Families & Stories
Families and Stories: Conversations with parents and their autistic kids
In these short videos, parents of young children share what has worked for them, what they’ve learned, and what advice they would give to other families.





Exceptional Lives supports families and offers tools, support, and resources to help your autistic child thrive at school and at home. Learn more.
By offering easy-to-follow information, advocacy and skill-building tools, and connections to other caregivers, Exceptional Lives provides families, caregivers, and professionals the support and compassion you need to see your autistic child thrive. Read on to learn more about the basics and the not-so-basics.
Autism is a developmental disability that affects how we experience the world around us. Autism impacts how people think, process sensory information like sound and touch, move, communicate, and interact with people. Autism has nothing to do with how smart a person is. Autism just describes a way of being.
Diagnosing autism can be difficult because there is no blood test or medical test for autism.
Autism can look very different in children than in adults and among people of different genders.
Generally, a screening tool, cognitive testing, and information about a child’s developmental history and behavior are used to help healthcare professionals and family caregivers understand who a person is and what they need to thrive.
Read what the CDC has to say about autism screening and diagnosis.
Parents may worry that their autistic child won’t be able to live an independent life. But autism does not determine this one way or the other. Many autistic adults live happy, independent adult lives.
Each autistic person is different. Some people need little or no support; others may need more. So it’s important to explore all accommodations and resources to help your autistic child thrive.
Search our Disability Services Finder for Louisiana (en español) or Massachusetts (en español) to find a developmental pediatrician or other f disability-related services in your area.
Step-By-Step Guides
If your child is autistic, you may be struggling to understand the resources and systems that can support your child and your family. And, while there is a lot of information out there about autism, some of it is extremely negative and some of it is just untrue.
It can be hard to find the information you need. Here are our guidelines to help you find what your child and your family needs.
If you think your child may be autistic, here’s what you can do:
If you just learned your child is autistic, here are your next steps:
Is your child or your family struggling because your autistic child’s behavior or needs have changed? Here’s how to get back on track:
Is your autistic child getting ready to finish high school? Here are steps to help them prepare for life after high school:
Here are some resources to help you out!
Here are some resources to help you out!
Here are some resources to help you out!
Here are some resources to help you out!
When a child or adult cannot do certain things that people their age typically do. It can be a physical or intellectual difference that limits someone’s ability to take care of themselves, starts when they are young, and will probably affect them throughout their life.
A neurodivergent person is someone who does not think, behave or perceive the world in a typical way. This is not a disability in itself, but is often wrongly perceived that way. Neurodivergent people do not need to be “fixed”, but do need to be understood and accepted as they are.
A neurotypical person is someone who thinks, behaves and perceives the world in a way that is typical in the general population. While this is how most people are, it’s not a “better” way to be, and we should not see it as a goal to strive for.
Know that you are not alone in this journey! By hearing from other parents and providers caring for children with disabilities you can learn from other’s experiences and thoughts. Learn how they navigate their own challenges in our webinars, podcasts, and blogs about Special Education.
Here are some resources to help you out!
Sensory processing issues make it difficult for our brains to process and filter information that comes through our senses. So how do we support our children?
Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR answers this question from Abby (thanks, Abby!), following ELI’s Kitchen Conversations, Summer Style webinar series where we talked about mixing Occupational Therapy into summer fun at home. Find the full webinar (30 minutes) with closed captions and transcript here: /webinars
Many young children suffer from anxiety. In this short video, clinician John-Pierre LaFleur offers some simple tools for managing anxiety in young children.
Advocating for your child with a disability can be hard. Here are 6 practical tips to help you make sure they get what they need. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McKinney
Cindy Harrison, M.Sc., Reg. CASLPO – Speech Language Pathologist answers this important question we ask as parents, “how do we know if we’re doing enough to help our children?” This question is a follow up from her presentation with ELI’s Kitchen Conversations, Summer Style webinar series where we talked about mixing Speech and Language Therapy…
Here are some resources to help you out!
Many families are drawn to Floortime because they want to understand why their Autistic child behaves a certain way. Here is my experience as a child therapist.
Carrie Alvarado, PhD, OTR explains more about self-regulation following her presentation with ELI’s Kitchen Conversations, Summer Style webinar series where we talked about mixing Occupational Therapy into summer fun at home. Find the full webinar (30 minutes) with closed captions and transcript here: /webinars
If you had the chance to learn more about what it is like to walk in your child’s shoes, why not take it? As parents, we turn to other parents walking in our shoes because we have shared experiences. It helps. But when it comes to understanding the experience of our kids, let’s turn to…
When my son was diagnosed, it took some time to make sense of his autism diagnosis. But here are the great things about it that surprised me
When you learn your child has a disability, you may feel confused. Or relieved. Or scared. Or overwhelmed. All of the above? It all sounds about right. This is a big moment. But our children with disabilities are… our children. Let’s talk about how to get through the experience of getting a new diagnosis so…
“There’s no magic amount of knowledge.” Listen along as I have a conversation with a neurodivergent mom raising an Autistic son.Interview by Christina Kozik with Nell Curran, Ph. D.
Here are some resources to help you out!
If you’re parenting a child with a disability, you’ve probably seen the term self-regulation. In this week’s podcast, learn what self-regulation is and how improving your ability to self-regulate can help you be a better parent. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McIsaac
Processing emotions takes time, patience, focus, practice, and follow-through. It’s easy for anxious kids to get overloaded. In this podcast interview, Exceptional Lives Team Member, Carey Luckey, talks about how tapping helps her son.
I’m the mom of an autistic child. Here are 5 things I did to make it easier on him when he had an accident and needed an ambulance.
If your child with disabilities has trouble relating and communicating, you’ve seen a lot of meltdowns. Co-regulation can help you get back on the same page.
Parenting comes with meltdowns – it’s part of the deal. But did you know that co-regulating with your child is often the fastest and most effective way to diffuse things when your child is upset? You may already be doing it, even if you’ve never heard of it. Learn more. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written…
Here are some resources to help you out!
Is your teen able to advocate for themselves? Learn how young adults can overcome the fear of self-advocating in this two minute video.
Youth with disabilities should start to learn independent living skills as early as possible. Read on to help them transition to adulthood!
At age 22, young people with disabilities age out of special education. In this podcast, Exceptional Lives Team member Julie talks about her son’s transition and how she is learning to support him in this new part of his life while she learns to let go. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McKinney
The transition to adulthood is hard. For kids with disabilities, it can bring extra challenges. In this podcast we talk about how to help our kids get ready.Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McKinney
If you are the parent to a student with disabilities, the transition to adulthood can feel overwhelming. Here’s a timeline to help you through.
It’s hard to envision how your child with a disability will transition to adulthood. Let’s set them up with the support they need for adult life in this week’s podcast! Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McKinney
Families & Stories
In these short videos, parents of young children share what has worked for them, what they’ve learned, and what advice they would give to other families.
Discovering your child is autistic can be confusing, and many parents have a lot of questions. Here's answers to some of the common ones parents ask.
Need more help? Click the button below to chat with an Exceptional Lives expert.
Screening tools are instruments used by healthcare professionals to examine developmental challenges within children to help diagnose autism. One of the most frequently used tools is called Ages and Stages. Learn more about how screening tools are used.
Traveling to new places with new sounds and environments can be extremely overwhelming to children with sensory processing disorders. Providing your child a clear route with lots of warning about upcoming changes can help ease the anxiety about travel. Practicing co-regulation with your child can help your child avoid meltdowns or make them easier when they do happen.
It’s important to help your child feel comfortable with the foods and textures they consume. Help them become comfortable with textures by allowing them to feel the food in their hands before eating. To learn more about this, watch our video discussing ways to help your child get comfortable with food textures.
Autism, sometimes called autism spectrum disorder or ASD, is a developmental disability that affects how we experience the world around us. Autism impacts how people think, process sensory information like sound and touch, move, communicate, and interact with people. Autism has nothing to do with how smart a person is. Autism just describes a way of being.
According to the CDC, 1 in 44 8-year-old children in the US are diagnosed autistic. These numbers have grown a lot over the years but it’s not because autism is more common.
One reason for this is broader diagnostic criteria, which means that more people fit the definition. Another reason is that, as we start to understand more about autism, we are screening more children who might not have been diagnosed even 5 or 10 years ago. This is good news, because early diagnosis and recognition can help children (and families) get the support they need to thrive.
Autism is thought to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. There’s a lot we don’t know yet about this. We do know that parents do not “cause” autism. Autism is one of many “normal” ways of being, and accepting that – instead of worrying about the “cause” – is a great starting point for being the parent your child most needs. Here’s a starting point if you’re struggling.
Boys are 4 times more likely than girls to be identified as autistic. This may have something to do with genetics. Some of it may be because girls are less likely to fit with our image of what an autistic child “looks like,” and because girls are often better at masking.
No. Studies have shown there is no link between vaccinations and autism. Vaccines are an important public health tool for preventing disease. Vaccines do not cause autism.
Autism is a way of being. It is not a disease that needs to be “fixed” or “cured.” Instead, you can support your child by adapting their environment to reduce the sensory or social input that can make them feel overwhelmed.
When you understand how your child sees and experiences the world, you can help ease their stress and discomfort and better manage challenging behavior like meltdowns.
An autism diagnosis does not determine this one way or another. Your autistic child has the same set of possibilities in front of them for their lives, families, and careers as any other child. Here are some tips to support teens with disabilities in preparing for independent living.
Each autistic person is unique, of course. But some common traits include:
Each autistic person – just like anyone else – will have their own strengths and challenges and may need different kinds of accommodations or support.
Many autistic self-advocates prefer “autistic person” because autism is so fundamental to who a person is. Some providers and parents prefer “person with autism” because they feel that this recognizes a person first, not a condition.
At Exceptional Lives, we are committed to following the lead of autistic adult self-advocates.
Many autistic people experience one or more of these problems:
This does not mean these problems are signs of autism, or that your autistic child will develop all of these problems. But these are all things to watch for. Talk to your child’s doctor if you are concerned.
Louisiana Medicaid Waivers are state benefits that help pay for services to support people with disabilities. They are meant to help people get enough support to live at home. To learn more and apply, contact your region’s Human Services District Office or Authority. The Waivers and other services are run by the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD).
In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Autism Insurance Law (ARICA) requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary services for autistic persons.
Services covered through ARICA include pharmacy care, psychiatric care, therapies like Occupational Therapy, social skills groups, and more. You can use this tool to see if ARICA covers your insurance plan.