5 Ways to Create a More Neurodivergent Accessible Home
As you know we have individuals with autism, anxiety and ADHD in our home. I want to share 5 tips on how we make our very neurodivergent home more safe, accessible and healthy.
Our Experience with ARFID
I always thought Jackie was a picky eater, but when she was 3.5 she was diagnosed Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder or ARFID. I learned that her "picky eating" was actually much more than that.
Visual Schedule
After Jackie was diagnosed as autistic, one of the things I learned that was really helpful for her was having a visual scheduled board. It was something they used in her special education preschool class that was really helpful for her. Once COVID hit and I was teaching her at home, I knew it would be beneficial for us to use one around the house as well. So I decided to put one together myself.
Autism Binder
When I shared my binder organization system a few years ago, I also shared the autism/medical binder I created for Jackie. At that time, a lot of the overwhelming response I got was: I wish my parents had done something like this for me and then given it to me when I graduated! Combine that feedback with conversations I've had with other parents I knew, I wanted to create something universal that had all of the information someone with a new diagnosis would need in one place.
A Bed Box for Bedtime Anxiety
We've had a hard time with Jackie staying in her room at night or wanting me to stay in her room with her until she falls asleep. One of the members of our therapy team came up with the idea of giving her a bed box full of activities and toys she was only able to have if she stayed in her room without me. I gathered a bunch of special items together and put them in a bedtime only box for her. Let me show you what's in her current bed box!
How I Use A Medication Organizer to Stay on Top of My Meds
I have a lot of pills I have to take. Between supplements, ADHD medication and more, it can be hard to remember to take them all. I found this awesome four week pill organizer almost a year ago now, and I absolutely love it. I wanted to show you how I refill it every month and why I love it so much!
ADHD & Pregnancy
Now that baby brother is here, I wanted to talk about ADHD in pregnancy. In my previous pregnancy with Jackie, I stopped taking my stimulants as soon as I found out I was pregnant. This pregnancy, I stayed on my medication the entire time so I have experience with both ends of the spectrum. Lets get into it!
Using Social Stories to Prepare for New Experiences
Have you ever heard of a social story? This is something we learned about in therapy with our daughter. They are extremely helpful when we are introducing new concepts, new situations, or stuff she's never done before. And while our daughter is autistic, this actually works for pretty much any kid in any situation: kids with anxiety, kids that don't have anxiety, or kids that just need that additional structure knowing what's going to happen when they have a new experience.
Simplifying Mornings with a Clothing Choice Board
Jackie was having a hard time getting dressed in the morning. It seemed to be very overwhelming and causing a lot of anxiety for her which made our mornings really hard. So we talked to her therapy team and we came up with this idea of a clothing choice board.
Neurodivergent Travel Tips
We all know that traveling can be a hassle. With changes in routine, new people, new food, unfamiliar spaces and so much more traveling can be especially hard for anyone that is neurodivergent. These items are a few of the things that I have found to make our traveling easier.
Autism Fidget Toys & Bags
Shortly after Jackie was diagnosed as autistic when we were going to a lot of different therapies, I started carrying around these little fidget bags wherever we went. I realized that they were a great tool to keep her entertained and I now have them in almost every bag we own! I have one in my purse, diaper bag, our church bag, her backpack and we even have one in her bed box. They have become such a staple for us that I decided I would show you what I put in each of ours!
How We Use Countdown Chains
One of the many accommodations we use for our autistic daughter is countdown chains. Usually when we use these, I actually have our daughter help me make them. She loves doing crafts anyway, but I use this time to talk about what we are counting down and how many pieces we need for the chain. She personally seems to enjoy the entire process more when she's participated in creating it.