RDIconnect® Blog
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What is Executive Functioning and How Autism Affects It
Executive functioning is critical to our independence as an adult, and most of us are not aware that we possess it. It is comprised of cognitive and mental abilities that help us regulate, control, and manage our thoughts and actions and can be a marked challenge for autistic people.
RDIConnect® Guiding Engagements
Mindful Guiding is not conducted in a spontaneous, seat-of manner. Rather, it takes place during guiding engagements.
Activities for Autistic Children
You can use your imagination as the parent guide and erase any thoughts or burdens you may have perceived as limitations. There are countless activities you can plan that help reach the goals and dreams that you have for your child’s mental growth and development.
Obstacle to the Guiding Relationship
Whether you are new to the RDI® Model or have been around for some time, at some point you will face challenges and obstacles in the process of Guiding your autistic child. Learn more by watching...
Promoting Positive Behavior in our Autism Treatments
Problem behavior, typically thought of as “autism behavior”, is both voluntary and involuntary action that autistic children resort to as a coping mechanism in their environment. Positive behavior, signs that your child listens, watches, responds, and eagerly wants to be a part of the learning and growth process is what we encourage in our treatment. Our program is not one of behavior modification, nor are we a textbook program that treats behavior in autism based on age-related standards. We treat behavior as information.
Mindful Communication
Recommendations for developing mindful, experience-sharing communicationChanging the approach to the way you interact with your child can make all the difference in his or her mental...
What is My Role as a Parent in Autism Treatment?
Do you look at your therapist or consultant as the authority that possesses the main role in your child’s autism treatment? You are the one that holds the dreams for your child’s development in life, and you are also the one that can best provide home-based opportunities for your child’s mental and self-growth.
RDI®️️ At Home: Playing Catch with Dad
This video is an example of how RDI®️️ can be used at home, through everyday activities.
Tips for Virtual RDI® Consulting
Are you working remotely with your child’s autism specialist or consultant? We have some tips to help you get the most out of each session!
RDI®️️ At Home: Stacking Cups
The growth of self, cognitive development and emotional regulation do not develop if a child does not value and accept the parent’s guidance.
RDI®️️ In Response to Quarantine and Isolation
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve ever known. Another parent gives insight into daily life and the building of her guiding relationship with her son. This is what to look for—the huge...
RDI®️️ At Home: Making Cookies
Watch as this mom and her son use RDI®️️ as they make chocolate chip cookies.
RDI®️️ At Home: Setting Up the Grill
It’s Tuesday—like no Tuesday we’ve ever known. Today’s video spotlights perseverance, thinking and resilience. Watch this child figure out how to put a grill together. A first look suggests that the...
RDI®️️ At Home: Variations on the Game of War
In response to quarantine and isolation, RDI®️️ families and consultants are sharing videos of themselves working and playing with their children.
RDI®️️ At Home: Master Chef
It’s Saturday—like no Saturday we’ve ever known. Watch this Masterchef juggle more than one dish at a time. His Consultant Kamini Lakhani, RDI®️️ Trainer for India, writes:We discovered Vishal’s...
RDI®️️ At Home: Monster Walk
It’s Friday—like no Friday we’ve ever known. Feeling cooped up, lacking energy, need to exercise? Grab a child and do the Monster Walk. I won’t ruin it with too many details but do take note of...
RDI®️️ At Home: Action for Action
This video demonstrates very clearly how a basic idea that remains the same can be changed ever so slightly as it begins to explore larger and larger ideas.
Covid-19 Off the Rails: The Emotional Roller Coaster
Dr. Sarah Wayland and Kat Lee talk about the difficulties faced by our kids in the days of COVID and how we can help them – and the entire family – to regulate.
RDI®️️ At Home: Sharing Perspectives/Smelling Together
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known. There are some very obvious differences in capabilities when a child has autism. Most striking is the inability to understand the perspective of another...
How to Measure Success in Your Child’s Autism Therapy
Have you ever asked yourself if your child’s autism therapy is working? You aren’t alone in your thoughts.
RDI®️️ At Home: Build a Castle
RDI®️️ is about thinking and cognitive development. If I ask you “What is your idea?” you may struggle to come up with something or even ask, “about?". But, in a different way what if I tell you...
RDI®️️ At Home: Making Juice
Parents often ask for ways to work on referencing facial expression tone of voice and body language because their child might have language but is missing these important elements for conversation....
Mohit The Artist
In every generation an artist comes along whose expression pushes the evolutionary aesthetic curve. Meet Mohit and watch Mohit paint. His fascination with internal landscapes expresses a powerful...
A Brother Talks About Flourishing With an Autistic Sister
A common worry of parents who have children on the spectrum is whether autism might negatively impact their other child. Last Friday I had the opportunity to interview the brother of an autistic...
RDI®️️ At Home: An Apple a Day
It’s Tuesday—like no Tuesday we’ve ever known. As you watch this video, pay close attention to the guiding relationship between this mother and her son. It is a sweet interaction that is very...
RDI®️️At Home: Drawing with Mom
It’s Tuesday—like no Tuesday we’ve ever known. A lovely, low-key example of using an every day experience to work on perspective taking. "The children are all home- due to the lock down."Look at how...
RDI®️️ At Home: Daily Rhythm
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known. A Homeschool RDI®️️ Mom share her valuable wisdom and invites you to turn this period of isolation into an opportunity: Greetings from an RDI®️️ mom in...
RDI®️️ At Home: Cutting Veggies – Set Pattern to Achieve Joint Coordination
It’s Sunday—like no Sunday we’ve ever known. Dr. Dhanashri, a consultant from India shows the power of an every day regulatory pattern as a backdrop for growing a child’s mind. Notice the attention...
RDI®️️ At Home: Setting the Table
It’s Saturday—like no Saturday we’ve ever known. A principle of RDI®️️ is that parents of children on the spectrum know how to guide their children—RDI®️️ simply helps them develop the desire for...
Caring For Children And Teens With Special Needs During A Global Pandemic
Every now and then I come across a message so timely, an interview so relevant that I find myself wanting it to arrive in your inbox before I’ve even sent it. Dr. Sarah Wayland, RDI®️️ parent...
RDI®️️ At Home: Glove Experiment
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve ever known. Get ready to hold your breath. This mother, an expert guide, shares a simple science experience with every day kitchen ingredients. I found myself...
RDI®️️ At Home: Remediate Core Deficits of Autism
It’s Tuesday—like no Tuesday we’ve ever known. As you watch this video you may find yourself confused. (I did) What are they doing, I kept asking myself. And, when they finished there was magic....
RDI®️️ At Home: Make a Funny Face
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known. As you watch this, video you will be struck by its simplicity and far reaching impact on a young child’s ability to share experiences and enjoy non...
RDI®️️ At Home: Parenting in a Challenging Time
It’s Sunday—like no Sunday we’ve ever known. Maisie and Pete: This short description of steps to maintain and healthy lifestyle while our children are home all day will quickly pinpoint important...
RDI®️️ At Home: Pouring Water
It’s Saturday—like no Saturday we’ve ever known. In this lovely little video you will see a mother and her son enjoying a simple activity of pouring water. Pay attention to the child’s attention. He...
RDI®️️ At Home: Nonverbal Communication with Teddy Bear
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve ever known. I have watched this wonderful video many times and I am still laughing. Dr. Dhanashri and her son are communicating without words. Dr. Dhanashri is...
RDI®️️ At Home: Gardening as a Pastime
It’s Sunday—like no Sunday we’ve ever known. This is a bird’s eye view of the Guiding Relationship between a grandfather and grandson. Note the child’s observation of his grandfather and his...
RDI®️️ At Home: Working as a Team
It’s Saturday—like no Saturday we’ve ever known. Like many of you I am experiencing the cabin fever associated with quarantine, curfews and isolation. An RDI®️️ Consultant in Training, Sheila He...
RDI®️️ At Home: Change
It’s Friday—like no Friday we’ve ever known. Every now and again we are privileged to observe a rare and beautiful talent. This video, by a very creative young lady, describes the importance of...
Online Therapy to Help Autism
Parents of autistic children often seek alternative methods of therapy that fit into their busy schedules and work in their child’s most effective learning environment—the home. For this reason, online therapy is a growing and popular choice.
RDI At Home: How to be Present With Your Child
It’s Thursday—like no Thursday we’ve ever known. RDI consultants, Julie Meyerowitz SLP and Sarah Wayland PhD reflect on autism, parents at home with children and specific things you will want to do...
RDI At Home: Virtual Hike
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve ever known. Taking the perspective of another person is a difficult milestone for our children. Because of the current self quarantine and social distancing,...
RDI At Home: Cleaning Up Blocks
It’s Tuesday, like no Tuesday we’ve every known. This little activity lends itself to variations that may come to you only as you try it out. Looking for more? We are throwing open our doors, we are...
RDI At Home: Coordinated Dinner
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known. You are home and it’s time for dinner. Turn it into an RDI moment with Nick and his mom. Watch this duo coordinate their actions to work on a casserole....
RDI At Home: Finding Beauty At Home
It’s Sunday like no Sunday we’ve ever known. We are inside and trying to manage our children and ourselves. Entertaining our children has been exhausting. Take an old telephone book outside...