Recommended Resources for ABA Therapy and Autism

Mobile Therapy Centers wishes everyone a Happy November! We know November marks the beginning of the holiday season, and get togethers with family and friends are around the corner. For families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), these events can bring worries and uncertainties of how others will perceive and accept their child. At Mobile Therapy Centers, we work with a variety of families and hear parents’ insight every day.

Books are one great resource the ABA Therapists at Mobile Therapy Centers recommend using for teaching others about ASD. Reading books with facts about ASD can help people become more familiar with the individuality and needs of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Whether you’re looking for a book to teach a sibling, peer, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or friend more about ASD, there are a lot of great options for all ages!

This blog post will spotlight one book in particular that is a great resource to use when teaching adult relatives and friends about your family’s and child’s needs. This book, written by Ann Palmer, is called A Friend’s and Relative’s Guide to Supporting the Family with Autism: How Can I Help?, and gives insight on how friends and relatives can be a positive source of support.

It can sometimes be difficult to communicate your needs to those close to you, so this book can be a helpful resource in starting the conversation. You can provide the book to them and let them know that they can ask you any questions they have after reading it. Before your next get together, you can let them know which parts of the event your child may have the most difficulty with and how they can support you in those moments. You can also let them know ahead of time if there are any accommodations that your child will need. For example, you could ask the host to set up one room of their home that is a quiet space for your child if they need a break.

Our ABA Therapists use similar strategies in our clients’ classrooms to inform teachers of how they can support our clients. They also work in homes to help parents and siblings with strategies as well. Mobile Therapy Centers wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season, and we hope that these tips are helpful for you and your family!