Come visit our booth at Boo at the Barn hosted by Miracles in Motion in Swisher Saturday, October 23rd! There will be several different activities with a sensory hour from 12-1pm and open to the public from 1-3:30pm. I hope to see you there!

For the last several decades, April has been Autism Awareness month. A time to “light it up blue” and show off the puzzle piece. This year, I encourage you to consider something else, acceptance not awareness. This April, you will find me wearing red instead. I will wear red for Autism Acceptance month. I will wear red to support the autistic community. Moreover, I will wear red to spark conversations about doing more.
 
According to the CDC, autism affects about 1 in 54 individuals and, while there are many different therapies for autism, there is no cure. It affects everyone differently, from language and communication or executive functioning to cognition or many other skills and functions. It is often overwhelming deciding what to do once a diagnosis is made.
 
Finding a provider is a very personal experience and should be met with many questions. What are the outcomes you are hoping to accomplish? How will you ensure my loved one and I agree with the goals and methods used? What happens if we want to stop treatment or are showing distress? How will you help advocate for us? I would want these questions answered, and I offer them to you in hopes we can all support those impacted.  
 
But how do we show our support when society has a set of norms everyone is supposed to follow? It has not been very forgiving or accommodating to those who don’t fit the mold of “normal.” We want everyone to look and act the same way, but that is not autism. It is time we start accepting the individuality of autism and proactively work to get impacted individuals integrated into our society so we can stop relying on “awareness.” Here is a list of things you can start doing now to make positive changes for acceptance. It's not an exhaustive list, but it is somewhere to start.
 

• Don’t expect eye contact- Making eye contact can be very aversive or even painful to some, so we shouldn’t force it.
• Embrace special interests- I have met children who know more about a specific topic than I could ever dream of learning (whether it be trains, elevators, or movie production companies). These interests may seem to hinder social functioning because they can become the only topic of discussion. You will be the most helpful when you allow someone to grow their interests. Special interests can turn into careers one day, or help build relationships with those who have similar interests.
• Repetitive behaviors- A large part of the diagnostic criteria for autism is repetitive and stereotyped behavior (otherwise known as stimming). This can be flapping of hands, making repetitive noises, spinning, etc. These harmless behaviors actually have an important function. They are ways our body helps us process information and regulate feelings/emotions. A neurotypical person might do things like bounce their leg, tap a pencil, or even bite their nails. In most cases, these are automatic responses, which we don’t even realize are taking place. Suppressing them could cause undue stress.
• Allow for routine- Schedules are very important and routine is necessary. Making changes without prior preparation can create a huge disruption and cause dysregulation.
• Be kind- This goes without saying, just be kind. Meltdowns happen and instead of trying to force compliance, be gentle and allow safe space for those in crisis to regulate themselves.

  
You can make positive change today…conduct your own research and become involved in advocacy and acceptance efforts. Listen and learn from autistic individuals, they have a lot to say if you take the time to truly listen.

I have been quiet for a long time as disappointment set in while getting credentialed with insurance companies. I believe in transparency, so I would like to update you with what has been happening. Last June, I was approved to submit claims through Blue Cross Blue Shield, but denied as an in-network provider because I did not have a location that was handicap accessible along with some other requirements. I was naive in thinking that providing services in-home would exempt me from establishing a physical location (I just have a home office). I spent the next several months trying to figure out where I could rent space and how I would be able to afford it. This quest proved unsuccessful. I just could not make it work. My husband and I discussed at great lengths how we could put an addition on our house to meet these requirements, but plumbing, time, and cost were all concerns. My current office is located in our walkout basement, but we do not have a good way to get down to the basement. It was then that I looked into getting an outdoor lift from our driveway to the basement level. At this point, it was the middle of winter and I would not be able to make any progress on getting the ground prepared to install a lift. I had to wait... and wait... and wait... Now, almost a year later with COVID sequestering my husband and I to our home, we have had more time to think and prepare. We are instead IN THE PROCESS of  building an ADA compliant ramp to the basement entrance! The weather hasn't been great the last several days, but we should be pouring concrete within the month, barring too much rain. I will then be able to reapply as an in-network provider. Cue happy dance!

In other exciting news, I am now an in-network provider for United Healthcare! And can serve families with UHC as their primary insurance. Stay tuned for more updates!

Hello everyone and welcome to Advantage Autism and Therapy Services, LLC. I am still in the early stages of starting this venture and cannot wait to provide you with quality services. I moved back to Iowa almost 2 years ago and was surprised at the limited number of resources in the area for those with autism. I am making it my mission to offer more accessible services to those in the Muscatine area.

​I am currently working on becoming credentialed with Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, and hopefully Medicaid. I will also accept private pay clients. If you have any questions about my services or where I am with credentialing, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to hear from you. Check back later for more updates!