I’ll be honest, it’s taken me weeks to write this article. As an autism parent, I’ve been searching for resources to help kids with autism and their parents get through this difficult time and they are few and far between. I need them for our family and I know so many of you need them too.
I’ve messaged experts and my messages have gone unanswered. I’ve asked parents and they’ve all shared the same vices we’ve resorted to in our own house: extra screen time, lots of snacks for the kids then maybe some wine for mom.
The resources weren’t hard to find because there weren’t any to find. In the first few weeks of the quarantine kids with autism and their parents were left floundering trying to figure out a way to make this new normal seem a little bit, normal. The people who support our kids on a daily basis are in the same boat as us. They are now at home trying to keep their own families healthy, with little time left to carve out for helping us with our kids.
Now that we are a few weeks in, resources are beginning to surface. Dedicated autism parents and professionals have found a few moments of their day to create much needed resources during this time.
If you’re treading water in this crazy time just like my family and so many autism families I know I’m collecting resources as quickly as I can find them for you. Here are the best I’ve seen. If you have more to share please share them with us in the comments or on the Momtastic Facebook page. Let’s help each other get through this unprecedented time.
- How to explain a global health crisis to children with autism
- What to do when your child with autism’s schedule is disrupted due to COVID-19
- Department of Education guidelines on providing special education services during the outbreak
- List of special education advocates by state
The blog Autism Little Learners has a wealth of helpful tools including:
The most comprehensive list of autism-specific COVID-19 resources I’ve seen is from Autism Speaks and it is updated regularly.
Huge opportunity…all of the classes from the Autism Certification Center at OCALI are free right now. So many classes for parents and caregivers that are normally only offered for a fee!
More About Autism:
- Autism Moms: The World Is Not Ready For Our Kids to Grow Up
- Raising a Daughter With Autism Has Made Me a Better Mom
- What I Wish I Had Done When My Daughter With Autism Was a Child
