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

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/

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

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
Spectrum Awakening
TACA
Call us at 469-249-0425
Finding Mikey on Apple Podcasts

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