Episodes
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According to the National Autistic Society, "There is increasing evidence that the Montessori approach is highly effective for children on the autism spectrum." The individualized learning plan and hands-on teaching methods help students with autism learn in ways that are tailored for them. Montessori schools also emphasize social skills and peer interaction, which can be beneficial for children with autism. In addition, the structure and routine of a Montessori classroom can provide a calming environment for children with autism.
We are joined by Erin Banks to talk through this teaching method and explore how it can help your kiddo grow!
What is Montessori learning and how can it help children on the autism spectrum? How does a Montessori classroom environment differ from a traditional classroom setting for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? What are some of the key benefits of Montessori learning for children with ASD, such as improved communication and social skills, increased focus and concentration, and better self-esteem? Are there any drawbacks to using a Montessori approach for educating children with ASD? How can parents ensure that their child receives the best possible education through a Montessori program or in another setting that meets their individual needs?"Full Show notes can be found at: https://findingmikeypodcast.com/the-benefits-of-montessori-education-for-children-with-autism
Feel free to call us anytime at 469-249-0425
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Call Us at 469-249-0425
Travel can be stressful when you do it alone but add on the pressure of making a trip fun for your child and that’s when the heat is really cranked up! This episode is about traveling with your neurodiverse kiddos. Do you travel already? Ever taken a long flight with your family? How about a cruise? Well, if the thought of those gave you anxiety, this should help. We spend some time with Dawn Barclay, a lifelong traveler, writer and mom of 2 who when they were young she described as “anxious and inflexible”. She has a motherlode of tips for travel and really just makes it all sound easier than expected.
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Today’s topic is about friends, your kiddo’s superpower, and social skills. Tune in to hear us discuss how friendship and socialization has changed since we were kids, and some of the different ways that our children’s social needs can be met. Learn how we have approached helping Mikey to navigate having a friend over through giving him a list of house rules. We introduce you to a number of amazing communities, websites, and resources we have benefitted from, including the Tilt Podcast, Koaster Kids, and Model Me Kids.
Find full show notes at : https://findingmikeypodcast.com/superpowers-friends-and-social-skills/
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It can certainly be distressing when you start noticing that your child is experiencing developmental delays. But, on our journey with Mikey, we have discovered that there are services available for early intervention that won’t leave you bankrupt! In this episode, we’re talking all about the Child Find program, which makes the identification, evaluation, and early intervention therapy accessible for children with delayed development in every school district. You’ll find out how Mikey’s challenging preschool experience opened our eyes to Child Find, and how the program is structured, from the evaluation process to the multitude of services offered. We also touch on the telling indicators of developmental delays, eating therapy, and so much more! Tune in for this informative episode to put your mind at ease and open the door to an affordable, effective solution for your child.
Key Points From This Episode:
The impulsivity that became apparent when Mikey started preschool. Our process of selecting the appropriate preschool for Mikey. The early intervention services available for children with social and learning differences. What Child Find is and who the program is designed for. The financial accessibility of the program! Indicators of developmental delays. Mikey’s occupational therapy focus and structure. What eating therapy is and the affordability of it through Child Find! The Child Find evaluation process. The importance of early intervention. The early intervention services offered for kids with delayed development. Some of our favorite resources!Tweetables:
“One of the awesome things about Child Find is once they do an evaluation and they see that your child qualifies for services, all of those services are provided by the funding of the school district.” — Heather [0:11:11]
“It’s very important, when a child is young, to try to get them to use their words, use their sounds, and develop words to communicate. However, assistive technology has come a really long way.” — Heather [0:24:00]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
ECTA Part C coordinator list
Understood
Autism Parenting Magazine
Call us at 469-249-0425
Finding Mikey
Finding Mikey on Apple Podcasts
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April is Autism Awareness Month, and April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day! Today’s episode is about building community, raising awareness, and sharing resources. We introduce three resources that have been useful to us in terms of building community and learning more about autism. Log in to hear more about how to get involved, find community, and learn from the wealth of wisdom that has been published online. Join us to hear more today.
Key Points From This Episode:
Today’s topic: building community, raising awareness, and sharing resources. Three different ways you can be a part of the show: leave us a review, call us on thephone, and donate to us via the link on our website. The Autism Community in Action and how it can be used as a resource. How you can get involved in an upcoming online conference offered by TACA. Topics that will be covered at the conference, including therapies, legal planning,research, Spectrum Awakening and more. How to use the Spectrum Awakening website as a free resource. Autism Speaks and what Heather learned while exploring the website. Who created these resources: people who saw a need and wanted to meet it. Why these websites are aligned with the goal of the Finding Mikey Podcast.Tweetables:
“We’re fortunate that there’s a plethora of information out there. It’s hard to read through sometimes but those are three really great ones.” — Mike [0:15:05]
“I’m just grateful that these resources are out there because our podcast is about creating community and these websites were developed by people that saw a need and they wanted to create community as well.” — Heather [0:15:18]Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Autism Speaks
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Spectrum Awakening
TACA
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Finding Mikey on Apple Podcasts -
Give us a call at 469-249-0425
Getting an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for your child can be intimidating. Luckily there are supports you can draw on that can help you through this process. On the show today we take a look at how to start the IEP process and share what we learned from going through the journey ourselves. One of the key things we learned about IEPs is that you can start the process without a diagnosis. So, if the lack of a diagnosis has been holding you back, we encourage you to get started as soon as you can! Another crucial element of this undertaking is feeling empowered, supported, and prepared. Hear how you can utilize the resources your school district has to offer and why getting in touch with advocates in your area can be so beneficial. We also take a look at the need for a Full Individual Evaluation (FIE), which is integral to constructing an IEP for your kiddo, and how to start that process. Tuning in you'll hear a breakdown of the timeline you can expect, as well as details on how it all works. While our experiences have largely been positive, there are plenty of horror stories, and we encourage you to thoroughly document the entire process, including a paper trail of your correspondence and potentially even recording your first IEP meeting. We cover a lot in this episode, from how to prioritize goals for your child, to making sure you're in a position where you can adequately advocate for your kiddo. Join our conversation on FIEs, IEPs, and other interesting acronyms now!
Key Points From This Episode:
A brief overview of Mikey’s story and constructing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Why it was important to have an IEP in place to get accommodations for Mikey after the family moved from a private school in Texas to a public school in Virginia.
How the state or school you use can affect your options and your experience.
A breakdown of why you need to go through the IEP process to get the accommodations you need for your child.
How the IEP process is customized for your child and what you want as goals.
Some of the information you can get from your school district’s website on special education.
How they can help you feel prepared for the IEP process.
Reasons why the IEP process can be emotional and difficult.
The importance of documenting all your relevant correspondence during the IEP process.
How you can and should start the IEP process even if you don’t yet have a diagnosis.
The need for a Full Individual Evaluation (FIE), the timeline you can expect, and how it works.
Why an FIE is integral to constructing an IEP for your child.
An overview of the support you can get from advocates in your area.
The benefits of having a coach or advocate attend your IEP meeting with you.
Why you should consider recording your IEP meeting.
Mikey’s IEP and why a self-contained autism classroom is important for him at this point.
How your child’s IEP can change over time.
Remember that you don’t need to sign an agreement at an IEP meeting.
Tweetables:
“The path to those accommodations is through an IEP and the IEP process is a process. So, your mileage will vary. It's very customized to your child. And it's very customized to what you want as goals.” — Mike [0:08:12]
“District websites have a link for special education. And within that link, they're going to have all kinds of information.” — Heather [0:08:46]
“The more documentation you have, the better you can advocate for your child if need be, down the line.” — Heather [0:23:38]
“You don't have to sign the IEP at that meeting, even if you just want to think about it for a week. Go ahead. It doesn't have to be signed at that meeting. It's not a requirement.” — Heather [0:28:45]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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As most of you know, our son Mikey has high functioning autism as well as ADHD. We put him on a good supplement routine, a whole foods diet, and tried out many different kinds of therapies, and saw a lot of improvement in him. However, he was still struggling. Although we were always very intentional about putting him on natural remedies, we decided to see how he would respond to more conventional medications leading up to his third year of school. In this episode, we discuss the self-contained autism classroom that Mikey was in for his first few years of school, the difficulty he had engaging in a classroom environment, and the apprehension we felt about medications. You’ll also hear about the almost 180-degree switch in Mikey’s behavior after going on the meds and how he was able to start participating in school to the extent that his IEP (Individual Education Plan) was amended for full inclusion from grade three! We speak about the difference this made to ours and Mikey’s lives and how grateful we are that he will have access to all the learning that comes with mixing with the other kids in a classroom environment. We also touch on some of the challenges and side effects and the different ways that we found to work around those. Join us today to find out what a difference a mixture of natural and conventional treatments made to our son’s experience of the world!
Key Points From This Episode:
The natural treatments we’ve tried with Mikey and why we were curious about medication. Why we prioritized Mikey’s autism over his ADHD at first. The classroom setting in Mikey’s self-contained autism classroom. When we decided to try medication out for Mikey and why it was during the summer break. The apprehension we felt about putting Mikey on medication initially. Different positive and negative effects that Mikey experienced. The drastic change in Mikey’s behavior and how he could start engaging in school. How Mikey’s IEP was amended for full inclusion after second grade. How we had to tailor Mikey’s diet to keep him from being underweight. Intentions to find alternative treatments mixed with gratitude that the medication is working. Our decision to put Mikey into the Montessori school and the opportunities he will have there.“I let Mikey’s teacher know that he was on medication now, just a small dose that we were trying out. She let me know the first week of school that she thought Mikey was night and day different.” — Heather [0:14:00]
“By the end of second grade, his IEP was amended again to say that, for third grade, he would be full inclusion.” — Heather [0:16:04]
“He was starting to apply rules and was starting to be self-realizing about his behavior, which was really cool.” — Mike [0:17:20]
“I’m always going to be looking for the next best therapy that will help Mikey reduce his medication or not need it. I’m still not 100 percent that I want him on it forever, but I’m thankful that it is working for right now.” — Mike [0:25:41]
DON'T FORGET: You can call us at 469-249-0425
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Family game time is an inexpensive and valuable way to spend quality time. For us, family game time used to be a very challenging experience because our very determined Mikey couldn't handle losing! Most people don't like losing but Mikey's tantrums were off the charts (as you'll hear today)! We realized that we were going to have to teach Mikey the skill of losing without having an emotional breakdown, and this episode is all about what that journey has looked like for us. Everything changed when Mikey began seeing an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapist, and although there are still certain situations he struggles with, we can now enjoy family game time relatively stress free!
Key Points From This Episode:
Things Mikey struggled with when he was in preschool.
How Mikey used to react to situations when he was losing.
The emotional revaluation tool that helped 5-year-old Mikey better understand his feelings.
Examples of times when Mikey has publicly exploded because he was losing a game.
Explaining the concept of “failing forward fast.”
What Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is.
Clinic versus at-home ABA therapy, and why the latter worked better for us.
Some of the useful strategies that we learned from Mikey’s ABA therapist.
How Mikey has progressed over the years in terms of how he handles losing.
Encouragement to all parents out there who are going through a similar experience to ours.
Tweetables:
“Kids need to learn how to lose and how to win.” — Heather [0:01:26]
“(Mikey) is incredibly driven, and we didn’t want to take the drive out of him, we just wanted to take out his response if things weren’t looking good.” — Mike [0:10:41]
“Our kids need frequency to practice the skills so that it really sticks with them.” — Heather [0:23:32]
“The mentality that I bring to our family is to fail forward fast.” — Mike [0:24:11]
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Today on the show we are very happy to welcome young actor Major Dodson, to chat with us about his recent role in the feature film, Tyson's Run. As someone on the spectrum, the task of playing an autistic teenager in a film was a meaningful one to Major, and we get to hear all about how he prepared for the role, why he wanted to take this opportunity, and the lessons he learned while on set. The film focuses on a boy who has to overcome some serious challenges within his family, and Major is kind enough to share some of the points of relatability that were present in the role. He also underlines how seriously he took the job of representation in film. The conversation covers Major's young career, the point when he became interested in working in the movie industry, and the first experiences he had of acting on stage. So, to hear another wonderful story about a path that is bound to equal amounts of similarities and contrasts to many others out there, listen in with us today on the Finding Mikey Podcast!
Key Points From This Episode:
Major's experiences auditioning for Tyson's Run, and the preparation that went into playing the role. Points of reference and identification that Major felt with his character in the movie. The hopes that Major has for what viewers will take away from the film. The role’s physical demands and the huge amount of running that Major had to do! Major's experiences in Atlanta and why he found the city so exciting. Why Major stopped running after filming was done! The parallels that Major noticed between his own life and Tyson's family. The route that Major took into the film industry and the important stepping stone of working in theatre. Major's first acting role in a stage production of A Christmas Carol. Thoughts on the best rollercoasters, and the theme parks that Major still wants to visit. The importance of realistic portrayals of autism in popular media.Tweetables:
“It was a lot of preparation because I had never played a character, who has to realistically be on the spectrum, has to have autism.” — @Major_Dodson [0:02:45]
“Movies like this, that are positive and family-oriented, have something for anybody, and I hope people take away a message of inspiration, of hope, of getting up and doing something that they want to do.” — @Major_Dodson [0:08:12]
“You can't always just tell if someone has autism.” — @Major_Dodson [0:16:24]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Major Dodson on Instagram
Major Dodson on Twitter
Tyson's Run Trailer
Tyson's Run
The Walking Dead
Finding Mikey
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There is a lot of new coming in 2018! Updates amor the road trips, how to deal in the car, in the snow, at theme parks, and in the car... did we mention the car? Also, 2 cool announcements at the end of the show!
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On today’s episode, I have a very special interview with Dr Ed Carlton. He is our doctor. Heather goes to him for chiropractic care. Mikey goes to him for neurofeedback training and I just started and have had two sessions with him of my own for neurofeedback training. He treats children and adults to improve their performance and relieve symptoms from brain based disorders. He's a certified neurofeedback provider and he's a member of the International Society of Neurofeedback and Research. He graduated from the Texas Chiropractor College and is also a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He's the author of the book “The Answer: the Book for Anyone with A.D.D., A.D.H.D., Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Epilepsy, P.T.S.D. or Traumatic Brain Injury” and you can get that for free by going to www.findingmikey.com/theanswer. Today we learn about neurofeedback training, that a brain map measures the electricity generated by the brain and the treatment that follows after the mapping, as well as, what can be expected after further treatments.
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Today we are going to dive into the topic of using sensory tools for treatment. We only really became aware of the concept of a sensory gym after getting involved with Mikey’s Occupational Therapy sessions. There are more than just your five senses; there are other senses called proprioceptive and vestibular sense as well. In his sessions we learned what those sense are and how they can help regulate Mikey by getting those senses back in balance. When Mikey started doing Occupational Therapy, he was three and half years old. He was not diagnosed with autism at this point, only early onset ADHD and sensory processing disorder. He also had low muscle tone in his core and in his wrists. In occupational therapy they had him do agility courses to work on his core muscles in a fun way, and way that a kid would enjoy! Stay tuned as we go into more detail about creating your own sensory room and the purpose of each piece of equipment for your child. All this and more inside today’s episode.
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Today’s show is the Anniversary Show and the podcast has been a great way for us to share our journey. We’ve been asking for all of you in the audience to provide some feedback and we’ve gotten it in so many different ways. One area we hadn't paid attention to in quite a long while has been on our actual reviews page. So we’re giving some shoutouts today.
It’s the anniversary of Mikey’s diagnosis. There is a lot to go through and you’ve been with us for the most part, the highs and the lows, but we figured it would be a good opportunity for us to just wrap it all up. We are talking about what this year has been like, what we have done, what the observations have been and surprisingly, Heather has pages of notes. We are celebrating the wins today, so join in with us as we go through it all with you!
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On today’s episode we welcome Collins Foster. She is a friend of a co-worker of mine and has almost 20 years of experience in the higher education system in Georgia. She has worked with both the technical college system and the university system of Georgia. Although her background is in marketing and alumni relations, in the past few years she has realized her true passion. Which is advocating for and with a group of non-speaking students with autism in the Atlanta Metro area who really want to graduate from college with a degree. Collins is currently working for her Masters in Social Work and when she gets her license, will be transitioning into the disability services arena within higher education. She lives outside Atlanta, has a husband named Chris and 8 year old daughter named Emerson. Today we hear Collins journey, learn more about the non-verbal communication methods that are revolutionizing higher ed for autism students and the growing opportunities for students with autism who want to be accepted into college.
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We spent fourth of July in Washington DC and we definitely learnt some lessons and I’ll share them with you. Firstly, get there on the 3rd of July, they do a concert dress rehearsal and it’s must less people than the main show. Second, skip the parade, there’s no personal space at all but definitely plan to be out by the Washington Memorial to watch the fireworks at night. If you’re ever in DC let us know and we’ll give you some more tips.
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We are diving into the topic of doing fundamental lab testing for your child with autism. After making our big family move and enrolling Mikey in a new public school, we also took on another new adventure. We took Mikey to see a Medical Academy Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) Doctor.
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Sometimes they are fine, most times she "Can't even" deal with him :) Here is a special episode with Mike and Grace, and she has a list of tips to share with other kids who have siblings with autism. It all started with a conversation that Grace had with a lady at the car wash, who asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Grace answered by saying that she wanted to help people with special needs, specifically autism. So she decided to come on the podcast to share some of the top tips that she has personally related with, having a sibling with autism. These 10 tips are all centered around patience, and shows that if you can be patient and understand how to make your sibling comfortable, then interactions and daily life will be a lot smoother.
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Today’s podcast is all about the first few weeks of school. Since our move to Virginia we have had quite a few changes taking place. We have been able to enjoy the first day of school three times this year, with Mikey in particular. As he left Terra Vista Elementary School and we transitioned him over to Empower School, which was full on, full fledged, deep ABA therapy 7 hours a day. He’d get two therapists and very dedicated coverage. We loved it and he was benefitting very well. The timing was right for Mikey to transition over to a traditional school.
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It's not the easiest thing to do, even with neurotypical kids but taking across-country trip CAN be done! The Pesh Family moved from Texas to Virginia and we'll share our experience. Mikey, being on the Autism Spectrum and having Sensory Processing Disorder was a super trooper!
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