Autism

One of the most important things we can do for our children is to help them develop resilience. A common misconception is that people are either resilient or not; that we’re born one way or the other. In fact, the process of building resilience is a lifelong journey of learning to cope with challenging experiences and adapt well in the face of adversity. It’s important to let our kids make mistakes and be there on the sidelines to encourage, rather than fix it for them. Learn more in our conversation today with experts from CHC’s Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services, Patrice Crisostomo, PhD, Clinical Program Manager and Psychologist, and Sarah Taylor, MS, Doctoral Psychology Intern.

Autism can present in many different ways, but at its core it's about social communication. Autism is usually suspected at a young age because children aren’t developing language or social skills at the same rate as their peers. Sometimes parents don’t want to have their child screened for autism because they are afraid of labels, stigma and limitations. But while overwhelming, diagnosis can also bring support, services and maybe even relief.  Don’t miss this special podcast episode with two CHC experts who are also parents of young children with autism: Sarah Knepper, MEd, Educational Services Manager at EBC Schools and Cristal Byrne, PhD, licensed psychologist at CHC’s Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services. Join us to hear personal and professional advice for finding empathy, understanding and community while raising a child on the spectrum.

When you hear a sound, how do you respond? You might choose to ignore it or investigate its source. This process of using our senses to interpret a situation and respond in a purposeful way is called sensory integration. When these systems don’t synthesize, whether due to a diagnosis like autism or ADHD or to a skills deficit, it can lead to a whole host of learning and behavioral challenges. Studies have found that 1 in every 6 children has sensory processing issues that make it more difficult for them to thrive in school. In today’s podcast episode, we sit down with CHC’s Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services Occupational Therapist, Pamela Olson, MOT, OTR/L, to learn how best to support our child’s sensory skills development and what to do when things don’t seem quite right.

The CDC and National Health Statistics Reports estimate that there is a 1-2% chance of a child being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the rates for boys are higher than that for girls. So, if your child has just been diagnosed with autism, you are not alone. In today’s podcast episode, CHC experts Seema Motwani, Occupational Therapist and Gina Baldi, Parent Trainer in our Early Support Program for Autism (ESPA) tell us where to turn for services, therapies and support. Best of all, they remind us that an autism diagnosis doesn’t change who our child is or what they’re capable of. (Hint: anything).