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!

We are happy to highlight local sensory-friendly and inclusive events across eastern Massachusetts:

🌅 Morningstar Access | Saturday, October 3rd | 8–10am
Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, MA
Children with disabilities or medical needs and their families are invited to enjoy Boston Children’s Museum during a quieter, less crowded morning visit. This is a mask-optional event, meaning masks are recommended but not required for visitors, and museum staff will wear masks when interacting with guests. Admission is half-price for general admission and free for museum members, with other discounts potentially available (such as EBT/WIC discount). Pre-registration is required: Register here!

🎃 Sensory-Friendly Boo in the Barnyard | Saturday, October 3rd | 1–2pm
Weir River Farm, Hingham, MA
Families who would benefit from a quieter, limited-capacity visit are invited to enjoy a sensory-friendly hour at Weir River Farm. Children can wear costumes, meet barnyard animals, take part in a seasonal scavenger hunt and craft, and enjoy a sweet treat before exploring the surrounding trails. A visual story guide and sensory kits will be available, along with a limited number of noise-reducing headphones and other sensory items; families are encouraged to bring anything they know will be helpful. Advance registration is required: Register here!

🎨 Sensory-Friendly Play Session | Saturday, October 3rd | 2–4pm
North Shore Children’s Museum, Peabody, MA
This monthly play session is designed for children and families who benefit from a quieter, less crowded museum experience. During the two-hour session, the museum reduces admission capacity, lowers lights and sounds, and offers additional staff and volunteer support. Noise-canceling headphones and sensory boxes are available for visitors who would like to use them. Tickets are $12/person ($3/person with EBT/WIC), and advance purchase is recommended as space is limited: Learn more here!

🧸 Inclusive Afternoon | Tuesday, October 6th | 1:30–4:30pm
Discovery Museum, Acton, MA
Enjoy a relaxed afternoon of play and exploration at the accessible, universally designed Discovery Museum and Discovery Woods. This free event is ideal for visitors who benefit from a more sensory-friendly, lower-capacity experience. The Museum remains open to the public, but no group visits are scheduled to help keep crowds manageable. Advance registration is required: Register here!

🌙 Autism Friendly Evening at Discovery Museum | Saturday, October 10th | 5–8pm
Discovery Museum, Acton, MA
Visitors on the autism spectrum and their families are invited to enjoy a free, limited-capacity evening at Discovery Museum. Families can explore the accessible museum and Discovery Woods, try hands-on activities, and spend time in a calmer environment while the museum is closed to the general public. Dinner will be provided, including a gluten-free option. Advance registration is required: Register here!

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!

Here at ANNA, we are committed to delivering services and supports that are neurodiversity-affirming and responsive to the needs and perspectives of the autistic community. This month, we are thinking about how progress can be measured in ways that reflect what truly matters in everyday life.

When we think about a child’s progress, we often consider things like communication, daily living skills, understanding of academic concepts, and participation in routines. Those areas are certainly important, but there are many other important things that are harder measure. For example, a child might start feeling more comfortable with familiar adults, getting more confident in advocating for their needs, recovering more easily after a difficult moment, or finding new ways to experience joy and connection.

Within a neurodiversity-affirming approach, it’s important that we take the time to pay attention to these less measurable experiences. Rather than focusing only on whether a child is doing more things independently, we should also consider whether the child has more opportunities to make choices, communicate what they need, feel understood, and participate in ways that work for them.

Here at ANNA, our Community Advisory Board has been helping us think more deeply about this and about the changes that autistic individuals and families want providers to notice. Their input continues to inform how we think about (and measure) meaningful progress.

Young children are often learning skills that involve many different steps, even when the activity seems simple to an adult. Things like getting dressed, washing their hands, cleaning up toys, or getting ready to leave the house can require more steps than we may realize, which can be overwhelming for a child and lead to difficulty following through.

If your child is having difficulty with a routine or activity, try breaking it into smaller pieces and noticing which parts are most accessible for them. For example, instead of expecting your child to get dressed independently, you might help them put on their shirt and pants while they practice pulling up their pants or putting their arms through the sleeves. During handwashing, you could turn on the water and get the soap while your child simply practices rubbing their hands together.

As they become more comfortable with one part of the task, you can gradually give them opportunities to take on another step. Making a task more manageable by starting with what your child can already do and adding support where they need it can give your child more opportunities to experience success.

Dr. Ariana Boutain is a Doctoral-Level Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has been working with children with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and related conditions since 2006. She has presented at regional and national conferences on topics including the effectiveness of different prompting procedures on skill acquisition and the use of telehealth technology within parent training programs.

Ariana has published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the Behavior Analyst and has served as a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and the International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. She has been a member of the Association for Behavioral Analysis International, the Illinois Association for Behavior Analysis, the Wisconsin Association of Behavior Analysis, and the Kansas Association for Behavior Analysis.

In her spare time, Ariana enjoys performing in musical theater productions, cycling, and going on exciting adventures with her husband and twins!

The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) is Massachusetts’ Parent Training and Information Center, and offers a wide range of supports and resources for families. With a strong commitment to language access, the FCSN team includes individuals who speak Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Vietnamese and several other languages. Most staff members are parents or family members of individuals with disabilities.

FCSN offers numerous programs including Parent to Parent, which facilitates supportive connections between caregivers of children with similar needs, and the Caregiver to Caregiver Respite Network which supports the exchange of respite care among families. Their Information Center provides guidance and support around special education, and FCSN offers many workshops and trainings for families on topics such as special education rights, IEP development, transition and more.

These are just a few examples of FCSN’s offerings, and you can learn much more at fcsn.org.

“Through the eyes of a character we only know as Trampoline Boy, we are invited to understand how he sees the world. His favorite thing to do is jump up and down, up and down on his trampoline. Kids walk by and tease him, but he remains steadfast and calm.

One day, a quietly exuberant girl, Peaches, is fascinated by his jumping. Trampoline Boy wordlessly invites her to jump with him, and by spending this time with him, Peaches and readers get to see how important and valuable different perspectives are.”

As caregivers, we know that our kids will often make gradual progress over time, rather than learning a big new skill right away. It can be helpful to remember this when progress feels slow or when the same things still seem hard for a long period of time. It is completely understandable to feel discouraged sometimes, especially when small changes can be easy to miss in the middle of everyday life.

Every so often, try thinking about what your child is doing now that was difficult for them a few weeks or months ago. You may realize that more has changed than you noticed along the way. You do not have to wait for a huge milestone to feel proud of them, or of yourself!

We’d love to hear about your experiences with ANNA! Leaving a Google review is a great way to help other families learn about our services. If you have a moment, you can share your thoughts by clicking this button. Thank you for being part of our community!