoid danger and discern a threatening situation from a safe one.  

This becomes even more dangerous when autistic children are non-verbal or non-responsive to unfamiliar stimuli, making it difficult for them to communicate with concerned passers-by or even potential predators.  

Prevention is better than cure

It is never guaranteed that you can prevent your child from eloping. However, there are a number of strategies that you can implement to reduce the risk of elopement in high functioning autism, or autistic individuals with excellent social skills. 

Be vigilant

In most cases, caregivers or parents miss nuanced tell-tale signs that a child is about to elope. Keep an eye out for the following, especially if there is a history of elopement: 

• Persistent glances at the door or exit 
• Signs of sensory overload or overstimulation 
• Fixation on objects, activities, or people outside or away from the safe environment 
• Plays for attention 

Communicate

If you are aware that your child is an elopement risk, it is crucial to inform all caregivers and provide them with a list of elopement signs and signals to watch out for. In some cases, a child with ASD may display consistently calm and complacent pliant behavior, leaving  caregivers with a false sense of security. Let them know that regardless of your child’s compliance, there is a high risk of elopement.  

Functional Communication Training

Functional Communication Training (FCT) is a process in which autistic children are given alternatives to problematic behavior like elopement to get what they need.  

For instance, if they previously eloped to get attention, use FCT or communication tools to ensure they receive the right kind of attention in similar situations, from their preferred person, possibly using visual aids as needed.  

In the case of escape, do not reprimand or punish the child for eloping, but rather assess what about the situation triggered the elopement and change the situation accordingly.  

Where the child simply enjoys a particular item or activity and elopes to engage with it (like running or trying to access a  particular toy), consider introducing scheduled events so that the child can anticipate it without indulging the impulse to elope to fulfill the desire.  

How to prepare for elopement

As mentioned earlier, elopement can be almost completely unavoidable despite your best efforts to prevent it. Thankfully, the CDC has created a list of tips to help you prevent elopement and aid in a prompt recovery should your child elope:   

• Never leave your child unsupervised.  
• Install specialized locks and alarms on doors. 
• Attach GPS tracking devices that will trigger an alert if your child wanders from a specific location and track their whereabouts. 
• Inform neighbors, caregivers, family, etc., of your child’s propensity to elope. 
• Sew all basic information into your child’s clothing, such as their name, address, and phone number. 
• Increase vigilance when your child is exposed to a change in environment. 
• Help your child familiarize themselves with your environment so that they know of safe places and trustworthy adults in the area in case they get lost. 
• Set up an emergency response plan. 
• Walk your child through their portion of the emergency plan so that they know what steps to take in case they are separated from you for any reason. 
• Teach your child safety commands such as “stop.” 
• Teach your child to swim. 
• Teach your child how to cross a street. 
• Meet with any healthcare providers who understand your child’s unique situation and ask for their expert advice. 
• Keep a current photo of your child at all times. 
• Immediately call first responders. 

Let Lighthouse Autism Center help you and your child

As the Midwest’s leading autism therapy institution, Lighthouse Autism Center provides world-leading autism resources alongside our groundbreaking  Lighthouse Fusion ABA Therapy program which fuses the best of ABA and speech therapy into a unique clinical model to help you and your child navigate the world. 

Many autistic children struggle with social interactions due to social skills deficits. Read our blog to learn more about what social deficits are, how this can affect your autistic child’s life and the steps you can take to help them improve or overcome their social deficits.

Understanding Social Skills Deficits in Autistic Children

Many autistic children struggle with the basic social skills that many of us take for granted. Join us to learn more about the deficits in social skills for autistic kids, how to spot them and what impact they may have on an autistic child’s life.

What are social skills deficits in autistic children?

To understand the social skills challenges that autistic children (and adults) face, we must first define what social skills are.

Social skills can be understood as the skills that we use to communicate. These include verbal and nonverbal communication methods, such as our words and tone, gestures and body language. More complex social skills also include understanding social norms, seeking social engagement, understanding emotions, etc. Social skills are important because they allow us to build and maintain relationships with others and communicate with others to get our needs met, which in turn provides us with many benefits, such as happiness, social satisfaction and career advancement.

However, many autistic people often have certain social skills deficits. Note that autism does not present identically in everyone, so your child may not display all (or even any) of these deficits. Some key examples include:

• Has little to no interest in social interactions
• Struggles to listen and follow conversations
• Doesn’t understand body language, including facial expressions
• Inability to follow instructions or directions
• Speaks excessively during a conversation or interrupts frequently
• Lack of nonverbal social communication, such as pointing
• Unable to initiate or continue conversations
• Unable to empathize and build rapport with others
• Inability to understand or respond appropriately to the emotions of others 
• Takes everything said to them literally

The impact of a lack of social skills

For an autistic child, a deficit in key social skills can have harmful consequences. These consequences include:

• Social rejection and isolation
• Inability to perform at school due to social rejection
• Increased levels of aggression, anxiety, depression, loneliness and stress
• Poorer health due to lack of social connection

How to help autistic children who lack social skills

The good news is that many aspects of social skills can be taught or improved. This can have numerous benefits for an autistic child, including lower stress levels, better outcomes, a stronger social network and more success throughout their life.

Here are some tips to help improve social communication deficits in autistic children.

Lead by example

As a parent, one of the easiest ways to help your child better understand how to interact with others is by leading by example. Your child will mimic you, including your social interactions, so being a good role model for your child will help them develop good social skills.

Roleplay

Is it your autistic child’s first day at school? Perhaps they’re going to a birthday party for the first time? Or maybe another child has just taken their favorite toy? Whatever the situation is, you can help your child be prepared by roleplaying both expected and unexpected events that may take place in their life.

Practice using toys and games

Another important way for your child to improve their social skills is by using games that encourage the skills you want them to learn. For example, have a tea party with their stuffed animals and play out how the party should go with your child and her toys. A game that has turns, such as checkers or chess, is another great way to help your child understand the concept of taking turns with other people. 

Encourage interactions with neurotypical children

Whatever situation your autistic child is in, it’s important that you provide them with opportunities to engage with neurotypical peers, either in a formal schooling environment or through specifically arranged events or playdates. Both neurodiverse and neurotypical kids can learn a lot from each other, so getting them to socialize healthily can be a win-win!

Be on the lookout for buddy programs

Your autistic child can also learn from people who are older than them but not necessarily adults. There are programs that offer autistic children the chance to interact with older individuals who can act as a type of mentor by helping your autistic child learn and improve their social skills through various activities that are part of the buddy program. This can be especially helpful if you’re able to find an older neurodivergent person as a mentor – their lived experience will likely have equipped them with healthy coping strategies and techniques they can help your child with.

Praising successful social interactions

If your autistic child has a positive interaction with a peer or adult, it’s important to let them know they did a good job. This will encourage them to interact positively with others in the future. 

Specific social skills lessons

If you are unable to assist your child yourself, it’s important that you enroll them in a school environment that provides them with specific social skills lessons or seek out the assistance of a specialist who can help them outside of a school setting. Many health professionals, including psychologists and occupational therapists, can assist you and your child with learning and improving their social interactions.

Discover how Lighthouse Autism Therapy Centers can help your autistic child

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we provide a unique approach to ABA therapy that helps your child change, learn or improve certain behaviors. This approach is known as Lighthouse Fusion® ABA therapy and combines ABA and speech therapy into an enhanced therapeutic program for autistic children. We also provide extensive autism resources to help you better understand autism, how it affects your child and more.

Children with autism may struggle with sensory issues that lead to sensory seeking or sensory avoiding behavior. We explore these two types of behavior, their causes, the problems they may create and how they can both lead to sensory overload.

Sensory Seeking vs Sensory Avoiding in Autistic Children

Many autistic children have a variety of sensory processing issues that can affect their behavior, of which the main two types are sensory seeking and sensory avoiding. Join us as we explore the difference between these two categories of sensory processing issues in autistic kids and how you can help them understand their sensory experience better.

Understanding autistic children who are sensory seeking

If your child prefers to get a lot of stimulation from their environment, they are likely sensory seeking. Autistic children who are sensory seeking are considered “hypo-responsive” and tend to exhibit the following sensory seeking symptoms or characteristics:

• Prefers to be moving
• Likes to smell things
• Enjoys being touched, tickled or massaged
• Has a habit of fidgeting with things
• Standing very close to people when talking to them
• Likes to jump, hop, spin, rock and other repetitive motions
• Will slam or thrust their body into things
• Enjoys touching objects and people
• Likes loud noises and enjoys making them
• Likes to put non-food items in their mouth and chew on things
• Enjoys engaging in risky behavior
• Prefers to go barefoot

What causes sensory seeking behavior?

As with autism, exactly what causes sensory seeking behavior is not yet known. We only know that some autistic children are under-responsive to sensory input, others are hyper-responsive and yet others are a mix of the two. Because of how their bodies experience and process sensory input, they will then engage in behavior that will help them meet their sensory needs.

The problems affecting those who are sensory seeking

If you have a sensory seeking child, it may have a negative impact on their life, especially if they do not learn how to manage their sensory needs in appropriate ways. Here are three examples of how a child may struggle if they are sensory seeking.

Might cause themselves physical harm

Firstly, a child may unknowingly engage in dangerous behavior to meet their sensory needs. For example, they may jump from dangerous heights or come up with their own risky stunts to stimulate themselves. 

Might be ostracized by others

Secondly, certain behaviors might provoke negative reactions from those around them. For example, if an autistic child randomly touches other children and adults without their consent, these people may choose to avoid the child.

Might struggle in learning spaces

Finally, they may struggle to pay attention due to the fact that they are constantly seeking out higher levels of stimulation. This could negatively impact learning and academic performance in a learning environment.

How to help those who are sensory seeking

Your first port of call when it comes to helping an autistic child who is sensory seeking is a professional, such as an occupational therapist, who will be able to directly assist your child with their sensory seeking behavior. 

There are also activities that you can engage in at home to help your child meet and manage their sensory needs. Some examples of these activities include:

• Jumping on a trampoline
• Bouncing on an exercise ball
• Climbing on a jungle gym
• Have a pillow fight
• Using a weighted vest
• Letting them play with specifically designed sensory toys, such as weighted toys, scented play-doh and sensory bins
• Practicing respecting personal boundaries
• Practicing asking and waiting for explicit consent before touching anyone

Understanding autistic children who are sensory avoiding

If your child prefers to avoid being stimulated by their environment, they are likely sensory avoiding. Autistic children who are sensory avoiding are considered “hyper-responsive” and tend to exhibit the following:

• Has a greater sensitivity for smells
• Easily startled by unexpected sounds or bright lights
• Avoids crowded areas in favor of quieter environments
• Filters out fewer sounds compared to neurotypical children, which means they “hear more”
• Likes to wear headphones or earplugs to block out unwanted sounds
• Incredibly sensitive to pain
• Doesn’t like clothes with certain textures or clothes that are too tight
• Finds seams or tags in clothes incredibly annoying
• Is very picky about what they like to eat
• Doesn’t like being touched, even if it’s affectionately or playfully
• Dislikes being barefoot

What causes sensory avoiding behavior?

As with autism, we don’t know what causes sensory avoiding behaviors. What we do know is that some autistic children are overstimulated by certain activities or situations, which they then try to avoid so as not to overwhelm themselves.

The problems affecting those who are sensory avoiding

Sensory avoiding behaviors can affect your child negatively, most especially if they do not learn healthy coping mechanisms to meet their sensory needs. Here are a few ways sensory avoiding behavior can impact your child’s life.

May avoid activities and environments to their detriment

A sensory avoidant child may develop anxiety around activities and environments that make them uncomfortable, even if these things would benefit them, such as playing games with their peers or exercising on a playground.

May struggle to make social connections

Connected to the point above, if an activity or space is uncomfortable for your child with autism, they are likely to avoid it, which could, in turn, cause them to withdraw from social situations. For example, if they don’t take part in school games during breaks or are anxious about attending birthday parties, they may struggle to make social connections with other children.

Another example is that while other children may enjoy playing on a bouncing castle and all the rough and tumble that comes with it, a sensory avoidant child may not. Consequently, they may have to deal with feelings of loneliness, frustration, anger, sadness or being “left out” when they are the odd person out in such situations.

How to help those who are sensory avoiding

Again, as with sensory seeking children, you should seek out specialists who can help your sensory avoidant child learn to manage their sensory challenges. An occupational therapist or other health professionals can help you address your child’s needs.

There are also various precautions you can take to help your sensory avoiding child not feel overwhelmed. Some examples of these include:

• Decluttering an environment
• Keeping a pair of noise-canceling headphones nearby
• Making sure their clothes are not too snug and are made from materials that they are comfortable wearing
• Trimming the labels off their clothes
• Considering a weighted vest or blanket to help them feel more comfortable when overstimulated
• Preparing a quiet, calming space for them at home so that they have an area to retreat to if needed

Autistic children can have both sensory seeking and sensory avoidant traits

While we’ve split sensory seeking and sensory avoiding into two sections, it’s important to note that some autistic children can have characteristics of both categories.

What about sensory overload?

Regardless of whether your child is sensory seeking or sensory avoidant, they can still experience sensory overload. Sensory overload is when your brain is overloaded by the sensory information it is receiving. The amount or type of sensory information that causes sensory overload differs from person to person.

Sensory overload symptoms

Here are some of the signs of sensory overload:

• Anxiety, irritability, stress, fear or panic
• Overexcitement or restlessness
• Physical discomfort
• Need to limit source of overload by covering ears or closing eyes
• Need to leave area or space where the cause of the sensory overload is
• Tantrums or “meltdowns”

How to help with sensory overload

Here are some tips for managing and coping with sensory overload:

• Take preemptive steps to avoid triggers that cause sensory overload for your child, such as asking for lights or sounds to be turned down. 
• Ensure you are able to easily leave the location so that your child has the space to recover from sensory overload. 
• Be prepared by making sure your child has enough rest the night before and is properly hydrated. 
• Have a sensory toolkit filled with items that can help your child calm down, such as noise canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidget spinners and other objects that can help your child relax. 
• Talk to a health professional about medications that might be useful in avoiding or minimizing the consequences of sensory overload. 
• If possible, make sure those around your child are aware that they might become overwhelmed by specific triggers and explain to them what those triggers are. 
• Most importantly: help your child identify and understand their own sensory needs and triggers as far as possible – this could go a long way in helping them learn to manage their sensory issues in healthy ways. 

Discover how Lighthouse Autism Centers can help your child

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we offer our unique Lighthouse Fusion® ABA therapy program which combines the best aspects of ABA and speech therapy. This program, as well as our autism resources, are vital in helping your child unlock their full potential.