The Autism Dad

In this week's episode, Master IEP Coach Kimberly Charles is on the show to help us better navigate the IEP process and answer some of your IEP questions. She has tons of advice that can help parents and IEP teams work better together. When we all work together, our kids benefit the most.About Kimberly Charles:Kimberly Charles is a Special Education Consultant and Master IEP Coach® who works with parents of children with special needs to support them through the special education process. Kimberly believes parents are the experts on their child and believes that their full participation in the special education process is vital to the success of their child. Kimberly has taught special education to children in grades k through 8, in multiple states over the last 20 years. She left the classroom to bring her years of experience to the other side of the IEP table helping families secure the support their child needs in school. Kimberly is an active member of the Master IEP Coach Community® and belongs to the Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education from Clemson University.https://kimberlyjcharles.com/FacebookInstagramMentioned in this episode:The Hoglet by Hedgehog Health is one of the coolest sensory tools I’ve seen in a long time. My youngest absolutely loves his Hoglet. The Hoglet was created by a Special Education teacher to appeal to autistic people, people with ADHD, and other sensory-seeking learners, as well as people who just love to fidget.The Hoglet is a plug-and-play wireless computer mouse with a specially-made silicone cover. The Hoglet is covered in tiny nubs, kind of mimicking the look of well, a Hedgehog. The cover provides satisfying tactile sensory input which many sensory seekers benefit from. It’s perfect for classrooms, computer labs, working from home, or just bringing color and fidget fun to cubicles everywhere.The Hoglet is made of food-grade silicone. It’s durable, super easy to clean, fun to use, and comes in 5 vibrant colors. For more information, visit Amazon and search for "Hoglet computer mouse" of click here. Use the promo code “autismdad1” and you’ll also get two free Hoglet fidget keychains. That’s a $15 value, absolutely free. 

In this week's episode, I spoke with Jason Brown about being a Dad and as well as his experience parenting his amazing autistic daughter.About Jason Brown:Jason Brown is the father of his beautiful, hilarious, incredibly smart 7-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 3. He is also the owner of Starling Studios, a recording studio, with a focus on Post Production for Film and TV and Podcast Production.About Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.Mentioned in this episode:Do you work with or care for children with autism? Learn from leading autism experts, activivists and self-advocates, including Dr. Tyler Whitney, Alix Generous, Kaelynn Partlow from the Nexflix series “Love on The Spectrum”, the clinical team at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, and more at Converge Autism Summit, May 16 and 17 at the Greenville South Carolina convention center. Learn more and get tickets at convergeautism.com. Use the code “autismdad15” and save 15%

On this week's episode, I sat down with my friend Megan Champion. Megan is the mom of 3 neurodivergent kids and the founder of On The Hard Days on Instagram. Megan talks about her personal journey toward acceptance, and how she discovered her calling to help other moms of neurodivergent kids with her amazing platform.About Megan Champion: Megan is a mom of three neurodivergent kids, a former educator with 15 years of experience, and the founder of On The Hard Days. Megan provides connection & community to improve the mental health of moms raising neurodivergent children.Website: ontheharddays.comPodcast: On The Hard DaysIG: @on.the.hard.daysEmail: ontheharddays@gmail.comAbout Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.Mentioned in this episode:GoallyGoally is a digital visual scheduler, AAC talker, token board system, and more all rolled into one easy-to-use app. It's made for unique thinkers like autistic kids and kids with ADHD. Kids together with Goally can conquer daily routines and therapy practice without prompting from mom or dad. This reduces that feeling of nagging your kids, and it also grants your kids some autonomy to sort of manage their own lives. Goally can easily be used on your child's existing device or with Goally's optional and affordable, dedicated device. In my house, we found that the dedicated device seems to work better for my son, so that's what we use.For more information, you can visit getgoally.com and use the code “theautismdad” to save 10% off your order.

This week I speak with Sara Roberts about her autism parenting journey. In this unscripted conversation, we learn about her life and the challenges she faces raising her autistic son.About Sara Roberts:Sara is a single mom to her 8 year old son with autism, adhd, dmdd and ocd. She wants to share their daily struggles and obstacles so other parents can know that they aren’t alone. Connect with Sara on FacebookAbout Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.

Sensory eating is something so many autism families struggle with on a daily basis, mine included. My guest this week is Brittyn Coleman, aka The Autism Dietitian. Brittyn is one of only a handful of dietitians across the country specializing in autistic kids. She’s here to help us better understand what sensory eating is and how it differs from picky eating. We also talk about how we can help ensure proper nutrition in our kids, and expand their menus in creative ways.About Brittyn Coleman:Brittyn grew up with an autistic brother. She majored in Nutritional Sciences and became a board certified Registered Dietitian and went on to obtain her Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences and specialize in autism spectrum disorders. Her master’s thesis was a study connecting food aversions and nutrient intake in kids with ASD. Before starting her private practice, she worked in interdisciplinary clinics and centers for kids with a wide variety of developmental disabilities, but her heart always stayed with ASD.EDUCATION Master of Science (MS) in Nutritional Sciences; University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nutritional Sciences; University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Fellow CREDENTIALS Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) by the Commission on Dietetic Registration Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) by Oxford Biomedical Technologies Licensed Dietitian (LD) Connect with Brittyn ColemanInstagramFacebookWebsiteAbout Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.

In this weeks episode, I share my annual Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month message.About Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.

In this week's episode, I take on the controversial topic of ABA therapy. My guest, Ashley Gibson-Stewart, is a board-certified BCBA with a decade of experience. We validate what our autistic adult friends endured as kids in ABA therapy. At the same time, we talk about how much ABA has changed since then, what we’ve learned, and how it’s very different now. We can’t begin to heal what has been done in the past if we don’t first acknowledge it. What happened to our adult autistic friends back in the early days of ABA therapy was traumatizing and can never be allowed to happen again. We also must recognize how things have changed, and what kids experience now is very different. Presently, parents are not abusing their kids by utilizing ABA therapy. We can all work together to help make sure that we learn from the past and focus on what we need to do to heal and bring everyone together for the betterment of the many kids currently needing help to navigate life.About Ashley Gibson-Stewart: I am a BCBA and have been in the ABA field for over a decade. I have worked with individuals from 18 months old to 67 years old across all settings and environments. My passion is working with clients and their families to make impactful changes and improve their quality of life, however that looks for them.About Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.Mentioned in this episode:GoallyGoally is a digital visual scheduler, AAC talker, token board system, and more all rolled into one easy-to-use app. It's made for unique thinkers like autistic kids and kids with ADHD. Kids together with Goally can conquer daily routines and therapy practice without prompting from mom or dad. This reduces that feeling of nagging your kids, and it also grants your kids some autonomy to sort of manage their own lives. Goally can easily be used on your child's existing device or with Goally's optional and affordable, dedicated device. In my house, we found that the dedicated device seems to work better for my son, so that's what we use.For more information, you can visit getgoally.com and use the code “theautismdad” to save 10% off your order.Learn More About MightierMightier is a biofeedback-based video game platform that teaches kids to self-regulate emotionally. This leads to a significant reduction in meltdowns and parental stress. It's backed by science and has helped over 100,000 kids learn to regulate their emotions. For more information, the latest reviews/updates as well as current discount codes, visit theautismdad.com/mightier.Read My Mightier Review and the code “theautismdad” to save 10% off your order.

In this weeks listener questions episode, I answered your questions about ADHD. You guys have been sending in some really good questions and I picked the top three to answer this week. They are as follows: How did I go 43 years without being diagnosed? How do you know the difference between ADHD and simply being forgetful, unmotivated, or unfocused? What are some strategies that can be used to help manage ADHD? About Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.Mentioned in this episode:Do you work with or care for children with autism? Learn from leading autism experts, activivists and self-advocates, including Dr. Tyler Whitney, Alix Generous, Kaelynn Partlow from the Nexflix series “Love on The Spectrum”, the clinical team at Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, and more at Converge Autism Summit, May 16 and 17 at the Greenville South Carolina convention center. Learn more and get tickets at convergeautism.com

In this week's episode, my friend Ray Bracht joins me to talk about special needs parenting from a dad’s perspective. Ray is an autism dad and an autism step-dad. He opens up about what his journey as a special needs dad has been like. We talk about some of the challenges he’s currently facing, what he fears about the future, how all the stress impacts his marriage, and what his hopes are for his amazing family. We talk dad stuff and even answer some listener questions. This was a great conversation and I hope it inspires other dads to open up.Please note that in the episode, Ray states that he’s 56 years old. He is in fact 52 years old and I promised I would clarify that in the notes. :-)About Ray Bracht: Ray is the father of a young adult dude with Autism who lives at home with him and his wife on their hobby farm in semi-rural Minnesota. Ray works in IT, 100% remotely, and his wife is a paraprofessional who works with DCD high schoolers in a nearby town. Both Ray and his wife, who is Cam’s step-mom, are legal guardians and are currently faced with challenges related to transitioning to adulthood and what the future looks like for Cam. The family enjoys camping in their travel trailer, concerts, movies, plays, and gardening.About Rob Gorski and The Autism Dad podcast:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys and Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, digital marketer, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.com.Featured in this week’s episode:GoallyGoally is a digital visual scheduler, AAC talker, token board system, and more all rolled into one easy-to-use app. It's made for unique thinkers like autistic kids and kids with ADHD. Kids together with Goally can conquer daily routines and therapy practice without prompting from mom or dad. This reduces that feeling of nagging your kids, and it also grants your kids some autonomy to sort of manage their own lives. Goally can easily be used on your child's existing device or with Goally's optional and affordable, dedicated device. In my house, we found that the dedicated device seems to work better for my son, so that's what we use.For more information, you can visit getgoally.com and use the code “theautismdad” to save 10% off your order.

In this week's episode, Mckell Smith is back to answer your questions about speech therapy. Mekell is a Speech and Language Pathologist, as well as a special needs Mom. Speech therapy is so important to so many kids, and won’t believe some of the things speech therapy can actually help with. It’s actually, kind of amazing. Mckell helps you navigate your speech journey by sharing things like when to get your child evaluated, how to prepare for your initial evaluation, what questions to ask, how to ensure the best possible outcome and everything in between.This episode is designed to be a community resource and I hope it helps you to better understand, prepare for, and navigate speech therapy.If you enjoyed this episode, please take 30 seconds and leave a review on apple podcast. Here's how you do it:1) Click here2) Scroll down about halfway and you'll see where you leave a review. Thank you!! :-)Guest Bio:Mckell Smith is a Speech & Language Therapist, mom of four (three with special needs), advocate, and business owner. Mckell is passionate about helping kids, and their families.You can find here at the links below:www.childchampions.netwww.instagram.com/im.mckellHost Bio:Rob Gorski is a single Dad to three amazing autistic boys as well as Found and CEO of The Autism Dad, LLC. Multiple award-winning blogger, podcaster, content creator, digital marketer, social media influencer, and respected public figure for well over a decade.Connect with Rob Gorski: https://listen.theautismdad.comMentioned in this episode:GoallyGoally is a digital visual scheduler, AAC talker, token board system, and more all rolled into one easy-to-use app. It's made for unique thinkers like autistic kids and kids with ADHD. Kids together with Goally can conquer daily routines and therapy practice without prompting from mom or dad. This reduces that feeling of nagging your kids, and it also grants your kids some autonomy to sort of manage their own lives. Goally can easily be used on your child's existing device or with Goally's optional and affordable, dedicated device. In my house, we found that the dedicated device seems to work better for my son, so that's what we use.For more information, you can visit getgoally.com and use the code “theautismdad” to save 10% off your order.