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What if the biggest shift in your child’s future starts with one decision you’ve been putting off? In this episode, we dive into the emotional, medical, and deeply human side of navigating neurodivergence—and what parents often get wrong (and right) along the way.
In this episode of The Autism Roundtable, host Leah Gross sits down with Dr. Nallapati, a developmental pediatrician and founder of Turtle Pediatrics, to unpack the realities of diagnosing and supporting neurodivergent children. From her unconventional path into pediatrics to her innovative telehealth model, Dr. Nallapati shares how meeting families in their own environment can transform care.
The conversation explores the critical importance of early intervention, while also emphasizing that it’s never “too late” to get answers. They tackle parental guilt, misinformation around autism causes, and the complexities of ADHD treatment—including the nuanced approach required for children with both autism and ADHD (AuDHD).
Above all, this episode reframes diagnosis not as a label—but as a roadmap toward clarity, support, and growth.
About The Guest:
Dr. Nallapati is a developmental pediatrician with over 15 years of training and experience working with children across multiple clinical settings. She is the founder of Turtle Pediatrics, a telemedicine-based practice designed to evaluate and support children in their natural home environment. Her work focuses on autism, ADHD, and developmental delays, with a strong emphasis on empowering families and providing individualized care.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Journey into Pediatrics and Developmental Care
03:50 The Power of Resilience in Children
07:19 Founding Turtle Pediatrics & Telehealth Model
11:37 When to Seek a Diagnosis
15:41 Why Early Intervention Matters
24:28 Parental Guilt and the Blame Cycle
30:55 Late Diagnoses and Relief in Understanding
37:13 Autism, Research, and Misinformation
46:49 Understanding ADHD and Diagnosis
52:07 Medication vs. Therapy Debate
54:50 What is AuDHD?
Ready to better understand your child and take the next step with confidence?
Tune in to the full episode for valuable insights.
What does it look like when a parent stops fighting the diagnosis and starts seeing the child more clearly?
In this episode of The Autism Roundtable, Leah Gross speaks with children’s author Jenn Bailey about parenting, perspective shifts, sensory overload, inclusion, and how stories can help children better understand themselves and each other.
Leah Gross welcomes author Jenn Bailey for a thoughtful conversation about autism, parenting, and the power of literature to foster empathy. Jenn shares her family’s experience navigating her child’s diagnosis, the supports that made a difference, and the mindset changes that helped her parent with more understanding. She explains how that journey inspired her to create books centered around Henry, a child whose perspective opens a window into the inner world of kids who may experience friendship, school, and sensory input differently. Together, Leah and Jenn explore inclusion, introversion, regulation, curiosity, and the importance of seeing each child as a whole person.
About The Guest:
Jenn Bailey is a children’s author and mother of three whose work has brought meaningful representation of autism into children’s literature. Inspired by her own family’s journey, she wrote A Friend for Henry, which went on to receive recognition from the American Library Association’s Schneider Family Book Award. She has since expanded Henry’s story into an early reader series designed to support both autistic and neurotypical children through thoughtful, accessible storytelling.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Jenn’s Personal Journey into Autism
02:30 The Diagnosis & What Changed
04:15 Parenting Shift: Seeing the Child Differently
06:10 Emotional Overload & The “Cup” Analogy
10:15 Where Frustration Turns Into Understanding
18:20 Helping Neurotypical Kids Build Empathy
22:00 Supporting Regulation & Emotional Needs
24:00 Jenn’s Message to Parents
Ready to better understand the inner world of autistic children and the power of empathy-centered parenting?
Tune in to the full episode for valuable insights.
What can make a hospital visit less overwhelming for an autistic or neurodiverse child, and how can parents walk in better prepared?
In this episode, Zahava Ginsburg shares how child life specialists help children and families navigate medical settings with more calm, dignity, and support.
Zahava explains the unique role of child life specialists in helping children and families cope with medical experiences, especially in hospital environments that can feel overwhelming for autistic and neurodiverse patients.
She shares how preparation, sensory awareness, and simple supports like fidgets, headphones, and clear planning can make a major difference. The conversation also explores support around bloodwork, surgery, grief, sibling needs, and the importance of helping families advocate for what their child needs before a medical visit ever begins.
About The Guest:
Zahava Ginsburg is a child life specialist in Livingston, New Jersey, and the founder of Heart of Gold, a private practice that supports children and families through medical preparation, anxiety, sibling support, and coping strategies for challenging healthcare experiences.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Sensory Hospital Support
03:55 Common Hospital Visits
05:21 Plan Ahead and Advocate
08:12 Burn Unit Realities
11:02 Burn Safety at Home
16:09 Playroom and Safe Spaces
20:42 Grief and Bereavement
24:37 Saying Goodbye Options
27:48 Hospital Resources Checklist
28:16 Coping Plan Grab Bag
33:49 Using Sedation Smartly
35:14 Supporting Siblings Too
44:11 Virtual Sessions
Ready to help your child feel more supported during medical visits?
Tune in to the full episode for practical insights, encouragement, and tools that can make a real difference for your family.
What if one of the most powerful ways to help your child in school has less to do with pushing harder and more to do with communicating smarter?
In this episode, Leah Gross speaks with Erica Viel about advocacy, school collaboration, dyslexia, and how parents can become confident, effective partners in their child’s educational journey.
Discussion Points:
Leah Gross sits down with Erica Viel, educator, advocate, and founder of Viel Advocacy and Consulting, for a practical and encouraging conversation about supporting children in school. Erica shares her background as a special education teacher, her work with students across a wide range of settings, and the personal experiences that led her to launch her own advocacy and consulting business.
Together, they discuss how parents can build strong, collaborative relationships with teachers and therapists, why communication between home and school is essential, and how families can better prepare for meetings and decisions around services and supports. Erica also opens up about her own dyslexia diagnosis, the interventions that helped her succeed, and how that experience gave her empathy for students and families navigating learning differences today.
About The Guest:
Erica Viel is an educational advocate, consultant, and former special education teacher with extensive experience supporting students with autism and other learning needs. She is the founder of Viel Advocacy and Consulting, where she helps families navigate IEPs, 504s, school meetings, observations, parent coaching, executive functioning support, and more. Her personal experience with dyslexia also gives her a unique and deeply empathetic lens in the work she does.
Time Stamps:
00:00 What inspired Erica to open her own advocacy and consulting business
06:15 What makes a teacher impactful for struggling students
09:20 How parents can communicate effectively with teachers
13:05 When parents should reach out and how often
16:10 Communication notebooks, digital logs, and practical systems that work
19:00 What an educational advocate does and when families may need one
33:00 What these meetings are meant to accomplish
39:10 Why collaboration across disciplines matters
44:00 Advice for parents on tone, mindset, and communication
01:01:15 Why children should be included in the process
Ready to become a stronger advocate for your child in the school system?
Tune in to the full episode for valuable insights.
What happens after early intervention ends? In this hopeful and practical conversation, Laura McKenna shares her journey from autism diagnosis to college acceptance, offering parents a powerful roadmap for raising confident, capable young adults on the spectrum.
Key Questions Explored in the Episode:
Laura McKenna shares her 18-year journey as an autism mom, beginning with her son’s diagnosis at age five and progressing through adolescence, transition programming, and ultimately college. She emphasizes that while the diagnosis can be emotionally overwhelming, it opens doors to meaningful services and understanding.
The conversation highlights the importance of early intervention, consistency, compassion, and long-term planning. Laura discusses how teenage years bring new challenges, particularly anxiety and social expectations, requiring renewed therapeutic support. She explains transition programs available through public education until age 21, the process of gradually introducing college expectations, and the importance of functional life skills.
Laura also sheds light on critical but often overlooked resources like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and state disability services, encouraging all eligible families to explore them. The episode concludes with hope: with baby steps, education, and sustained support, meaningful independence is possible.
Laura McKenna is an autism mom, former college professor, writer, consultant, and parent support specialist at the COPE Center for Autism. After navigating her own son’s autism journey, she now supports families through diagnosis, IEP guidance, transition planning, and government benefit applications. Her work focuses on empowering parents with knowledge and practical tools for every stage of development.
Key Takeaways:
Time Stamps:
Ready to think long-term about your child’s independence?
Tune in to the full episode for practical strategies, real-life insight, and hopeful guidance for every stage of the autism journey.
What if one of the biggest “levers” for behavior, mood, sleep, and regulation isn’t another strategy or program — but what’s happening inside the gut and inside the cell?
Key Questions Explored in the Episode:
Michaela Morrell explains her work in cellular health, gut health, and inflammation — and why families dealing with autism often seek her out. She shares how her interest began with her own son’s early gut issues and hyperactivity, which led her deep into research on gut health, nutrition, and brain development.
She then describes noticing signs of atypical development in her nephew (reduced eye contact, limited social engagement, motor differences) and emphasizes how critical early timing can be. They implemented gluten-free and casein-free changes quickly and observed improvements, while also seeing that gluten exposure could trigger dramatic shifts in behavior and communication.
Later, Michaela describes using an at-home blood test focused on cellular inflammation and fatty acid status. She attributes her nephew’s rapid gains (eye contact, speech, social interaction, affection, classroom functioning) to targeted supplementation — especially omega-3 paired with polyphenols, plus prebiotic fiber support, and a saffron-based sleep supplement (with iodine, magnesium, and vitamin C). Throughout, she stresses individualized factors like absorption, gut activation of nutrients, and sustainability, encouraging parents to learn, test, measure, and take manageable steps.
About The Guest:
Michaela Morrell is a cellular health and gut health practitioner who focuses on inflammation, nutrient absorption, and the role of essential fatty acids in brain and body function. She shares both professional insights and personal family experience, and hosts a podcast aimed at empowering people to improve health without needing expensive, ongoing care.
Time Stamps:
00:01 – Michaela introduces her focus: cellular health, gut health, inflammation
01:41 – Her first son’s gut issues and hyperactivity
05:54 – Early interventions: whole foods, bone broth, and omega-3 emphasis
09:10 – Why “omega levels” can still be low even with fish + supplements
12:17 – Noticing developmental differences in her nephew (comparison helped)
14:30 – Early warning signs and pushing for timely evaluation
17:21 – Gluten-free/casein-free: quick implementation and behavior shifts
18:16 – What gluten exposure can look like in behavior + communication
21:56 – New testing approach: cellular inflammation and cell membrane function
26:03 – Rapid progress after targeted supplementation begins
29:53 – What they added: omega-3 + polyphenols + prebiotic fiber support
31:30 – Constipation, fiber challenges, and gut lining repair (butyric acid)
32:19 – Sleep support: saffron-based supplement + nutrients for myelin support
35:35 – How to make changes sustainable (steps, habits, long-term view)
42:11 – Start with testing: measuring to know what to do first
45:17 – Why many supplements don’t work and how to evaluate effectiveness
51:12 – Where to learn more: her podcast and Instagram
52:16 – Closing philosophy: keep asking “why,” empower parents with knowledge
Call to Action:
Ready to rethink what might be driving behavior, sleep, and regulation from the inside out?
Tune in to the full episode for practical insights on gut health, cellular inflammation, and sustainable first steps for families.
What does it take to advocate for yourself in systems not built to accommodate you and then turn that struggle into a path of healing for others? In this powerful episode of The Autism Roundtable, we explore resilience, rights, and holistic care through one remarkable journey.
Discussion Points:
In this episode, Matthew Lunsford shares his deeply personal journey of navigating academia and professional life while living with visual impairment, hearing loss, and cerebral palsy. He reflects on the discrimination he faced, the legal battles he fought for accommodations, and the resilience required to persist.
Matthew also discusses his current private practice, where he works with neurodivergent individuals experiencing anxiety disorders, gender dysphoria, and life transitions related to disability. His approach blends evidence-based behavioral work with holistic and somatic modalities.
The conversation concludes with a broader reflection on healing, emphasizing the nervous system, self-acceptance, and the power of integrating Western and Eastern perspectives on health.
Matthew Lunsford is a board-certified behavior analyst, licensed special education teacher, and certified yoga therapist. Drawing from both professional training and lived experience, Matthew focuses on holistic, affirming care for neurodivergent individuals, with particular expertise in anxiety, identity, and adjustment to disability.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Overcoming Barriers in Academia
02:02 Facing Discrimination in the Professional World
03:36 Advice for Navigating Discrimination
07:10 Current Social Work Practice
09:40 Addressing Anxiety Disorders
17:36 Exploring Neurodivergent Culture
30:26 Living with Visual Impairment
34:27 Growing Up Visually Impaired
35:34 Advice for Parents of Visually Impaired Children
36:43 Emotional Challenges and Acceptance
39:13 Navigating Life with Hearing Loss
41:34 Living with Cerebral Palsy
46:16 The Journey to Becoming a Yoga Therapist
48:33 The Holistic Benefits of Yoga Therapy
55:21 Breath Work and the Nervous System
59:49 Western vs. Eastern Approaches to Medicine
Ready to rethink advocacy, healing, and what holistic support can look like?
Tune in to the full episode for an honest, inspiring conversation on resilience and neurodivergent well-being.
Is your child’s tics, anxiety, or rigid behaviors “just a phase” – or something more? In this episode of the Autism Roundtable, Leah sits down with Dr. Meir Flancbaum, a clinical psychologist and CBT expert, to unpack tics, Tourette’s, anxiety, and OCD, and what all of this really means for your child, your family, and for you as a parent.
Dr. Meir Flancbaum introduces his background as a psychologist and founder of the Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, explaining how CBT helps children, teens, and families through structured, research-based strategies. He outlines the CBT triangle of thoughts, feelings, and actions, and shows how this framework applies to conditions like anxiety, OCD, and Tourette’s.
He then breaks down tics and Tourette’s syndrome, clarifying the difference between motor and vocal tics, and why Tourette’s is often misunderstood. Dr. Flancbaum explains the biological and hereditary roots of tics, the factors that intensify them, and how Habit Reversal Training teaches children awareness and alternative responses. He contrasts tics with autistic stimming, emphasizing that tics relieve discomfort, while stims provide soothing reinforcement. This leads to a broader discussion about acceptance, perspective-taking, and supporting children without increasing stress or pressure.
The conversation continues with anxiety and OCD, both framed as cycles fueled by avoidance and short-term relief. Dr. Flancbaum explains anxiety as a “false alarm,” discusses why rates may be increasing, and outlines CBT and medication options. He also describes OCD as intrusive thoughts paired with compulsive behaviors, treated through exposure and response prevention. The episode closes with guidance for parents: focus on progress, embrace “golden nugget” moments, and remember that raising a neurodivergent child may require more care—but the “roses in a tulip garden” are often the most meaningful gifts.
Time Stamps:What if your child’s “behaviors” are actually their nervous system asking for help?
In this episode, Lauren Davis, an osteopathic physician, functional medicine practitioner, and proud neurodivergent mom, explains how hands-on medicine, nutrition, movement, and vision can radically change the quality of life for autistic and ADHD kids (and their parents).
Key Questions Explored in the Episode:
Dr. Lauren Davis, an osteopathic physician double board-certified in family medicine and neuromusculoskeletal medicine, who also practices integrative and functional medicine. Dr. Davis explains cranial osteopathy, how tiny motions in the skull and cerebral spinal fluid affect lymphatic drainage and brain function, and how this can support autistic and ADHD individuals. She shares how birth compressions, fascial restrictions, and skull dysfunctions may contribute to irritability, impulse control challenges, and executive function struggles, and how hands-on treatment can optimize—not “cure”—a neurodivergent brain.
They dive into primitive reflexes, toe-walking, gait, and the importance of a thorough physical and neurologic exam. Dr. Davis highlights how retained reflexes and structural issues can present as “behaviors” and how simple home exercises can support integration. The conversation then shifts to nutrition: high sugar intake, micronutrient deficiencies, and Dr. Davis’s practical strategies like “color nights” and creative gluten-free, protein-rich meals for picky eaters.
They also explore vision as a huge but often overlooked piece of the puzzle, including tracking, convergence, binocular vision disorder, and specialized approaches like cranial vision osteopathy. Dr. Davis emphasizes exercise as a powerful intervention, citing evidence that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic movement can improve frontal lobe blood flow similarly to stimulant medication. Finally, she shares her personal story as an AuDHD physician, her neurodivergent family life, burnout in medical training, and how understanding her own neurology reshaped both her practice and parenting. She closes with a powerful message: your child is perfect as they are, and our job is to support who they are meant to be.
Time Stamps:
00:00 - What is osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine and cranial osteopathy?
03:44 – Cranial osteopathy vs. craniosacral therapy and how fluid movement in the skull affects the brain and lymphatic system
06:16 – Why cranial osteopathy is still relatively unknown and how it helps the autistic community
07:02 – Newborn care, birth compressions, fascia, and early patterns that persist into childhood
09:10 – Hyperactivity, executive function, and improving frontal lobe blood flow through hands-on work
11:15 – What a typical evaluation looks like: history, physical exam, screening, and integrative recommendations
13:14 – Nutrition deep dive: sugar intake, micronutrients, and the impact of processed foods
15:11 – “Colors of the rainbow” eating and creative color-themed meals for kids
18:17 – Raising gluten-free kids with celiac disease and teaching cooking as a lifelong skill
19:57 – Picky and restrictive eating: practical strategies to “hide” nutrients and upgrade comfort foods
21:16 – Movement and gait: what walking patterns reveal about the nervous system
22:49 – Primitive reflexes explained and how retained reflexes can mimic ADHD or autism
24:54 – Demonstrating the glabella reflex and reflex integration concepts
29:28 – Toe-walking: possible root causes in muscles, nerves, spine, brain, and sensory systems
33:15 – Vision, eye tracking, convergence, and binocular vision issues in neurodivergent kids
35:50 – Treatment options: computer-based vision programs, prisms, and cranial vision osteopathy
40:32 – Exercise, sensory seeking/avoidance, and finding movement each child can tolerate
41:40 – Research on 30 minutes of aerobic activity and its impact on the frontal lobe vs. stimulants
45:57 – Parent regulation, traditional Chinese medicine, and children as extensions of our nervous system
50:22 – Lauren Davis’s personal journey: growing up neurodivergent, celiac disease, medical training, and burnout
55:04 – How functional and osteopathic medicine, plus lived experience, inform her clinical work
56:42 – Final message to parents: your child is perfect as they are
Ready to look beyond “behaviors” and start understanding your child’s brain, body, and nervous system as a whole?
Tune in to the full episode for practical, hopeful insights you can bring into your home, your appointments, and your everyday life.
Can a skateboard become a lifeline? In this episode, we meet Ally Rodriguez, founder of Skate Haven, an autism skateboarding nonprofit turning wheels and ramps into regulation, confidence, and community for neurodivergent kids and their families.
Discussion Points
Leah Gross talks with Ally Rodriguez about launching Skate Haven, a nonprofit delivering one-on-one and small-group skateboarding sessions tailored for autistic kids.
Ally explains how rhythmic motion and repetition help with regulation, while skating naturally builds balance, core strength, and confidence. The program emphasizes safety, park etiquette, and meeting each child where they are—often weaving in special interests to boost motivation. Parents are encouraged to participate, building a supportive community that extends beyond sessions. Ally shares expansion efforts in LA and Vegas, partnerships with adaptive skate organizations, and an upcoming Ambassador Program to foster inclusion and reduce bullying. She also touches on brain-health nutrition and lifestyle changes that have helped her family. The throughline: you’re not alone—there are joyful, strengths-based outlets that work.
About The Guest
Ally Rodriguez is the founder of Skate Haven, an autism skateboarding nonprofit offering social-recreation and therapeutic-adjacent skate sessions. A single mom to an autistic son, Ally draws on lived experience, community partnerships, and a background in health/nutrition to create safe, motivating environments for neurodivergent kids.
Time Stamps
00:00 Origin story: mom, nonprofit founder, and the spark for Skate Haven
01:11 From “other clinics” to skate: pushing for social-rec approval
02:58 Why skating helps: rhythm, repetition, regulation
03:41 OT crossover: balance, core, coordination
05:13 Onboarding timid learners; matching coach to child
06:55 Ally’s parenting journey as a single autism mom
08:37 Juggling therapies and work without sacrificing services
09:31 ADHD, energy outlets, and why skating fits
10:31 Parents as community; support beyond sessions
12:50 Environmental tweaks: quieter parks, interest-based games
15:08 Success story: Carter’s confidence and progression
19:20 What’s missing: parent outlets and connection
21:56 Training coaches: patience, safety, flexibility, ABA-savvy staff
25:29 School inclusion, bus challenges, and advocacy
30:52 Brain-health nutrition and practical shifts at home
Ready to explore strength-based recreation for your child?
Tune in to the full episode for practical strategies, uplifting stories, and next steps you can try this week.
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