The Autism Advocate

Welcome to The Autism Advocate, ANNA’s monthly newsletter! We hope this will be a helpful source of information about upcoming events, tips for caregivers, community resources and more. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas for future editions!

ANNA Announcements

Local Events

We are happy to highlight local sensory-friendly and inclusive events across eastern Massachusetts:

🌙 Inclusive Evening at Discovery Museum | Saturday, August 15th | 5–8pm
Discovery Museum, Acton, MA
Children and adults with disabilities or sensory sensitivities are invited to enjoy a free, limited-capacity evening at Discovery Museum. Families can explore the accessible museum and Discovery Woods, try hands-on activities, and spend time in a calmer environment while the museum is closed to the general public. Dinner will be provided, including a gluten-free option, and families may request ASL interpretation in advance. A medical diagnosis is not necessary, and advance registration is required: Register here!

🐾 Sensory-Friendly Movie: PAW Patrol – The Dino Movie | Wednesday, August 26th | 10am–12pm
Cameo Theater, Hingham, MA
The Arc of the South Shore invites families to a sensory-friendly showing of PAW Patrol – The Dino Movie. During the movie, the theater will keep the lights brighter and the volume lower, and children are welcome to move around and make noise as needed. Families who pre-register will receive one complimentary ticket, and additional tickets can be purchased at the door for $7.50 each. Learn more and register here!

🏛️ Sensory-Friendly Morning at Revolutionary Spaces | Friday, August 28th | 9am
Old State House, Boston, MA
Visitors of all ages who benefit from a quieter, more supportive museum experience are invited to explore the Old State House during special early open hours. Attendance is limited to 20 guests, with adjustments to lighting and sound, white noise in gallery spaces, light classical music in the museum store, and hands-on activities available throughout the visit. Admission is free for visitors ages 18 and under and Revolutionary Spaces members, and $5 for adults. Advance reservations are required: Register here!

🌅 Morningstar Access | Saturday, September 5th | 8–10am
Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, MA
Children with disabilities or medical needs and their families are invited to enjoy Boston Children’s Museum during a quieter, less crowded morning visit. This is an “all masks on” event, meaning all staff and visitors ages 2 and older are required to wear masks with no exceptions. Admission is half-price for general admission and free for museum members, with other discounts potentially available (such as EBT/WIC discount). Pre-registration is required: Register here!

Ask ANNA

Do you have something you’d like to ask the ANNA team? Please submit your question here and we will answer it in a future newsletter!

Let’s Talk About Neurodiversity

Here at ANNA, we are committed to delivering services and supports that are neurodiversity-affirming and responsive to the needs and perspectives of the autistic community. This month, we are exploring interoception and how differences in noticing and understanding signals from inside the body can shape an autistic child’s everyday experiences.

Neurodiversity and Interoception

Interoception describes how people notice and understand feelings from inside their bodies. We rely on internal sensations to tell us that we are hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, tired, in pain, or need to use the bathroom. Because neurodivergent individuals process information differently, some may experience differences in how they notice and interpret these body signals. They may have difficulty noticing certain sensations or recognize them only after they have become intense. For example, a child could seem fine and then suddenly feel extremely hungry, urgently need the bathroom, or become overwhelmed because they did not notice the earlier signals their body was giving them.

These differences with interoception can affect everyday needs in ways that may be easy for adults to miss. A child might not notice that they are thirsty until they feel unwell, or may not realize when they are too hot or too cold. Some children also have difficulty identifying where pain is coming from or communicating how intense it feels. Adults can help by noticing patterns, doing low-pressure check ins, and giving children support as they learn more about how their bodies communicate different needs. Over time, this can help children build greater awareness of what they are feeling and what kind of support they need.

Support Your Child’s Development

Supporting Independence Without Withholding Help

It can be hard to find a balance between wanting your child to become more independent, and recognizing that they still need support while they are learning new skills. Sometimes caregivers will wait for their child to either complete a task on their own, ask for help, or persist through frustration because they want to encourage independence. However, for some children – especially when they are tired, overwhelmed, or still learning to recognize what they need – this can make the task much harder.

Consider trying to offer just enough support that your child can stay engaged and successful. You might help with one step of getting dressed, open a difficult container most of the way, provide a visual reminder, or step in when you notice that frustration is building. You can still give your child opportunities to try things independently while remaining available when they need you. Over time, you might notice that they need less help with some tasks and more help with others, and that this can change from day to day.

Independence develops gradually, and children do not need to struggle in order to learn. When adults respond to requests for help and offer support when needed, children learn that asking for help is a safe and useful form of self-advocacy.

Staff Spotlight

Kendall began her career in the field of ABA in 2022 where she worked as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) providing in-home behavior services. While working as an RBT Kendall pursued her master’s degree at Regis College where she ultimately graduated with her Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2025. Since graduating from Regis, Kendall has been working as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) providing individualized, ethical, and evidence-based behavior analytic services to help children and their families learn and grow.

Prior to her work as an RBT, Kendall worked at Boston Children’s Hospital for more than three years alongside speech-language pathologists who collaborated closely with BCBAs to provide augmentative and alternative forms of communication to autistic individuals. This experience strengthened Kendall’s love for the field of ABA and reinforced just how impactful it can be when implemented in a naturalistic and ethical way.

Outside of work, Kendall loves to spend time reading and watching documentaries!

Featured Resource

ANNA Guidebook: Navigating a New Autism Diagnosis for Your Child

We are excited to share that our guidebook Navigating a New Autism Diagnosis for Your Child is now available in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, and English! This guidebook includes key terms, frequently asked questions, tips on finding quality services providers, ideas for building community and connections, safety considerations, and more. We hope this will be a helpful resource, particularly for families early in their journey.

Please check it out on our website, where you can also request that a copy be emailed to you in the language of your choice – ANNA New Diagnosis Guidebook. If you would like a printed copy, or if you have any questions or feedback about the guidebook, please contact Ashley at [email protected].

Recommended Reading

The Strengths-Based Guide to Supporting Autistic Children

“This flexible, dip-in-dip-out guide will introduce you to the strengths-based approach that is helping autistic children and their families to thrive. By focusing on how to identify, develop and use your child’s strengths to support them throughout childhood and into adolescence, this transformative approach is here to show you and your child that their unique character-strengths can empower them and shape their future. 
 
Claire O’Neill combines her personal experience as an autistic person and mother to autistic children with her expert knowledge as a professional working with autistic young people to demonstrate the value of a strengths-based approach. 
 
With step-by-step instructions on how parents and teachers can incorporate this approach easily into family and school life, Claire also offers a variety of specific tips, tricks and engaging activities to provide ongoing support for parents and teachers alike.”

Caregiver Affirmation

“I am not alone.”

Feelings of isolation are common among parents and caregivers of children with autism. It can feel like you are having a very different parenting experience than your friends and family and like other people don’t understand all that you are managing. Many social activities for children and their families are designed with non-autistic children in mind, so it can be hard to participate in these activities and meet other families. You are also likely spending a lot of time finding and participating in services, learning about your child’s needs and planning for their future. It’s hard to find the time and capacity to find community and build relationships even if you want to.

Fortunately, there is a huge community of parents and caregivers who do understand and who feel the same way! Connecting with others who share similar experiences can be incredibly supportive and uplifting for both you and your child. Here are some ideas for making those connections:

• Join a Support Group at the Autism Alliance

• Request a Parent to Parent Match through the Federation for Children with Special Needs

• Look up your city or town’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and connect with them by sending an email, joining their mailing list or attending a meeting- your child does not need to be attending school for you to get involved

• Search for local social media groups for parents and caregivers of autistic children and consider joining

• Explore local Special Olympics programming

• Look for events that are advertised as inclusive and/or sensory-friendly and attend the ones that work for you

• Fenced and otherwise inclusive playgrounds can also be a great place to meet families like yours due to the increased accessibility and safety features

Whether through meetings, events, phone calls or social media, finding a way to connect that aligns with your preferences and communication style can make a big difference. We are here to help if you need support in taking these steps, and remember that just one connection can start you on the path to a robust support system!

We’d love to hear about your experiences with ANNA! Leaving a Google review is a great way to help other families learn about our services. If you have a moment, you can share your thoughts by clicking this button. Thank you for being part of our community!