compassionatebehaviors

Some of My Favorite things!

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:50:29 GMT

Helpful Resources Websites and Apps

lot of families do not know how many resources are out there and when they do begin to find some, it becomes overwhelming to sift through and figure out which ones are worth it. I wanted to share just a couple of the ones I have found over the course of my career that I have been able to use with a variety of individuals and families with great success.

Websites:

https://www.autismimpact.org

Autism Impact helps families find quality caregivers (e.g., babysitters, nannies, etc.) who have experience working with individuals with Autism. The caregivers are recruited and screened by people who have a long history of working with individuals diagnosed with autism in a variety of capacities. They currently offer two types of packages. One is a CareMatch Toolkit for $99 where you can use their resources (e.g., templates and scorecards) to find a caregiver on your own or you can hire a recruiter for $2,400 who does all the work for you to find the perfect caregiver for your family.

https://autismchecked.com

I just stumbled upon this website and I LOVE it. They offer a lot of information and tips for travel for individuals diagnosed with Autism. They also provide up to date information about practice vacations. Practice vacations include opportunities across the country to practice airport and hotel routines with staff who are trained and sensitive to the needs of families and individuals diagnosed with Autism.

Airport visits include practicing moving through security, boarding a plane, listening to the announcements, and disembarking to go through the arrival process. It is completely FREE, but you have to register ahead of time. They offer options to sign up to be notified when an airport near you is hosting an event. There are also opportunities across the country to practice staying at a hotel for one or two nights.

Check out this newsletter showcasing Bradley International Airport, here in Connecticut, as the first airport to receive the “Autism double-checked” certification!

Choice Works:

Choice works is a very-user friendly app that allows families to create a visual schedule for their child. It offers a huge library of pictures and activities, but you can easily add your own pictures, videos, titles, and activities on the spot. It helps to review what is coming next and if there may be a change to the day or activity. It also offers auditory clips with each picture. You can create a variety of schedules and change the picture size based on your need. You can also add timers so your child knows how long an activity will last. They also have other apps within a bundle that allows you to make a visual calendar as well. If you opt to get just the Choiceworks app it is $24.99 on the Apple App store, but it is SO worth it. I have been using it for years with success for so many different individuals.

Visual Countdown Timer:

This countdown timer comes with a variety of backgrounds so your child can choose the picture and sound they want to hear when the timer is up. The picture starts out covered with a completely green screen and as the time decreases, more of the picture is revealed. Once the time is about 2/3 complete, the color will change from green to amber to red to visually prompt your child that time is almost done. You can set the timer anywhere from 10 seconds to up to an hour. It is free with the option for in-app purchases for more backgrounds.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:34:05 GMT

As we get closer to Halloween, I wanted to share some tips for Halloween and Trick-or-Treating. If you think about it, Halloween is kind of a strange holiday. We spend all year telling our kids that it’s not safe to take candy from strangers, let alone talk to them and yet, for one night, it’s completely socially appropriate and encouraged! Changes in schedules or expectations for children on the Autism Spectrum can be confusing, stressful, or even scary!

1. Costumes – If you can, buy your child’s costume earlier rather than later. If they have sensory sensitivities, be mindful how the costume may work best. It may be helpful to ask these questions.

Do they like snug fitting clothes? If not, get a bigger size or choose a costume that is roomier like a onesie.
Can they tolerate different types of fabric? A lot of costumes are not made to be comfortable, and they include a lot of different types of fabrics. Some can be irritating to the skin for a neurotypical child and may set a child with sensory sensitivities’ world on fire.
How do they respond when they are asked to wear something different than their normal clothing? Consider if the costume comes with attached slippers and your child follows the rules of having to wear shoes outside. Even though you say it’s okay for this one time, their routine is disrupted, and this can be challenging for a child with Autism. Do they have a favorite shirt? Make sure costume is big enough for the shirt to stay on underneath, if needed.
Do they need to practice wearing it? Is it something they need to slowly desensitize to? The worst thing is to pick a costume for your child at the last minute because you know they’ll look absolutely adorable in it, spend a ton of money on it (let’s be honest costumes are way too expensive for a one-time wear!), and then not be able to get your child to even put it on.

2. Trick-or-Treating – Set expectations before you go. For example: “We are going to walk down the street on one side and then come home on the other side of the street.” Or “We go up to the house and say ‘Trick-or-treat’.” Or “You need to walk next to me with a safe body or else we have to go home.” Or “We are going to go to 10 houses and then go back home.” Or “First we will get candy, then we will eat it at home!” or “Only take one piece of candy at each house!”

Be very clear and concise about what expectations you have and practice before you go out, if you can. You can pretend with a playhouse if you have one in your yard or ask a neighbor you know well to help you practice. Practice ringing the doorbell and waiting. Practice vocally saying, approximating, using a picture, or using an AAC device to say, “Trick-or-treat.” Practice how many pieces of candy to take when presented with a full bowl. Practice vocally saying, approximating, using a picture, or using an AAC device to say, “Thank you.”

Trick-or-Treating can also be chaotic. Kids are running from one house to the next. Big groups of people are walking around together. Some people are walking around in scary costumes or have scary decorations in front of their house. It can get loud and it gets VERY dark. Overall, the more you plan, the better, but it’s not possible to plan for every situation. Consider if you need to take anything with you to help your child or when the best time is to go. For example:

headphones for sound,
an AAC device, if they have one, with “trick-or-treat” programmed in ahead of time and they know how to navigate to it,
a wagon if they fatigue easily or may be a flight risk,
a picture schedule if that helps them daily, especially when changes to the routine occur,
a calming object for them to concentrate on if it’s too overwhelming, etc.

3. Have fun! – It’s a holiday, and even though it’s a little strange, it’s supposed to be fun! Follow your child’s lead. If the costume isn’t right, can they dress in their PJs or an orange shirt? If they’re done after one house and they did a great job, can they ask to go home? If they are scared to go up to a house, can you walk up with them and prompt them through it? If they are showing you or telling you they are anxious or do not want to go trick-or-treating, do they have to go just because everyone else is?

Compassionate Support for Families Navigating Autism

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:33:24 GMT

When I was in college preparing to be a Special Education Teacher, I was given the poem below by one of my supervising teachers. It is a poem I have read multiple times throughout my career and often try to think about when I work with families, especially those who have recently received a diagnosis of Autism for their child.

Before our children are born, we spend countless hours thinking about who they will grow up to be and how they’ll make the world a better place. When they are born, we are exhausted, but one look into those eyes and you know that you love them with every fiber of your being. You know without a doubt that you would do everything in your power to keep them shielded from anything that makes their life harder. Then…you receive a diagnosis of Autism. Given its rising prevalence, you may know nothing at all, a little, or a lot about the diagnosis, but what you do not know is what it means for you, your child, and their future. For some parents and families, that shatters their whole world, and it is okay. Everyone ends up grieving their trip to Rome in their own way and everyone makes it to Holland in their own time.

There is a quote made by Dr. Stephen Shore, “If you’ve met one person with Autism, you’ve met one person with Autism.” I cannot express how true this statement is. Over the last 16 years (and many before my professional career), I have worked with over 100 individuals diagnosed with Autism and not one has been like another. Sure, they may embody the same characteristics, but every single child, preteen, teenager, and adult has presented in a completely different way. Each way is unique, and each way is beautiful, like Holland.

A diagnosis can be difficult in so many ways, but it is just that… a diagnosis. As parents we realize our children are so resilient and capable of more than we ever imagined possible. There are absolutely going to be tough days and uphill battles, but one of the things I have learned is to stop, look, and appreciate even the smallest step or approximation. It’s not easy sometimes, but if you can just pause for a moment and think about how hard our children are working at each incremental step, you’ll begin to see the beauty, resilience, and amazing person that each child is and is becoming.

No matter when you received the diagnosis (i.e., three years ago, 6 months ago, or yesterday) or where you are on your journey, you have got a growing community of people who understand what you’re going through and are there to help. You have resources that you can seek out, even if you don’t know which ones you need. You have a network of people who are highly trained in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that can help you answer your questions, but most of all, you have one spectacularly amazing child that you will journey through life with, and their story will be their own.

Here at Compassionate Behaviors, LLC we are here to help, in any way that we can! Call us at  (203) 927-4013  if you have a quick question about Autism or if you’re looking for more resources for yourself or a friend. We offer center-based, in-home, and community-based ABA services, parent consultation, and social skills groups through your insurance company or private pay. We also offer behavior-based independent school evaluations or consultation.

Welcome To Holland

by Emily Perl Kingsley

Reprinted by permission of the author

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this……

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The flight attendant comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland.”

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean, Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life, I've dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Common Questions to Ask When Looking For a ABA therapist

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 08:18:04 GMT

When it comes to the wellbeing of your child, finding the right ABA therapist can make a significant difference. Whether your child is facing developmental delays, emotional challenges, or conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, it's crucial to ask the right questions to ensure you are selecting the best professional for their needs. In this blog post, we'll explore key questions every parent should consider when looking for a ABA therapist.

What Is the Therapist's Experience and Specialization?

One of the first questions to ask is about the therapist's experience and areas of specialization. Understanding their background in treating specific conditions can give you confidence in their ability to help your child. For example, if your child has autism spectrum disorder, finding a therapist who specializes in autism can provide targeted and effective interventions. According to Autism Speaks, one in 36 children in the United States are affected by autism, making it essential to choose a therapist who has extensive experience in this area.

What Therapy Methods Do They Use?

Another critical question is about the therapy methods the practitioner uses. Different therapists employ varying techniques, such as applied behavioral analysis (ABA), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or play therapy. Each method has its own set of advantages and is suited for different conditions and age groups. Make sure to discuss how their chosen methods align with your child's specific needs and how they measure progress.

How Involved Can Parents Be in the Therapy Process?

Parental involvement can be a key factor in the success of a child's therapy. Ask the therapist about the level of parental involvement they recommend and how they plan to include you in the process. Some therapists encourage parents to attend sessions, participate in homework assignments, or receive training to support their child's progress at home. Understanding your role can help create a cohesive support system for your child.

Finding the right ABA therapist for your child is a critical step towards supporting their development and emotional health. By asking about the therapist's experience and specialization, their therapy methods, and the level of parental involvement, you can make an informed decision that will benefit your child in the long run. Take your time to find a professional who aligns with your child's unique needs and your family's values to ensure the best possible outcomes. Contact Compassionate Behaviors today for more information.