Finding Mikey - Parenting our kiddo with Autism

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!

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:

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:

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]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Autism Speaks

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:

“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

Today on the show we are very happy to welcome young actor Major Dodson, to chat with us about his recent role in the feature film, Tyson's Run. As someone on the spectrum, the task of playing an autistic teenager in a film was a meaningful one to Major, and we get to hear all about how he prepared for the role, why he wanted to take this opportunity, and the lessons he learned while on set. The film focuses on a boy who has to overcome some serious challenges within his family, and Major is kind enough to share some of the points of relatability that were present in the role. He also underlines how seriously he took the job of representation in film. The conversation covers Major's young career, the point when he became interested in working in the movie industry, and the first experiences he had of acting on stage. So, to hear another wonderful story about a path that is bound to equal amounts of similarities and contrasts to many others out there, listen in with us today on the Finding Mikey Podcast!

Key Points From This Episode:

Tweetables:

“It was a lot of preparation because I had never played a character, who has to realistically be on the spectrum, has to have autism.” — @Major_Dodson [0:02:45]

“Movies like this, that are positive and family-oriented, have something for anybody, and I hope people take away a message of inspiration, of hope, of getting up and doing something that they want to do.” — @Major_Dodson [0:08:12]

“You can't always just tell if someone has autism.” — @Major_Dodson [0:16:24]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Major Dodson on Instagram

Major Dodson on Twitter

Tyson's Run Trailer

Tyson's Run

The Walking Dead

Finding Mikey