“My daughter seems to have gotten in a rut with her school lunch,” commented a parent. “Whether she takes her lunch or buys lunch in the cafeteria, she just plays with the food and doesn’t really eat.” Similar concerns have been expressed by other parents and by teachers of students of all ages diagnosed with [...]
“We seem to be stuck in a rut on weekends,” said a parent of two youngsters with special needs, including a son diagnosed with autism. “It is rather challenging to get away from the house, so we are looking for ideas to spice up the weekends with activities right here at home.” Listen Now:
“For the first time, my son voluntarily ate some fresh fruit when his grandmother gave him some fresh peaches in a bowl with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on top,” said a parent said the parent of a 7-year-old diagnosed with autism. “When we get home from visiting his grandparents, we want to encourage [...]
“My son is obsessed with snacks,” commented a dad of a young man with autism. “Because he is gaining an inordinate amount of weight, we would like to limit his snacks. But all our efforts have led to explosive behavior and to his sneaking out into the kitchen to steal bags of chips or cartons [...]
Sometimes we get so bogged down in dealing with special diets, meds, therapy, behavior management, and other issues related to the special needs of individuals with autism that we forget to make room for good old-fashioned fun. So take some time to enjoy that long-time summer favorite, WATERMELON! Listen Now:
You can jazz up snack time by encouraging individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism to mix up their own snack mixes at the beginning of the week. They can put their own hand-selected mix in small, snack-sized ziplock bags and keep them handy for road trips, school lunches, work breaks, or t.v.snacks. [...]
“I’m looking for ways to encourage teens and pre-teens with autism to be more active,” wrote a person who provides respite care. “They would all rather just sit and watch television, and the word ‘exercise’ is not at all popular.” Listen Now:
What are some ideas for some healthy snacks? “We need to eat something besides chips and cookies,” commented one dad. “My pre-teen son with autism seems to eat all the time, so I need some bite-sized treats that are healthy and tasty.” Listen Now:
Tornadoes are spinning in the mid-West and a tropical storm is raining on Florida. Those natural disasters are a reminder of the need for an emergency plan for all families, and especially families of individuals with special needs. A parent of a pre-teen with autism commented, “It would be nice to have a check list [...]
Fresh fruits are like super foods, impacting the health of eyes, heart, joints, bones, brain, immune system, and skin. Fruits are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. So, how do we sneak these healthy tidbits into the diets of picky eaters? Listen Now:
Several parents and other caregivers asked for more ideas for adding more fruits, veggies, and other healthy foods to the diet their loved one diagnosed with autism. Let’s look at some ideas for sneaking veggies into the daily routine. Listen Now:
Questions about health issues are common when talking with parents, group home staff, teachers, medical professionals, and others who are interested in the well-being of children, teens, and adults diagnosed with autism. Vegetables are a frequent topic of conversation when discussing a healthy diet.
A single parent of a pre-teen girl diagnosed with autism asked for some ideas for encouraging her youngster to get some exercise. The young lady is a bit self-absorbed and rarely initiates action, but usually follows directions from her mom rather mechanically. “I just need some ideas for helping her get moving around the house,” [...]
“My son refuses to eat fruits and vegetables,” said parent of a young man who has been coming to music therapy for about 8 years. He is a pre-teen diagnosed with autism. My friend is non-verbal and has limited cognitive abilities. His mom said, “He doesn’t like to try new foods or new textures in [...]
