Your 5 Common Questions About Stimming — Answered

Navigating the holiday season can often feel more stressful than peaceful. Families are busy shopping, going to holiday events, and visiting friends and family members between normal daily obligations like work and school. Throw in other holiday traditions like visiting Santa, holiday train rides, and seeing Christmas lights, and the season is packed with potential triggers for children with autism. Not to mention, the hustle and bustle of the season can throw off a child’s everyday schedule, which is important for children with autism to maintain.  As a parent of a child with autism, you can make special memories while still keeping your child comfortable with these tangible tips and methods. Read More

Acorn Health Expands ABA Therapy Access with 3 New Locations in Michigan

Building supportive, inclusive communities begins with providing families access to the resources they need. As awareness and understanding of autism spectrum disorder continues to grow, so does the importance of making high-quality applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy  readily available to families everywhere. Meeting the Growing… Read More

15 Tips for Helping Children with Autism Through the Holidays

Navigating the holiday season can often feel more stressful than peaceful. Families are busy shopping, going to holiday events, and visiting friends and family members between normal daily obligations like work and school. Throw in other holiday traditions like visiting Santa, holiday train rides, and seeing Christmas lights, and the season is packed with potential triggers for children with autism. Not to mention, the hustle and bustle of the season can throw off a child’s everyday schedule, which is important for children with autism to maintain.  As a parent of a child with autism, you can make special memories while still keeping your child comfortable with these tangible tips and methods. Read More

10 Tips to Help You & Your Child with Autism Enjoy Thanksgiving

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but even with all the enjoyable holiday festivities to look forward to, for many families, it also means navigating all that comes with the holidays that can be overwhelming for a child with autism. Considering all the new aspects involved… Read More

Making Dentist Visits Easier for Children with Autism

Whether neurotypical or neurodivergent, for both adults and children alike, dentist visits can trigger a range of emotions—including anxiety, fear, and even dread. While some people may look forward to the familiar routine of a cleaning and a chat with their local dentist, for many, the sensory overload… Read More

Empowering Parents: Essential Tips for Teaching Kids about Autism and Disabilities

All children are prone to moments of drawing unwarranted attention in public. But for kids with autism, their behaviors can sometimes spark curiosity from others, leaving parents or caregivers scrambling for the right words to communicate about what’s happening in escalated situations. At Acorn Health, we aim to… Read More

ABA Techniques for Tantrums

Almost every parent has been on the receiving end of a frustrated child who proceeds to throw a tantrum. The flailing arms, screaming, yelling, and other behaviors can be hard for a parent to handle, especially in public settings. However, whether a child is neurotypical or has been… Read More

Summer Fun Awaits: How to Choose the Best Summer Camps for Your Child with Autism

This time of year many parents are researching and planning summer camps for their children. That process is time-consuming, and it can be challenging to know which camps are right for your child. There are so many different types of summer camps – specialized camps for children with… Read More

Five Facts About Individualization in ABA Therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is considered the gold standard treatment and therapy recommended for children with autism. It is highly individualized and tailored to meet the needs and goals of each client, while empowering a child’s unique strengths and personalities to shine through.  Here… Read More

ABA Family Guidance Tips

What are the goals of ABA Parent Guidance? The ultimate goal for a child who experiences Applied Behavior Analysis therapy at Acorn Health is that they graduate from therapy and are supported by those in their lives when intensive therapy is no… Read More

Sleep and Autism: Relief for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

While newborn parents expect the phase of sleepless nights to come with having a baby, parents of children with autism may not experience the same relief of more restful nights as their kids get older. As many as 40 to 80% of… Read More

Halloween Planning for Child with ASD

Ghouls and goblins may be spooky fun for some — but for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this time of year can be challenging to navigate. Halloween is a holiday full of sensory overload including scary monster costumes, frightening decorations, elements of surprise and scaring one another during trick-or-treating, as well as dressing up and hiding behind disguises. It’s no wonder that Halloween may not be so happy for some families. There are steps parents can take to help their child navigate the holiday and avoid circumstances that could make them upset or uncomfortable. First, parents should talk about what to expect before going to an event or trick-or-treating. The elements of those traditions can be very confusing to a child with ASD.  Read More

A Guide to Preventing Wandering in Children with Autism

What is Wandering? It may be confusing to some why a person may decide to wander away from their home. What we do know is that wandering (also known as eloping) is a complex behavior that is common in individuals with autism. In fact, statistics… Read More

Autism & Toilet Training: Tips to Help Parents and Caregivers

Your child may be exhibiting signs they are ready to be toilet trained, or maybe you are just very eager to ditch the diapers. Toilet training a child requires the right balance between a child’s readiness to learn to use the toilet, and a parent’s readiness to do the training. When a child has autism, toilet training could come with specific challenges. What we know is that all children are different, so whether your child is diagnosed with autism or neurotypical, it’s a complicated process to sign up for. That said, a toilet trained child is quite an accomplishment for themselves and for the parent. Say goodbye to the cost of diapers or pull-ups and improve your child’s confidence in being able to independently use the restroom. It’s worthwhile to begin the process of toilet training once you believe it’s the right time to do so. Read More

Sleep Routine Tips for Children with Autism

Research has shown that as many as 80% of children with autism spectrum disorder are affected by sleep issues. Inconsistent or inadequate sleep can exacerbate problem behaviors, so establishing a more consistent bedtime routine is worth the effort. When a child has a regular bedtime, it creates a sense of predictability in family routines. But it’s not only for Monday through Friday. It’s important that newly established routines carry through seven days a week. When all caregivers are committed and abide by a consistent bedtime routine, a child is more likely to learn the skills to fall asleep & stay asleep without disruption. This is especially important for children with autism, who are frequently most successful with predictable and consistent schedules.Bedtime routines should be short, predictable and expected. School-age children typically need 10-11 hours of sleep, however, there is research that suggests children with autism may need less. Read More