It’s not always easy to pinpoint a medical condition. As adults we sometimes need multiple professionals to diagnose a disorder, oridentify concurrent conditions to an issue. Children are even more difficult because they can’t always articulate the experiences they are going through as effectively. This…

   It’s rare to treat a complicated medical condition from just one approach. Most adults will see an array of specialists for something even as straightforward as kidney stones. Children with autism have multiple options available for treatment as well. At Monarch House we have…

Dressing can be a very complicated task for children with autism. First of all, make sure that the child knows where the clothing is. They can find their T-shirts here, their socks here, and their underwear here. This helps them to be very independent. Now,…

    It can be emotionally difficult for caregivers when children engage in uncooperative behaviour, and sometimes it is difficult to think about the long-term impact of our response in the moment. We can encourage children to engage in cooperative behaviour by catching them being…

      Do you ever get sick of the book your child wants to read over and over again? How about the endless, unrelenting conversations about dinosaurs? You love that they love them, but please! Children with autism often exhibit repetitive behaviors and restricted…

    Everyone has their limits when it comes to the brightness of the lights above them, or the intensity of the sounds they’re immersed in. Children are more vocal than adults about the discomfort they can cause. For children with autism, this goes a…

  Sometimes the best way to learn a new skill is to shadow someone with more experience than you. Ducklings do this when they follow their mother across the street. Children do the same with their parents. To encourage emotional and social skill development for…

Many of us hope our child will excel in sports, as participating in sports activities in the community is a crucial aspect of child development. For example, I once aspired for my child to play in the NHL. However, it soon became apparent that this…

      Dancing. Swimming. Riding a bike. There are many gross motor skills that we take for granted as adults. Children have to learn the basics and slowly refine. For children with autism, sometimes even the fundamentals can pose a challenge. This is where…

      No matter what you do in life—be it your occupation, or your day-to-day interactions in the community—it is going to involve working around other people. The soft skills surrounding how to effectively navigate around these other humans are invaluable, lifelong lessons. Children…