Early on in my son’s diagnosis, we were on the six-to-nine month waiting list for Occupational Therapy at one of the top sensory centers here in Atlanta. After struggling through many public school behavioral disaster situations whilst on that list, we finally had a shot at getting into therapy… only to find out that my insurance didn’t cover it.

Almost five years ago I embarked on a journey to really understand what my child was experiencing, how it compared and contrasted what other children experienced, all the components involved in the big picture, and what I could do at home to help him.

If you are also struggling with the feeling that you can’t give your child the help you think he or she needs, I can help you set up protocols easily done at home to improve your situation. Here are some tools and ideas for you:

Movement

You hear me talk about the importance of fitness, but that doesn’t necessarily mean push ups, squats, and boot camp for your kids! There are so many fun ways to get your children moving, and the ripple effect of this effort can be seen immediately.

For exercise you can do animal crawls and walks, relay races, or obstacle courses. You can also do fun games like “clay modeling” – have your child stand still and put him or her in different poses, then let them do the same with you. Mirroring is also a fun one, but start easy! Get outside if you can, the fresh air and sunlight does wonders

Nutrition

I personally struggle to keep my child wholly on a Gluten Free Casein Free diet. I’m simply not in a place where I can keep it up 100%, but I haven’t given up! Regardless, there are so many baby steps that can be taken to help improve nutrition.

Gradual replacements for gluten and casein products include Almond or Rice milk, coconut milk ice cream, and gluten-free cereals and bars. But if you look at the bigger picture, start by eliminating or decreasing fast food, heavily processed foods, soft drinks, and excessive sweets. Also look at foods with chemical dyes. This is no easy task, I assure you! But anything you can do is better than not doing anything.

I also started recently bridging the gap with whole food gummies, which give him 17 fruits, vegetables, and grains. This product made sense to me for both my children, who do not get everything they need from their limited diets, and I am SO GRATEFUL to have found it!

Sensory Activities

There are TONS of things you can do at home without expensive sensory equipment or a huge gym! Some of our favorite activities include rolling on a yoga ball ($25 at Target… and I use it for my own workouts, too!), body wrapping in a blanket, wearing double and triple shirts, and pushing heavy objects. We also like to play with bubbles, shaving cream, sand, wearing a blindfold and smelling scented oils and other distinct household foods, music time, and crawling through homemade forts and tunnels.

It is also helpful to put on sounds of nature, classical music, or meditation and chanting CDs during sensory time.

Support

This is SO important! Take it from someone who frequently would let herself get depleted and have nothing left to give. Parents, make sure you are getting support and feeding yourself with what you need to enjoy and replenish your spirit! You are of no good to your family or anyone when you are drained.

We can also get so caught up in the world of Autism that we forget the siblings. They need our support, too! It is essential to keep the lines of communication open with your entire family, and give them permission to feel what they are feeling. If you can, arrange for special activities and extra one-on-one time with your Neurotypical child. And get them involved! I sometimes ask my daughter’s input on how to deal with certain behaviors or feelings. Together, we come up with “emergency plans” in anticipation of meltdowns in public places, so we feel prepared for outings.

Alternative

I am thrilled to see all the amazing alternative therapies popping up for our children! I see music therapy, art therapy, martial arts for special needs, theatre improv groups, animal therapy, and more! Bravo!

Without getting too woo-woo, there are also options to supplement your efforts with energy work such as Reiki, EFT, Pranic Healing, and even yoga.

There is no magic answer to help our children, but there are so many modalities and supports available to aid us. Find one (or ones!) that resonate with you. You don’t have to feel helpless and alone if traditional therapies are not an option.

I encourage you to comment on our Facebook page, Twitter, or contact me directly on this site if I can help you in any way!