The Autism Advocate

Welcome to The Autism Advocate, ANNA’s monthly newsletter! We hope this will be a helpful source of information about upcoming events, tips for caregivers, community resources and more. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas for future editions!

ANNA Announcements

Important Dates and Upcoming Events

Calmer Con Boston: Saturday, August 24, 2024 10am-5pm

ANNA will be hosting a table at Calmer Con Boston, a sensory-friendly comics and pop culture convention, and we would love to see you there! The event will include Jedi training, drawing workshops, Superhero Academy, Pokémon club, Lego building, entertainment and vendors. Cosplay is encouraged so feel free to dress as your favorite character!

Calmer Con Boston will take place at The Meadowbrook School, 10 Farm Rd. in Weston, MA. Admission is free with registration and you can learn more here.

ANNA Open House: Saturday, September 28, 2024 10am-2pm

Save the date for our September Open House! Current families are invited to meet and mingle with one another, while prospective families and community members are welcome to come see the space and learn about our services. We will provide fun activities and supervision for the kids as well as refreshments and opportunities for adults to connect. More information to come, hope to see you there!

Caregiver Connections

We are now offering virtual support groups for families, with both a daytime and evening option. This is an informal way to connect with other caregivers for emotional support, resource sharing or whatever you need! These groups will take place on Teams and you can request the link by emailing [email protected] or calling Ashley at (617) 307-3989.

Upcoming support groups:

Monday, August 19th from 6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, August 22nd from 10-11am

Monday, September 16th from 6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, September 19th from 10-11am

Ask ANNA

Do you have something you’d like to ask the ANNA team? Please submit your question here and we will answer it in a future newsletter!

Support Your Child’s Development

The way people experience and respond to sensory input such as lights, sounds, tastes, smells, textures and movement is called sensory processing. Many autistic children have sensory processing differences, so this is an important thing for parents, caregivers and professionals to understand and support.

Some children will tend to seek out more sensory input than would typically be expected, showing high activity levels, challenges around personal space, making or seeking out loud noises, biting or chewing nonfood items, rough play, high pain tolerance and movements like jumping or spinning. Other children will try to minimize and avoid overwhelming sensory input, which can look like covering their ears or becoming distressed around loud noises, avoiding brightly lit rooms, refusing swings and slides, difficulty with certain clothing textures and avoiding getting messy. Some children display a mix of both sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidance.

Remember that while we certainly want to support a child in learning new skills, we should also be accommodating their needs. We don’t always need to try to change the way a child processes sensory information or teach them to accept things that are painful or uncomfortable for them. Simple accommodations such as noise-reducing headphones and sunglasses can reduce distress for sensory-avoidant children who might become overwhelmed by noises and lights. Increased opportunities for movement, weighted blankets, safe chewy toys and heavy work activities that engage their muscles can be helpful strategies to meet the needs of sensory-seeking children.

Incorporating sensory-rich activities into play can also enhance development by helping children process sensory information. This can include things like sensory bins, movement activities, fidget toys and bubbles, depending on your child’s interests and individual needs. By gaining an understanding of sensory processing and making it a regular part of play, you can support both your child's sensory development and their overall wellbeing!

Staff Spotlight

Aimun is an entrepreneur with a deep-rooted passion for healthcare, driven by a commitment to enhancing the lives of others. He is devoted to supporting the remarkable clinicians who dedicate their careers to serving others and making a positive impact in the community. Aimun believes that the cornerstone of delivering exceptional care lies in recruiting outstanding individuals and creating a supportive, world-class work environment.

At home, Aimun enjoys diving into a good fantasy book and staying active by going for runs with his fiancée.

Featured Resource

Massachusetts Autism Insurance Resource Center

The Autism Insurance Resource Center provides information, technical assistance and trainings related to insurance coverage and eligibility, with a particular focus on autism and behavioral health. Their team can support both families and professionals with things like applying for secondary MassHealth coverage (known as CommonHealth), understanding and applying for Premium Assistance, MassHealth renewals and finding providers who accept MassHealth. They offer family-friendly fact sheets in Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese and English on a number of topics related to autism and insurance.

Visit their website at massairc.org to view fact sheets, learn about upcoming trainings, watch recordings of their previous presentations and request technical assistance. You can also follow them on Facebook, where they post weekly Q&A’s called “Ask the Insurance Guru.”

Recommended Reading

Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down

This engaging and affirming children's book explores the world of sensory processing from a child’s perspective. Through vibrant and engaging illustrations, the story follows a child who experiences sensory overload and finds comfort in self-regulating behaviors like wiggling, stomping and squeezing. These actions, while seeming unconventional to others, help the child manage their emotions and navigate their environment more calmly.

The book serves as a valuable resource for children, parents and professionals, offering a glimpse into the sensory experiences of neurodivergent individuals. By highlighting the importance of understanding and accepting different coping mechanisms, it fosters empathy and encourages inclusivity.

Children’s author Mark Loewen says this about the book: “Wiggles, Stomps, and Squeezes playfully validates the unique sensory experiences of children, written from their own perspective. I'm excited for every kid that will see themselves in this beautiful book!”

Caregiver Affirmation

“I am not alone.”

Feelings of isolation are common among parents and caregivers of children with autism. It can feel like you are having a very different parenting experience than your friends and family and like other people don’t understand all that you are managing. Many social activities for children and their families are designed with non-autistic children in mind, so it can be hard to participate in these activities and meet other families. You are also likely spending a lot of time finding and participating in services, learning about your child’s needs and planning for their future. It’s hard to find the time and capacity to find community and build relationships even if you want to.

Fortunately, there is a huge community of parents and caregivers who do understand and who feel the same way! Connecting with others who share similar experiences can be incredibly supportive and uplifting for both you and your child. Here are some ideas for making those connections:

• Join a Support Group at the Autism Alliance

• Request a Parent to Parent Match through the Federation for Children with Special Needs

• Look up your city or town’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and connect with them by sending an email, joining their mailing list or attending a meeting- your child does not need to be attending school for you to get involved

• Search for local social media groups for parents and caregivers of autistic children and consider joining

• Explore local Special Olympics programming

• Look for events that are advertised as inclusive and/or sensory-friendly and attend the ones that work for you

• Fenced and otherwise inclusive playgrounds can also be a great place to meet families like yours due to the increased accessibility and safety features

Whether through meetings, events, phone calls or social media, finding a way to connect that aligns with your preferences and communication style can make a big difference. We are here to help if you need support in taking these steps, and remember that just one connection can start you on the path to a robust support system!

How can we improve? Please share any feedback about our services, this newsletter or anything else you’d like us to know!