EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kids

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

I often see in my work as a child psychologist that parents don't understand what their rights are and what their autistic children should be receiving through the educational system.

in this episode, we dive into IDEA, specially designed instruction, IEPs, 504s, and more. we talk specifically about the history of special education and what as a parent you can advocate for. it's important to recognize that a clinical diagnosis isn't the same as an educational diagnosis, so we're going through that educational process with my expert guest, Ashley Barlow, an attorney and former teacher. Ashley also has experience navigating special education as a parent, as her 13-year-old son, Jack, has Down Syndrome.

this episode will help you learn:

• why the public education system has to provide support for your autistic child
• the differences between an IEP and a 504 plan
• interest-based negotiation and knowing your rights as a parent
• specific steps for how you can advocate for your autistic child

ways to connect with Ashley >>

learn more about her free and affordable resources at ashleybarlowco.com

follow her on Instagram @ashleybarlowco and Facebook Ashley Barlow Co

want to learn more about The Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered through Dr. Tay Concierge Clinical Care? >> schedule a free consult call here or email [email protected] if you have questions.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

have you been considering an evaluation or are currently going through the diagnosis process? you may wonder if your child has autism or if there is another diagnosis that explains their behaviors.

in this episode, I describe the process of "differential diagnosis." this is when professionals consider all symptoms and determine what is the best explanation of your child's behaviors. I'm giving you a peek into my diagnostic process so you can better understand how autism is assessed and how final diagnostic determinations are made.

this episode will help you learn:

• what you should know going into an evaluation
• more about other disorders that are considered as part of the evaluation, like ADHD, ODD, SPD, and anxiety
• which diagnoses commonly overlap with autism

note: in the episode, I reference increased psychiatric medication use. the study I mentioned (Madden et al., 2017) indicated that autistic youth are nearly 11x more likely to be on psychiatric medication than their non-autistic peers.

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered? >> schedule a free consult call here or email [email protected] if you have questions.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

are you in obligation as a parent of an autistic child?

you deserve to not feel constant stress as a parent. yes, you have extra responsibilities as an autism parent but these don’t have to create a feeling of obligation.

in this episode, we're exploring the difference between obligation vs. responsibilities and how your thoughts about your to-do list affect the way you feel and therefore affect the way you take action.

this episode will help you learn:

• the steps and stages of the obligation cycle
• how you can start to make changes to get yourself out of the cycle
• three strategies you can implement on a day-to-day basis

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered? >> schedule a free consult call here or email [email protected] if you have questions.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

have you ever wondered what physical therapy addresses?

in this episode, I'm speaking to physical therapist Cynthia Hughell about the ins and outs of physical therapy for autistic children. we discuss different areas that can be addressed and understand how to best support your child's body to avoid physical stress and strain.

this episode will help you learn:

• about developmental milestones and when to seek physical therapy for your child
• common areas physical therapists address in sessions with autistic children
• a physical therapist's approach to toe walking
• what parents can do outside of physical therapy sessions

connect with Cynthia on TikTok @vidakidstherapy for more free physical therapy content.

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered? >> schedule a free consult call here or email [email protected] if you have questions.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

*please note: in this episode, both identity-first (autistic child) and person-first language (child with autism / ASD) are used. although as clinicians and practitioners we are slowly learning to shift our language and take the lead from the autistic community, the stance of this podcast is that we ultimately want to honor what each child and family prefer.

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

have you ever asked yourself if your autistic child is getting the highest quality care? if you should be doing more? if what you are doing is best for your child?

in this episode, we're talking about the components of autism care to help you understand what to advocate for in terms of your child, yourself, and your family. I'm giving you a look behind the scenes and what I believe is essential for a high level of care for neurodivergent children and their families so you, too, know what to look for and where to advocate for more support.

this episode will help you learn:

• the concepts of evidence-based care and neurodiversity affirming care
• why the work you do outside of your sessions is the most important piece
• what you can do if you feel you're not getting the right support for your child or family

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered? >> schedule a free consult call here or email [email protected] if you have questions.

book referenced in this episode >> An Early Start for Your Young Child with Autism

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

have you ever wondered if you need to be changing your child's diet once they've been diagnosed as autistic? how do you know when dietary supports are needed?

in this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nina-Marie Rueda, a naturopath and nutritional expert who works with families of neurodivergent children. in our conversation, we get into the nitty gritty on myths and truths about dietary recommendations for autistic children, the importance of a healthy conversations around food and mealtime, and common problems that may result from nutritional and physiological imbalances.

this episode will help you learn:

• the definition of a naturopath and what health factors are assessed by naturopathic doctors
• theories on dietary shifts to best support neurodivergent children
• a breakdown of what different nutritional tests mean and example recommendations for dietary changes for maximum nutritional benefit

connect with Dr. Nina-Marie on Instagram @doctorninamarie.

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered >> drtaylorday.com or email [email protected] if you would like to schedule a consult call.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

*please note: in this episode, both identity-first (autistic child) and person-first language (child with autism / ASD) are used. although as clinicians and practitioners we are slowly learning to shift our language and take the lead from the autistic community, the stance of this podcast is that we ultimately want to honor what each child and family prefer. Dr. Nina-Marie shares her perspective as a parent as well as some of the families she has worked with.

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

this week's episode is an inspired follow-up to episode 16, where I shared my personal story. I provide three tips for increasing support for your non-autistic children. specifically, we dive into the importance of talking about autism, focusing on quality time, and establishing boundaries for all of your children.

and the prequel to these three steps is to support yourself first (more coming soon on the podcast!). in the meantime, learn more about how your brain thinks. by doing so, you can begin to shift your sabotaging thought patterns to ones that serve you. take the free habits of thinking assessment and we can set up a free call to review your results.

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered >> drtaylorday.com or email [email protected] if you would like to schedule a consult call.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

we talk a lot about sensory aspects in autism, but how do you know if your child has challenges with that and what should you do?

sensory elements and factors can really impact your autistic* child's daily life, and sometimes these can be triggers for things like emotion dysregulation, attention, or even difficulty with transitions.

this week, I'm joined by Dr. Sam Goldman, an expert in autism and the sensory systems. in this episode, we cover the eight (yes, eight!) senses. we also discuss different types of sensory difficulties and examples of how this may be showing up in your child's life.

this episode will help you: 

• understand what occupational therapy will help to address
• learn how to identify sensory challenges
• discuss how to support your child in sensory regulation

follow Dr. Sam Goldman @drsamgoldman to stay connected. she also has her program, Making Sense of Eating, for parents to work on sensory elements of eating as well as her podcast (check out her recent series on all things sensory, Sensory 101 - Sensory 404)

more resources from Dr. Sam mentioned in this episode>>

Self-Regulation Freebie for parents

Favorite books: Sensational Kids, The Out-of-Sync Child

want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered >> drtaylorday.com or email [email protected] if you would like to schedule a consult call.

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

*please note: in this episode, both identity-first (autistic child) and person-first language (child with autism) are used. although as clinicians and practitioners we are slowly learning to shift our language and take the lead from the autistic community, the stance of this podcast is that we ultimately want to honor what each child and family prefer.

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

does your child struggle with sleep?

sleep is such a foundational piece to brain development, it is essential for mental health, and, yes, many autistic children struggle with falling and staying sleeping.

this week, I'm joined by Courtney Zentz, pediatric sleep expert and certified sleep coach. Courtney shares her personal experiences with postpartum anxiety and depression and how she got into helping parents create better sleep routines and environments for kids with sleep difficulties.

this episode will help you: 

• understand some of the reasoning behind sleep difficulties in children
• gain tips and tricks for how to tackle nighttime and sleep
• understand how you can work on this at home, but also know when support is needed

follow Tiny Transitions for more information and help with sleep @tinytransitions or visit tinytransitions.com.

more resources from Courtney mentioned in this episode >>

Freebie Resource Library: https://tinytransitions.com/learn/ 

Free Preliminary Sleep Assessment: https://tinytransitions.com/contact_sleep_consultant 

connect with Raline Sexton, autism sleep specialist: https://tinytransitions.com/slumber-squad/raline/ 

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

join the evolve Facebook community to participate in the weekly Q+A >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

in this episode, you'll hear the raw and real story of how I was introduced to autism and how my family's story led me to choosing to help autistic children and their families through evaluations, diagnoses, therapy, and beyond.

I hope through the discomfort and vulnerability of sharing my story that you can start to have a shift that autism is a really important part of your child's and your family's identity... and you still have needs in all of this, too.

thanks for letting me share my heart with y'all!

PS the YouTube video that finally helped my bravery come thru is a must-watch: The Greatest Showman | "This is Me" with Keala Settle | 20th Century Fox. let it serve as a reminder that you do not need to be afraid to be seen!

learn more about my Whole Family Approachᵀᴹ and current services offered >> drtaylorday.com or email [email protected] if you are wanting to schedule a consult call

other places you can learn from me >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay