Alee Behavioral Healthcare

As COVID restrictions begin to reduce globally, we can start to make plans to spend time with our extended friends and family once again. This means that you’re bound to be receiving invites for large-scale events such as reunions, birthday parties, and even weddings. While a big event is enough to make anyone feel a little anxious from time to time, it can be even more daunting for those with Autism and other developmental disabilities .  This is because they are often crowded and noisy, leaving children feeling stressed or overstimulated, particularly if they deal with sensory issues. Furthermore, children with autism and related disorders may sometimes find it harder to respond to social cues, meaning they may find socializing within a formal setting particularly difficult. Despite this, it’s important that you do not exclude them from the event altogether by leaving them at home – after all, they are a member of the family, and their presence is just as important as anyone else...

 We all run into struggles in our day-to-day life. However, during adolescence, these problems often seem far worse than they actually are. This is due to the fact that during this period in our lives, we’ve yet to develop the appropriate coping mechanisms and skill sets that enable us to work towards a quick and easy solution to our problems. As a result, children and teenagers are more likely to feel overwhelmed when things get tough. Thankfully, as a parent, there are various steps you can take to make day-to-day life for your children with autism easier, and by extension, less overwhelming.  Doing so is particularly important for parents of children with autism and related disorders since they experience life a little differently to neurotypical children and, as a result, may require different kinds of support. With that in mind, here are four ways to make day-to-day life a little easier for your children.  Create a safe space for them.  Whenever things get over...

When we are young, we begin to develop a range of skills that we will then carry with us into adulthood. This includes skills in areas such as problem-solving, relationship-building, and communication. In fact, these skills are often the foundation upon which our future personalities are based upon. However, some children with autism find it harder than others to communicate with their peers and loved ones. This could be due to the fact that they find communication in general difficult or because they are non-verbal. In fact, it is estimated that 40% of people with autism are non-verbal. With that in mind, it is important that you help your child with autism develop their skills in communication so that they can find their voice and reach their full potential. Here are some simple ways in which you can get started and help them find their voice! Practice non-verbal communication.  It’s important to remember that not all forms of communication involve speaking aloud. For example, yo...

No student enjoys doing their homework. After all, after spending a busy day at school – they want to be able to dedicate their time to something a little more relaxing or fun, such as exploring their special interests or hobbies. However, for children with autism or related disorders, completing their homework could present them with a number of different challenges that they must combat.  While the school year may be behind us, many teachers chose to set their student’s work to complete over the holidays. If not, it’s important that they develop these skills in time for the new academic year.  With that in mind, here are some tips that you can use to help your child complete their homework (without the stress).  Add it to your calendar.  Children with autism or related disorders prefer to stick to a certain routine – so you should ensure that homework is part of their schedule. For example, they could spend an hour or so after school working on their homework- whe...

Parenting will always be tough – whether your kids are in the infamous terrible twos or entering their teens. However, if you are raising a child with autism or a related disorder, you may initially find it hard to provide them with the support and care they need to thrive in any situation. Thankfully, there are various ways in which you can begin to better provide for your child – many of which revolve around loving and respecting them for who they are. In this case, it’s important to remember that your child is not their autism diagnosis – it’s just a tiny component of who they are. They are also many other things – funny, kind, intelligent, and ultimately, capable of achieving their goals. With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can incorporate into your daily life to be the best parent possible for your child. Do your research Unfortunately, there are many myths out there surrounding autism or what it means to be autistic – and these misconceptions can change how people ...

Having a routine in our daily life can prove to be highly beneficial. This is because it allows you to better manage and divide your time between work and your social life and develop healthy and lasting habits. However, for children (and adults) with autism and related disorders , a routine can be invaluable due to the fact that it allows them to better manage their symptoms by providing them with a clear structure and a sense of familiarity.  Therefore, while life can sometimes be unpredictable, you must make an effort to put together a daily routine that works for your child. Here are some top tips to get you started!  Put together a weekly schedule, and display it clearly within your home. This way, your child can view their schedule at any time – and will know exactly what is expected of them each day.  Encourage your child to participate when putting together their routine – as this gives them a much greater sense of freedom and control. For example, you should expe...

Navigating the services and therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can sometimes feel overwhelming.  If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) they may have a large team of interdisciplinary professionals (with a variety of different credentials) who contribute to Autism Treatment .  This entry will briefly summarize the role of professionals and therapists and the services that they provide.   Speech-Language Pathology Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) often work with children with ASD to improve their ability to communicate.  SLPs work to assess, diagnose and treat speech disorders (for example when a person cannot produce speech sounds); language disorders (when a person has trouble understanding others); social communication (for example, asking questions or greeting a friend); and cognitive-communication (for example, organizing thoughts a...