When your child has autism, therapy can consume a big part of daily life. Between speech therapy, occupational therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis and social groups, families could juggle multiple sessions each week on top of school and home routines.
Therapy can help children make important progress, but what if the schedule begins to feel overwhelming?
“Parents need to find balance based on their child and their child’s needs,” says Emily LeRose, PhD, CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist at Henry Ford Health. “They still need free time and downtime to avoid therapy burnout.”
LeRose and Penelope Friday, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at Henry Ford Health, say finding that balance can mean rethinking what therapy looks like. By weaving therapy goals into daily routines, families can make progress while helping children find joy and meaning in everyday activities.
Recognize the signs of burnout
“If a child starts pushing back or seems less interested in therapy activities they used to enjoy, that can be a sign to take a step back,” says LeRose. “Sometimes, a little downtime and a fresh approach can help them re-engage.”
Burnout can also appear as a plateau in progress. When that happens, LeRose suggests trying new settings, such as outdoor activities or favorite hobbies, where children can practice the same skills in a more relaxed way.
Make daily life the classroom
LeRose encourages parents to look for ways to work on therapy goals through familiar routines.
“Look for everyday chances to help your child ask for what they need or want during meals or practice following steps while brushing teeth,” she says.
Friday adds that parents can make this approach feel manageable by choosing just a few focus areas. “Having tangible tools, like a checklist, helps,” she says. “What are the big three that we’re going to focus on today? It might be communication, taking turns and adjusting when plans change.”
Examples include:
- Cooking together: Follow steps, measure ingredients and practice fine motor skills
- Grocery shopping: Find items on a list or ask for help locating something
- Laundry time: Sort clothes by color or talk through the process of folding
- Gardening: Plan the sequence of plant growth by digging a hole, planting a seed, watering and weeding
These daily moments allow children to build skills while keeping therapy integrated into life, not separate from it.
Partner with your therapists
When children need a break from formal therapy sessions, LeRose suggests working with therapists to identify goals that can be continued at home or in the community.
“You can partner with your therapist and work with them as a team,” she says. “Maybe they can share what would be helpful to tell a coach or another person who may not have as much knowledge in working with a child with autism.”
Therapists can also provide written notes or recommendations for how to make community activities, like sports or art classes, more successful, especially when they share your child’s strengths in different situations. “That way, everyone is supporting the same goals,” LeRose says.
Your child’s therapy team can help write a “getting to know my child” guide that might include information about how your child:
- Communicates, for example, with an AAC device
- Does best when given one instruction at a time
- Might need to wear headphones to help with sensory input
A teamwork approach can reduce stress for parents, says Friday. “Therapists can give parents tangible tools. It doesn’t have to feel like one more thing on the plate,” she says.
For older kids and teens, follow their interests
As kids grow, social and independence goals become more important. LeRose says many teens on the spectrum find it easier to connect through shared activities rather than casual conversation.
“Their interactions might be better fostered by having that shared interest,” she explains.
Parents can check with libraries, schools or community centers for inclusive programs based on interests like gaming, art, music or dance.
Friday encourages parents to ask about new opportunities or suggest them if they don’t exist. She says that starting the conversation with schools or community programs can often lead to activities that support a child’s interests and growth.
Build confidence and independence
Everyday experiences can teach valuable life skills. “When a child has mastered a skill with me in a clinic setting, I want the parent to take that skill and try to generalize it into functional daily living-type settings,” says LeRose.
Cooking, doing laundry and grocery shopping are all examples of how to build communication, following directions and problem-solving skills while promoting independence.
Other ideas include:
- Completing tasks within a set period of time
- Packing their own backpack
- Putting toys away
- Completing a self-care routine
Using daily routines to help build skills can also prevent burnout. “These are tasks that have to happen, and you can use them effectively, rather than adding one more thing on your plate,” Friday says.
LeRose agrees. “Those are the moments where independence really takes root,” she says.
Top takeaway: By blending therapy goals with daily activities, parents can help children make steady progress while keeping life joyful and balanced.
As Friday puts it, “When parents make therapy part of daily living, it’s not one more thing, it’s just life.”
This content is sponsored by Henry Ford Health. Learn more at henryford.com.
Read more articles like this at Metro Parent’s Your Top Kids Health Questions — Answered!
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