Sensory-Friendly Tips for Children with Autism on July 4th

Navigating the Holiday with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Holidays in general can be overwhelming and overstimulating for children with autism. The 4th of July Holiday can be one of the more overstimulating holidays consisting of large social gatherings, fireworks, parades, festivals and more! Preparing for these upcoming activities is crucial.

There are various ways to ensure that the holiday is safe and memorable for children with autism. Here are a few tips for families and caregivers of children with Autism:

Prepare your child in advance

Prepare your child in advance by telling them what is going to happen at the fireworks display or celebration. Focus on the fun aspect and let your child know that you are excited for these upcoming activities. Engage your child in the excitement and get them excited! Tell them about the holiday and stories of the good food, friends, and activities.  You can read your child books about similar celebrations or show them videos online or even take them to the location beforehand to introduce and bring familiarity to the situation. Create a plan for activities including timing, location, safety, and helpful supplies. Have a plan B. It is important to understand your child’s limits.

Determine a location and create a safe space

Choose a location where your child can retreat easily, such as at home with a view of fireworks, where a quiet room is available if they need a break from the noise and lights or watch by distance from inside your vehicle. You can also create a special space for your child to make them feel more comfortable by bringing their favorite comfort items such as a pillow and blanket or a chair.  It is important that your child feels comfortable and safe and has a space to prevent overstimulation. Create an escape plan if your child becomes too overstimulated. Events like community fireworks can become hectic, fast. As the crowd’s swell, noise grows, and children on the autism spectrum become prone to meltdowns. That is why identifying an escape route to a quiet place is important.

Bring helpful supplies and favorite items

Pack a bag ahead of time with sensory toys, games, and familiar snacks. Also consider headphones for children who are sensitive to loud sounds. As we all know, fireworks can pack a lot of sensory stimulation. Sensory items and snacks can provide a crucial distraction if your child gets antsy while waiting for activities to start.

Make safety a priority

Put a strong focus on safety around fireworks. Wandering and accidents can happen at any time.  However, being in an unfamiliar environment can increase the risk.

Ask for help

Be clear with other adults around you about how they can help make the event comfortable for your child with autism. Make sure your child knows how to ask for help and how to ask for a break from the party or noise. If your child is verbal, they may only need a reminder.  However, many children on the autism spectrum do best with a visual aid. For example, provide your child with a special card to hand to you when they need a break from the stimulation.

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Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Autism Signs in Infants

The Top 9 Signs Your Infant May Have Autism

We take a look at the most common autism symptoms in babies and toddlers, and the importance of getting children diagnosed as early as possible.

The signs and symptoms of autism are unique to every individual, and they vary in intensity from person to person. It’s a difficult disorder to pick up when children are young, but an early diagnosis can significantly impact a child’s quality of life and shape their development. Having an awareness of autism symptoms in babies and toddlers is critical.

Common Autism Characteristics

Although it’s specific to each individual, there are some more common autism characteristics that indicate a child could be autistic. 

1.) Lack of smiling

Children with autism often display a lack of smiling. Does your child smile back at you when you give them a warm, joyful smile? Does your child smile on their own? By the age of six months, your infant should be giving you big smiles or happy expressions.

 

2.) Rare Imitation of Social Cues

Does your child imitate the sounds and movements of others? Do they share expressions back and forth? Infrequent imitation of sounds, smiles, laughter, and facial expressions by nine months of age can be an early indicator of autism in infants.

3.) Delay in Babbling and Cooing

Missed milestones of babbling and cooing can often be a leading indicator of autism in babies. Is your child making “baby talk” and babbling or cooing? Do they do it frequently? Your baby should typically reach this milestone by 12 months.

4.) Unresponsiveness to Name

Is your baby increasingly unresponsive to their name from 6 to 12 months of age? Parents who see this in their child are often concerned it may be hearing loss and are unaware it can be a sign of autism in babies. If you see this behavior in your child, be sure to monitor the signs and consult a doctor. Knowing the signs can be the key to early intervention and getting your child the resources they need to reach better outcomes and live a more independent life in the future.

5.) Poor Eye Contact

Lack of eye contact is a very common sign in those with an autism diagnosis. Does your child make limited eye contact with you and other loved ones? Do they follow objects visually? Severe lack of eye contact as the baby grows can be an early indicator, as it is a form of communication and comprehension.

6.) Infrequently Seeking Attention

Does your child initiate cuddling or make noises to get your attention? Do they reach up toward you to be picked up? Disinterest in seeking a loved one’s attention or bonding with a caregiver is a sign your baby may eventually have difficulty relating to others, which can be a struggle for those on the autism spectrum as they grow up. 

7.) Lack of Gesturing

Does your child gesture at objects or people to communicate? Do they wave goodbye, point, or reach for things? This is a milestone that is typically reached by the time an infant is 9 or 10 months old. Lack of gesturing is a common sign in infants on the autism spectrum.

8.) Repetitive Behaviors

Repetitive behaviors are another highly recognized sign in children with autism. Does your child engage in repetitive behaviors such as stiffening their arms, hands, or legs? Do they display unusual body movements like rotating their hands on their wrists? Do they sit or stand in uncommon postures? This is a form of stimming or self-stimulatory behavior.

9.) Delayed Motor Development

Has your child experienced significant delays in motor development milestones, such as rolling over, pushing themselves up, and crawling? These could be signs of autism in newborns, but they may not be recognized as autism until much later. Early symptoms of autism in babies or toddlers often go unrecognized by parents or caregivers and are often put down as the child simply being a slow learner. 

Why It’s Important to Recognize the Signs of Autism in Infants

One of the most important things you can do for your child after birth is to learn the early signs of the autism spectrum. While most children will start to develop symptoms as newborns, many are only diagnosed when they display the common symptoms of autism in toddlers. 

Getting your child diagnosed as early as possible is the best decision you can make. Firstly, you could get peace of mind if the medical doctor tells you that what you are seeing are signs your baby is not autistic. If they do diagnose autism when your child is an infant, you’ll receive the following benefits:

  • Improved overall development: As parents, our single goal is to ensure our children’s lives are as easy and enjoyable as possible. The same goes for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The bottom line is that infants who receive autism treatment, support, and education at appropriate ages and key developmental stages are far more likely to gain the essential social and reasoning skills needed in society.
  • Diminished distress: Imagine a child at school who can’t talk to their classmates, finds it hard to make friends, gets frustrated at not being able to communicate what they want, and is great at math but can’t articulate that. Undiagnosed autistic children become incredibly distressed in social settings; they don’t know what’s wrong with them, and parents and teachers think they are just acting out. An early diagnosis can diminish this distress hugely.
  • Early understanding and acceptance: For parents, it can be hard to understand their child and accept that they are autistic, and it certainly takes time to get used to a new way of life. Getting your child diagnosed early means that you have more time to understand and accept their disorder and to become an advocate for awareness.

The Type of Therapy to Expect at the Lighthouse Autism Center

At the Lighthouse Autism Center, we use a unique approach to ABA therapy called Lighthouse Fusion™. This is a unique  program for children on the autism spectrum fuses together ABA and speech therapy and helps children make greater progress, faster.  ABA therapy helps children with autism develop new skills, as well as improve the skills that they already have and decrease problem behaviors.

Our therapy programs are tailored to each individual child, and achievable goals are set out for the child to strive for in different areas of skill. Some skills include:

  • Communication (including speech and language skills)
  • Social skills
  • Improve attention, focus, and memory
  • Decrease problem behaviors
  • Self-care (such as showering and using the bathroom)
  • Play and leisure
  • Motor skills
  • Learning and academic skills.

ABA therapy is based on positive reinforcement, and it brings together a number of different disciplines to ensure that each child gets the greatest chance of becoming the best version of themselves.

Contact us at the Lighthouse Autism Center if you want to know more about our treatment programs, and we can create a custom therapy program for your child.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

How Autism Can Help You Land a Job

Working With Autism Spectrum Disorder

DUBLIN—Some employers increasingly are viewing autism as an asset and not a deficiency in the workplace.

A Germany-based software company has been actively seeking people with autism for jobs, not because of charitable outreach but because it believes features of autism may make some individuals better at certain jobs than those without autism.

It’s a worthy initiative, according to disability experts, since 85% of adults with autism are estimated to be unemployed.

Piloted in Germany, India and Ireland, the program is also launching in four North

SAP employee Patrick Brophy, right, with his co-worker and coach David Sweeney. Ciaran Dolan for The Wall Street Journal

SAP aims to have up to 1% of its workforce—about 650 people—be employees with autism by 2020, according to Jose Velasco, head of the autism initiative at SAP in the U.S.

People with autism spectrum disorder—characterized by social deficits and repetitive behavior—tend to pay great attention to detail, which may make them well suited as software testers or debuggers, according to Mr. Velasco, who has two children with the condition.

In addition, these people bring a different perspective to the workplace, which may help with efficiency and creativity as well, he said.

 

“They have a very structured nature” and like nonambiguous, precise outcomes, Mr. Velasco said. “We’re looking at those strengths and looking at where those traits would be of value to the organization.”

Autistic employees at SAP take on roles such as identifying software problems, and assigning customer-service queries to members of the team for troubleshooting.

One employee works in “talent marketing,” issuing communications to employees internally. The company is looking for someone to produce videos and is considering an applicant with autism who has experience in media arts.

SAP is also considering other positions, such as writing manuals to give clients very precise instructions on how to install software.

Individuals with autism might excel at going step by step, without skipping details that others may miss, said Mr. Velasco. The business procurement process, such as getting invoices or managing the supply chain, is another area in which an individual with autism might shine, he said.

SAP isn’t the only company to have such a program. In the U.S., mortgage lenderFreddie Mac FMCC -1.12% has offered career-track internships since 2012, including in IT, finance and research.

The lender hired its first full-time employee from the program in January, according to a Freddie Mac spokeswoman. In IT, the company has found that interns often perform well in testing and data-modeling jobs that require great attention to detail and focus as well as a way of seeing things that might not have been anticipated by the developers.

 

“Harnessing the unique skills of people on the autism spectrum has the potential to strengthen our business and make us more competitive,” according to the lender’s policy.

To be sure, as with any group, people with autism have a range of interests and abilities. SAP is working with a Danish autism-focused training and consultancy firm, Specialisterne, which carefully screens and interviews the candidates to find the appropriate matches before sending them to SAP to evaluate.

Patrick Brophy, 29 years old, has a bachelor’s degree in computer science in software systems and a master’s in multimedia systems, which includes website development and editing. Mr. Brophy says he has Asperger’s, a term commonly used to describe a milder form of autism spectrum disorder.

He had been looking for full-tine work for a few years but said that in the handful of interviews he went to, he would sometimes stutter or misinterpret questions, which he felt reflected poorly on him in the interviews.

When he arrived at SAP for the screening day, however, he had the technical qualifications and he appeared to have skills to work in a corporate setting, according to Peter Brabazon, Specialisterne program manager. Mr. Brophy was hired by the quality assurance department in July, where he identifies glitches in software prior to it being issued to clients.

“Four weeks before joining, I was steadily more and more nervous,” said Mr. Brophy, who worried about his adjustment to a new environment. “Within a month, [the work] was second nature. I had found myself.”

Mr. Brophy said there have been challenges with his job, particularly when he has to revamp how he does a certain task.

From a social standpoint, he found it easy to integrate into his team, said both Mr. Brophy and David Sweeney, a colleague assigned to be his mentor.

About 1% of the population in the U.S.—or some three million people—is thought to have an autism-spectrum disorder. The latest figures issued Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that one in 68 children have been identified with an autism-spectrum disorder.

Their lifetime employment rate is extremely low even though many want to work, said disability experts. Among young adults between 21 and 25 years old, only half have ever held a paid job outside the home, according to a study published last year in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Though many people with autism go on to higher education and are qualified for employment, they may have trouble getting in the door of a workplace because of difficulties with networking or interviews, according to Wendy Harbour, executive director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, at Syracuse University.

There are a number of companies and outreach efforts that aim to hire people with autism, seeking to tailor work to their abilities.

But SAP and employers like Freddie Mac said their effort is specifically a business decision to take advantage of what they see as unique skill sets.

SAP said that individuals being considered to work there usually have had at least some higher education.

In Dublin, the candidates arrive at the company’s software design center, dubbed the “AppHaus,” which features open spaces, movable desks and whimsical furniture. They are asked to work in pairs on a task building a motorized robot. Candidates are given the instruction manual and brief instructions.

Assessors from Specialisterne look to see if the candidates listen to instructions and pick up on cues, and how they react to challenges such as how the colors of the pieces to the robot look different from the instruction manual. “I want to see how they work together and their technical skills,” said Debbie Merrigan, one of the assessors for Specialisterne.

She wants them to be meticulous, she says. If they aren’t it doesn’t mean they aren’t employable, but they may not be a good fit for working at SAP. Sometimes candidates get overwhelmed and simply leave.

After Specialisterne identifies a candidate as being a good fit, SAP then conducts further interviews, as they would with any other applicant, says Kristen Doran, a program manager in human resources at SAP Dublin. At this facility, 15 candidates were screened and interviewed in order to hire the three who are currently placed as contractors. Mr. Brophy works in the quality assurance department while the other two individuals are in the troubleshooting division.

The candidates are paid market rate and if they succeed on the job, they will be hired as full-time employees after a year, said Liam Ryan, managing director of SAP Labs Ireland.

Difficulties with social interaction and inflexibility can sometimes pose significant problems for individuals with autism, and SAP has a mentoring system and in some cases has made changes to the work schedule to accommodate these new employees. The company also conducts a month of employee-adaptation training to increase employees’ comfort level at working with the team as well as another month or more of job training.

“It’s hard to go into a corporate space if you prefer order to disorder,” says Thorkil Sonne, founder of Specialisterne. “Our biggest effort is to work with them…to define and strengthen their comfort zone,” said Mr. Sonne, who has a son with autism.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

ABA Therapy Tips for Taking Your Child with Autism to the Dentist

Taking Your Child With Autism to the Dentist

For any child, and even adults, a trip to the dentist can often be filled with anxiety, fear, and discomfort. For a child with autism especially, these feelings can be even further heightened by sensitivities to noise, smell, and touch. In order to make this experience better for both the child and family, Lighthouse Autism Center has compiled a list of ABA therapy tips to make taking your child with autism to the dentist just a little bit easier.

Below is a list of tips that are commonly used during ABA therapy that may help your child with autism during their next trip to the dentist:

Tip 1 – Prepare Your Child for the Visit

Be sure to talk about the visit for days or even weeks before it is going to happen. Show your child pictures of the dentist office and explain to them what kind of things will take place there (ie: “you will sit in a chair, a nice man or woman will ask you top open your mouth so they can look and touch your teeth. They want to make sure that your teeth are nice and healthy!”).

Tip 2 – Consider Visiting the Dentist Before Your Visit

If your dentist office will allow it, consider making one, two or however many visits it may take to get your child comfortable with the atmosphere. Show them the lobby, waiting area, and if available, even the room or seat they may use for the teeth cleaning. The more your child is exposed to the space, the more comfortable they will become.

Tip 3 – While You’re at the Dentist

Bring along a favorite toy, activity or treat so as your child is attempting and engaging in new experiences you can provide them with that item.

Tip 4 – Be Flexible

A trip to the dentist can be challenging for anyone. If your child begins to experience difficulty at the visit, or is visibly frustrated, scared or uncomfortable, understand that your child simply may not be ready or able to complete the visit that day, and that’s ok. You as a parent or caregiver know your child best!

Tip 5 – Consider Requesting A Therapist to Attend the Visit

For those children who receive aba therapy, some centers, like Lighthouse Autism Center, will send a therapist to help your family and child during the dental visit. They can serve as a helpful resource for you and your child by applying aba therapy techniques.

To learn more tips for parents of children with autism, visit: https://lighthouseautismcenter.com/parents-of-children-with-autism/tips/

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Impact of Dropping Asperger’s from the DSM-V

Asperger’s Syndrome Falls Under Category of ASD in DSM-V

A big change is about to take place in the soon to be released Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, more commonly known as the DSM-V. Asperger’s syndrome has dropped from the manual and instead it will fall under the category of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

The name for Asperger’s Syndrome has officially changed, but many still use the term Asperger’s Syndrome when talking about their condition.

The American Psychiatric Association released a statement stating that, “The new criteria

will incorporate several diagnoses from the DSM-IV, including autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder (not otherwise specified) into the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for the DSM-5 to help more accurately and consistently diagnose children with autism.”

Continue reading “Impact of Dropping Asperger’s from the DSM-V”

Children with Autism: Boys Verses Girls

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Boys Verses Girls

According to the CDC, boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

But does this mean that boys are more likely to have autism or does this mean that girls are just being underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed? Signs of autism in girls can be easily missed, especially in cases of high-functioning autism. The signs and characteristics displayed by children with autism is more easily recognizable with severe and problematic symptoms, often observed among boys. Therefore, boys get referred for diagnostic testing and treatment services earlier in development than girls typically do and are more often diagnosed. Autism in girls and autism in boys do not always look the same. In fact, recent research suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may look quite different in girls—so different, that it can be difficult to diagnose. It may not get noticed in girls until later teen or pre-teen years, when it becomes harder for a child to “cover up” their autism-related characteristics. As the gender differences among children with autism get more closely examined, many experts are beginning to observe that girls may be better at imitating socially appropriate behaviors and have fewer behavior problems than boys. This creates a masking of autism symptoms for girls that prevent them from being referred for services.

Some of the differences in girls with autism verses boys with autism based on resent research are:

  • Boys with autism often have very repetitive and limited areas of play. Girls with autism are less repetitive and have broader areas of play.
  • Girls with autism are more likely than boys to be able to respond to non-verbal communication such as pointing or gaze following. They are also somewhat more focused and less prone to distraction.
  • While boys’ social communication issues become challenging very early in their lives, girls may be able to manage the social demands of early childhood but run into difficulties as they enter early adolescence.
  • According to the Kennedy Krieger report, Boys with ASD may tend to engage in disruptive behavior to gain objects, while girls with ASD may tend to engage in disruptive behavior to get attention.
  • Girls with autism are more likely than boys to also suffer from anxiety and/or depression.
  • While girls with autism do have perseverative interests, they are more likely to choose interests (such as TV stars or music) that appear more typical than, for example, many boys’ perseverative interests in schedules, statistics, or transportation.
  • Girls with autism are less likely to behave aggressively and more likely to be passive or withdrawn.
  • It is fairly common for girls with autism to appear socially competent as youngsters because they are “taken under the wings” of other girls who enjoy mentoring their peers. These mentors often fade out of the picture as they enter adolescence and find other interests or groups of friends.

Is There a Gendered Difference on the Autism Spectrum?

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined as the broad range of conditions that include challenges with communication skills, social skills, motor skills, daily living skills and more. In the most recent study performed by the CDC, 1 in every 44 children are diagnosed with autism. Furthermore, boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

How to Identify Signs of Autism and Evaluating Your Child

Having a child tested for autism spectrum disorder is only something that a qualified professional will be able to do. However, knowing the signs of autism can help you decide whether or not to seek further evaluation for your child. The easiest way to be able to determine if a child should have further evaluation for autism spectrum disorder is to know the signs.

Getting an early diagnosis of ASD is key for proper treatment and early intervention. With that in mind, what are the characteristics of autism?

Sources:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/differences-between-boys-and-girls-with-autism-260307
https://www.verywellhealth.com/signs-of-autism-in-girls-260304
https://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-statistics-asd
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2017/04/autism-spectrum-disorders-the-difference-between-boys-and-girls

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Lighthouse Fusion ™: Meeting the Child Where They Are Most Engaged

Meeting the Child Where They Are Most Engaged

Child and clinician working with positive reinforcements. Clinician engaging child’s interests to make learning fun!
Naturalist play-based therapy helps children with socialization along with many other skills.

Play-based ABA Therapy


Lighthouse Autism Center offers beautiful, play-based environments. With an innovative ABA therapy model called Lighthouse Fusion ™, children make greater progress, faster, all while having fun. Together speech and ABA fuse into one comprehensive program. Children are immersed in imaginary spaces where they can naturally explore their interests, engage in sensory experiences, and practice language. Each child’s progress can be seen in smiles and laughter because we know children learn best when they’re having fun. The therapist follows the child’s lead to find out what he or she enjoys.  At every opportunity, the therapist tries to enhance an activity’s fun quotient with their presence.  The goal is that the child will want to work for the therapist and will, therefore, be an active, happy, and engaged learner.

Tailored Autism Treatment Plans

A therapist may be highly qualified, and the treatment plan may be exquisitely tailored to the child’s needs, but if the child refuses to engage with the therapist, then efficient learning won’t occur.  Lighthouse Fusion is an enhanced program with an innovative clinical model that delivers better outcomes, faster. Our naturalistic play environment allows each learner to develop readiness skills, simulating real-life situations, all while having fun. Each object in the pay centers were strategically selected with an intended purpose. Some toys may help with the development of social skills, while others are intended to help with speech and language development. Lighthouse Autism Center strives to create a welcoming, comfortable environment that provokes natural learning and fun.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Lighthouse Fusion ™: Fusing Together ABA and Speech Therapy

Fusing ABA and Speech Into One Enhanced Therapy Solution

Lighthouse Fusion ™ was developed by a team of dually certified clinicians at Lighthouse Autism Center is an enhanced therapy solution that blends the best practices of ABA and speech therapies into one comprehensive program.  At Lighthouse, we are committed to bringing together compassionate care and clinical excellence to unlock that potential and help each child achieve the possible. We believe each child has unique and unlimited potential.

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ABA has long been the gold-standard for autism therapy. Research shows that building motivation and rewarding success is effective in delivering superior outcomes for children. Lighthouse Fusion ™ applies these same principles to speech development in a one-of-a-kind therapy program. Developed by a team of dually certified clinicians at Lighthouse Autism Center, some of only a handful in the entire country, the program brings together experts in the fields of speech and ABA to collaborate on goal development, deliver therapy, and celebrate each child’s progress.

  • Integrated therapies: Fusion brings together speech and ABA into one comprehensive program.
  • Collaborative team: Each child has a behavior analyst, speech therapist, and registered behavior technician working together to support their progress. Three clinicians, one goal.
  • Enhanced Progress: an innovative clinical model that delivers better outcomes, faster.

How Lighthouse Uses Integrative Therapy

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we offer the highest quality therapy in a beautiful, play-based environment. With an innovative ABA therapy model called Lighthouse Fusion, children make greater progress, faster, all while having fun. This is where compassionate care meets clinical excellence. Children are immersed in imaginary spaces where they can naturally explore their interests, engage in sensory experiences, and practice language. Each child’s progress can be seen in smiles and laughter because we know children learn best when they’re having fun.

To learn more about Lighthouse Fusion, click here.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Bringing Effective Behavior Analytic Speech Techniques to Dublin, Ireland

Three LAC Members Present at the ABAI in Ireland

Every two years the Association for Behavior Analysis International hosts an international conference during which behavior analysts from all over the world converge to share research and ideas.  This year’s conference will be held in Dublin, Ireland.  Three Lighthouse Autism Center speech-language pathologists: Samantha Farber, Emily Sears and Janine Shapiro will be in attendance and Lighthouse Autism Centers’ paper was accepted for presentation.

Janine Shapiro will be demonstrating effective behavior analytic speech techniques to address common speech concerns of behavior analysts.

We’re excited to bring our Lighthouse Fusion tricks to an international stage so we can help learners and practitioners near and far!

Learn more about the conference here: Conference Home – Association for Behavior Analysis International (abainternational.org)

Janine directs Lighthouse Fusion, an enhanced therapy solution that blends the best practices of ABA and speech therapies into one comprehensive program. Developed by a team of dually certified clinicians at Lighthouse Autism Center, some of only a handful in the entire country, the program brings together experts in the fields of speech and ABA to collaborate on goal development, deliver therapy, and celebrate each child’s progress.

At Lighthouse Autism Center, we offer the highest quality therapy in a beautiful, play-based environment. With Lighthouse Fusion, children make greater progress, faster, all while having fun.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Driving a Global Impact with Innovative Techniques

Innovative Techniques of ABA and Speech Therapy

Our very own Janine Shapiro, CCC-SLP, BCBA, Director of Speech/ABA Integration at Lighthouse Autism Center, recently presented at a highly attended Beijing-organized presentation. This was a virtual presentation that was quick to fill at full capacity, with several of China’s behavioral analyst in attendance! The focus of this presentation was behavior analytic techniques to establish and increase vocal communication.

Janine at Lighthouse Fusion

Janine directs Lighthouse Fusion, an initiative to fuse speech-language pathology and behavior analysis at Lighthouse Autism Center. She has practiced as a dually certified behavior analyst and speech-language pathologist for fourteen years and remains one of only a handful of clinicians with both certifications in the world. She speaks at conferences and training events around the world and passionately shares the power of behavior analysis with fellow speech-language pathologists. Janine co-authored research concerning the effectiveness of Social Thinking therapy, which was published in the Journal of Autism and Development Disorders and co-authored a chapter in Essential for Living—a curriculum guide and assessment tool for people with moderate to severe disabilities.

Lighthouse Autism Center could not be more thankful for her passion and dedication to helping our clients reach their unlimited potential. Janine is a phonemical asset to the Lighthouse team. We cannot wait to follow her journey as she continues to educate the world on behavior analytic techniques!

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Tips for House Hunting with Your Child on the Spectrum

Guidance for Families with Children with Autism when Moving House

Moving is always a stressful and complicated endeavor. But when you have a child on the autism spectrum, the thought of packing up your household and moving somewhere new can seem like a near-impossible task. Parents often worry that their children will get overwhelmed by this major transition, and rightfully so. Children with autism thrive on routine and stability — everything that moving is not!

child and parents moving to new house

Are you looking for guidance? The clinical team at Lighthouse Autism Center presents this informative guide to assist families preparing to move. Whether you’re still in the process of house-hunting or you’re already packing up your home in anticipation of moving day, the following tips will help keep support your child through the process.

Establish Your Home Buying Budget

Raising a child with autism can pose a significant financial challenge for parents, even with the help of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. It isn’t easy to manage the costs of equipment, supplies, medication, childcare, education, and therapy services.

So are you prepared to handle the additional expenses involved in buying a new home, selling your existing property, and moving? Redfin recommends creating a realistic home-buying budget before you start looking at properties. Calculate how much mortgage you can afford by adding up your ongoing expenses and subtracting these from your household income. The rule of thumb is to keep your housing costs less than 28% of your before-tax income. Once you have a better idea of your home affordability, research home prices in your area to find out what kinds of homes you can afford on your budget.

Look for Specific Home Features Conducive to Your Child’s Needs

Ready to start looking at homes? Get in touch with a local real estate agent who can help you scout properties that will best fit your family. Keep an eye out for features that may appeal to your child and your family’s life style. Things to look for might include making sure there is a fenced backyard, double-pane windows to dampen noise from outside, and even considering if there are pools, ponds or bodies of water nearby.

Making a Moving Day Plan

Moving day will always feel a little hectic, no matter how much planning you do. Help keep your child calm and content amid the mayhem by giving them your full attention. Hire professional movers so you can ensure that all of your possessions make it to your new home safely while you spend time with your child. Some movers offer activity packs for children, so be sure to ask about this when you call for quotes. When you arrive in your new home, unpack your child’s room first so they can start regaining some sense of normalcy right away.

Keep Your Child in the Loop

The most important thing to remember as you prepare for your upcoming move is to keep your child in the loop. Children with autism feel more comfortable when they know what to expect. Parents.com recommends broaching the subject early so your kid has plenty of time to process the idea of moving. Highlight some things that your child can get excited about, like a bigger bedroom or backyard where they can play. Help your child visualize the days leading up to your move by writing down everything on a dedicated moving calendar.

Remember: continuous communication is key! Review your moving schedule every day, read children’s books about moving, and offer plenty of positive reinforcement when your child makes it through a day that deviates from their normal routine.

When it comes to moving, things rarely go smoothly — and that’s okay! Be prepared to go with the flow and respond to issues as they arise. Monitoring your child for signs of stress and anxiety is vital. Do what you can to prepare ahead so you can focus all of your attention on your child before, during, and after your move.

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

Interested in learning more about therapy resources that can assist your child with autism?

At Home Resources for Families During COVID-19

Activities to do at Home During Covid-19 Pandemic

Our Lighthouse team understands the challenges that parents and children face when their daily routines are disrupted. During this time of adjustment, we want to help our kiddos by providing some fun and educational activities.

Please see below for a list of resources you may utilize during the coming weeks. We have included fun virtual tours of museums and zoos, educational websites and games, easy and creative at-home activities, and some ways to get up and move! There is also a social story that can help explain COVID-19 to children.

COVID-19 Schedule

 Social Stories

CoronaVirus Social Story

Libraries/Digital Collections:

St. Joseph County

Elkhart

Plymouth

Warsaw

Portage, MI 

Zoos/Animals/Nature:

Meijer Gardens – 10:00 am daily story time and live view of butterfly exhibit.

Sandiego Zoo – Games and activities to learn about animals.

Cincinnati Zoo – 3:00 pm Daily Home Safaris

Switch Zoo – Watch, listen, and play fun animal games!

National Geographic – videos, games and brain boosters!

National Geographic Kids Magazine

Virtual Tours:

Canadian Farm and Food Tours

Louvre Museum – Take a virtual tour!

Monterey Bay Aquarium – View animals on a live cam.

Reid Park Zoo – Live cam of animals at the zoo

Tour your favorite city, or, somewhere you’ve never been! 360 views of cities around the world.

Looking for more live web cam options, view another list of live web cam options offered by various organizations around the world, here!

Games/Education:

Camp Discovery for Autism- a learning app made for those with autism.

PBS Kids – Educational games based on PBS Kids shows

Fun Brain – Pre-K to 8 years old – math, games and books.

Star Fall – Reading and Phonics Skill Activities

Dr. Seuss Books and Activities for all ages

Stories read by celebrities.

ABC – educational games from pre-k to grade 6.

Highlights Kids – activities, games and jokes!

NASA – Join NASA Kids Club

Movement/Music:

OT Development Activities

Strength, Agility and Movement Exercises

Music and Movement

Music Lab – Explore and Create Music

STEM Activities

A special shout out to Hannah and her Girl Scout Troop who assisted in contributing the resources below!

STEM Activities

Junior Handyman’s Toolkit: Classroom Projects, Essentials and Checklists 

Other Activities:

Free Science Activities

Indoor Activities for your toddler!

Together, we can unlock your child’s potential

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