Meltdowns
A meltdown is not a tantrum and cannot be parented out. Read what is happening neurologically and what genuinely helps mid-meltdown.
Daily life is hard right now
If most days currently feel like firefighting, you are not doing this wrong. These are the six areas where small, specific changes usually make the biggest difference.
Work through these in the order that fits your week, not top to bottom. One change at a time is enough.
Routines
Predictable sequence — not rigid timing — is one of the most regulating things a home can offer. Mornings, after-school, and changes.
Sensory overload
Lighting, noise, clothing, smells — most home overwhelm has a sensory root that adults stopped noticing years ago.
Eating
Food refusal is rarely about food. Sensory profile, anxiety and routine usually explain more than picky eating ever will.
Sleep
Most autistic children settle better with sequence, light and sensory wind-down — not stricter bedtimes.
Communication
Speech, AAC, echolalia, selective mutism — communication is not the same as speaking. What helps and what to stop doing.