While the decision to have more children may be easy for some families, it can become complicated for others – especially when you have a child touched by autism.  Statistics tell us that parents who have a child with autism only have a 2-18% chance of having a second child affected, this information does weigh into some family’s decision as to whether they want to add more biological children to their family. In this podcast, a group of us shared our experiences and thoughts when we made the decision to have more children.

This is a question that I am often asked by teachers and close friends.  What do you do when you notice red flags for autism in a child, but the parents don’t seem to notice or are in denial?  A group of parents joined me in this podcast episode to explain ways they’ve encountered these complicated questions and how they handled the dilemma of whether to tell or remain silent.

Many parents experience grief after an autism diagnosis. These stages of grief mirror the same stages that grieving parents experience after the physical death of a child. In this podcast, we talk different stages of grief and its impact in our lives and relationships around us.  We also talk about how we circle back to grief phases at different stages of development.

Over the years, my friends and family have enjoyed reading many of my hysterical stories that I affectionately call my Adventures of Sockpants & Super Heroes.  In this episode, a group of parents joined me to share some of their personal autism bloopers from months and years past.

This is an topic that we will continue to record. There are just so many bloopers that will help you feel even more connected to your autism tribe of parents.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll do just about anything to get a decent night of sleep.  In this episode of ISAAC’s Autism in the Wild you’ll find that you’re not alone if you have unconventional strategies to encourage sleep as well as hear more about:

* How anxiety effects sleep

* The pros and cons of Melatonin

* Discussion of prescription sleep aids

* School conflict regarding missing school or arriving late

* Pros and Cons to strict sleep routines

* Possible sleep triggers you may not have thought about

* Successful sleep strategies

I think that all parents feel guilt in some capacity when it comes to raising children.  Unfortunately, the feeling of guilt sometimes runs a little deeper when your child has special needs. In this podcast, a very authentic group of parents joined me to discuss ways that parent guilt (and a bit of rage) has manifested in their lives. We hope that this podcast helps normalize any feelings of guilt you may be feeling. We will continue to podcast on this important topic moving forward as we discuss other ways guilt manifests within a family. In the meantime, we hope this podcast episode helps you feel that you are not alone.

*we apologize for the poor audio quality of this podcast.

In this episode, I sat down with Rachael Leonard who not only is a parent to two amazing young people with an autism spectrum disorder, she also has spent the majority of her carrier working to support clients in a supported living environment.  Rachael shares with us:

* The importance for all individuals, regardless of abilities, to have the opportunity to live independently (with supports) outside of the family home

* Why, at times, parents can be an obstacle for young people to reach their full potential

* Instances where supported living environments failed her pasts clients

* Long-term consequences for not implementing a transitional living plan for your loved with one a disability

Our goal as parents is to help our special needs loved one become the best they can be.  CBD has been a hot debate for many years.  In this podcast we discuss why some parents have elected to give it a try.  Here’s what you’ll find:

* Difference between CBD and THC varieties

* Why parents consider using CBD

* Parent testimonials of using CBD with pharmaceuticals

* ‘Autism Buffet’ analogy used by Dr. Lauren Swineford

* Comfort parents feel for being able to try something that might help their child

This is one of my favorite podcast recordings so far.  In this laugh-out-loud episode, a group of autism parents joined me to commiserate about the challenges of  having a picky eater. We shared a variety of stories and strategies such as:

* The ‘wonderful’ advice people have given us over the years about correcting picky eater behaviors.

* Successful strategies for expanding the diets of picky eaters

* What not to do when you have a picky eater

* How to handle advise from those well-meaning friends and family members.

* Parent guilt for accommodating strong food preferences

* How picky eaters effect the dynamic with other children at home.

If you listen to the end, I shared a recent account of my last family dining debacle in at Denny’s.

Conflict is never easy, especially when it arises within your own family.  In this podcast a couple of dads spent time with me talking about how conflict within their extended family arose related to:

* Denial of the autism diagnosis by extended family members;

* How family members dealt with food aversions and limitations of their child’s diet;

* Adjustments family members had to learn in their interactions with their child with autism;

* Therapies and diets that family members didn’t agree with;

* Regrets in how these conflicts were handled; and

* Suggestions shared for how better to navigate these conflicts within the extended family.