Why Is Early Intervention Feeding Therapy So Important for Children?

Gratitude is a valuable life skill that can enrich the lives of all individuals, including children on the autism spectrum. Teaching children with autism about gratitude can help them develop a more positive outlook, build stronger relationships, and improve their overall well-being. However, because children on the autism spectrum often have unique learning needs, it’s important to use tailored strategies to teach them about gratitude. Here are a few ideas.

1. Visual Supports

Visual supports are powerful tools for children with autism, as they process information in a more concrete manner. Create visual schedules or charts that incorporate gratitude activities into their daily routines. For example, you can design a “gratitude journal” with pictures or symbols representing things they are thankful for. During the month of November, you could draw a tree on a large piece of paper and add a leaf of gratitude every day with a drawn picture of what you are thankful or writing down simply one word. This can be a simple way to encourage them to reflect on positive aspects of their lives. As they add items to their gratitude journal, reinforce the positive feelings associated with each entry.

2. Social Stories

Social stories are narratives that describe social situations and appropriate behavior. You can create social stories that revolve around gratitude. Tailor the stories to your child’s interests and communication style. For instance, you might develop a story about a character who learns to express gratitude when someone helps them. Reading and discussing these stories with your child can help them understand the concept of gratitude and its importance.

3. Visual Modeling

Children on the autism spectrum often benefit from visual modeling, where they observe someone demonstrating a behavior or skill. Create visual examples of gratitude by using pictures, drawings, or videos. Show them how to say “thank you” or how to express gratitude through simple gestures. Repeated exposure to these visuals can help them imitate and internalize these actions. Make sure you are expressing your appreciation with the people around you while your child is watching.

4. Use Concrete Reinforcers

For many children with autism, immediate reinforcement is key to learning new behaviors. Use concrete reinforcers to motivate your child to practice gratitude. This could be as simple as providing a favorite treat or activity when they express gratitude, whether by saying thank you or engaging in a small act of kindness. The more they associate gratitude with positive outcomes, the more likely they are to embrace it.

5. Practice Mindfulness and Reflection

Gratitude often goes hand in hand with mindfulness and reflection. Teach your child techniques for being present in the moment and focusing on positive aspects of their lives. Simple activities like mindful breathing, meditation, or keeping a gratitude jar can help them develop an appreciation for what they have. Encourage them to reflect at bedtime about their day and share what they are thankful for, fostering a sense of gratitude as part of their daily routine.

Teaching children about gratitude is not only possible but also incredibly beneficial. Gratitude helps improve their emotional well-being, enhance their social interactions, and promote a more positive outlook on life. The key is to tailor your approach to their specific learning needs, using visual supports, social stories, visual modeling, concrete reinforcers, and mindfulness and reflection techniques. Remember that patience and consistency are crucial in helping children with autism develop this valuable life skill. By embracing these strategies, you can help them grow into more thankful, empathetic, and content individuals.

We are proud to sponsor Live in the D, and excited to have joined them this month to bring Autism Awareness.

Tati Amare:
As we watch children grow, we see them develop in many different ways, from infant to toddler to child. As they grow, we celebrate milestones like first steps or first words, but what if the child in your life hasn’t reached a milestone by a certain age or at all? That’s where our sponsor, MetroEHS can help families and children thrive when developmental challenges present themselves. Joining us now here from MetroEHS is our sponsor for Autism Awareness Month is Dawn Sterling, a board certified behavioral analyst with MetroEHS Pediatric Therapy. Good morning and thank you for being with us.

Dawn Sterling:
Good morning. Thank you for having me.

Tati Amare:
This is a lot to think about, but MetroEHS prides itself as a neighborhood therapy company that is accessible to everyone because you have 14 locations and 3 more on the way. Explain the work that you do with families and what makes MetroEHS unique.

Dawn Sterling:
Yes, so we are a pediatric therapy service provider and what really makes us unique is the different variety of services that we offer all in one location. So each neighborhood therapy center has a speech and language pathologist, occupational therapy, physical therapy, applied behavior analysis. We also have dieticians and mental health professionals working with us, and what really sets us apart is our feeding therapy program. So what we do, and its uniqueness, is this wrap around the whole child. So we focus on the whole child developmentally. So whatever a family may be concerned with or struggling with, we’ve got services and support for those families.

Tati Amare:
For every need. I like that. Now if I’m a parent at home and for family members of children, what are some signs that we should look for that may indicate that there may be developmental concerns with our children?

Dawn Sterling:
That’s a great question. So we look for what is called developmental milestones. So your pediatrician is a great person to get that resource from. So if you are at all concerned about your child meeting milestones, maybe they’re not meeting them in the timeframe that you expected, or maybe they had some of these milestones and they’re dropping off, you’re going to start with your pediatrician. They may recommend evaluations. Always pursue those. It’s better to rule out any concerns than to perhaps miss it.
Sometimes what’s recommended is behavior therapy. Applied behavior analysis is one type of therapy that can really help with children with developmental disabilities, and not just autism. These therapies, speech therapy, feeding therapy, occupational therapy, they are for a variety of diagnoses, global childhood developmental delay, any sort of developmental delay that your evaluators may see, there is a related service that can support these families.

Tati Amare:
All right. Now you’ve brought in some example of the items that you use to work with children. So walk us through these tools. I’m going to hold these up.

Dawn Sterling:
Thank you, Tati.

Tati Amare:
Of course.

Dawn Sterling:
MetroEHS is a collaborative pediatric center, so we collaborate with all of our service providers such as SLPs, or Speech Language Pathologists, that may help us design core boards for learners that are not communicating fully with their words yet. We also will collaborate with our occupational therapists on staff for things that may meet a young child’s sensory needs. We are movers and shakers, so sometimes we need to have things that we can play with in our hands, it might be scented to wake up some of those senses. We also have sensory oral chews. We work with a lot of very young kids and we know developmentally young children like to mouth on things.

Tati Amare:
Yeah, this is perfect.

Dawn Sterling:
So this is food grade silicone, it’s safe, it’s safer than the wooden puzzle piece that your toddler might be putting in their mouth. And then we do work on daily living skills, and this is from our OT department, as well. When children are learning to utilize a straw, this cup can be very helpful because we can squeeze it to give them a little bit of that liquid and really show them this is something you might want as we build up their ability to have independence with eating, drinking.

Tati Amare:
And all of that stuff.

Dawn Sterling:
Again, the whole child.

Tati Amare:
Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Okay, so I have to ask you before, because we’re just about running out of time, how rewarding is it for you to be in this position and have the impact with these kids?

Dawn Sterling:
It is the most incredible experience. We get to partner with families. The parents are a viable and valuable member of our treatment team, so we get to work with them and really see what their children and their families are achieving as a result of our therapies. So that is the biggest impact, is seeing progress with our kids.

Tati Amare:
That’s awesome. Dawn, thank you so much for being with us.

Dawn Sterling:
Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Tati Amare:
This is going to be helpful for a lot of families out there. Remember, MetroEHS has 14 locations and 3 more on the way across Metro Detroit. To find a location near you and to see how they can help your family, go to metroehs.com.

How Play Unlocks Potential

Play isn’t just fun; it’s how kids learn best. It gives them the freedom to explore their abilities while feeling safe and supported. Imagine a young hero practicing teamwork by pretending to save the world with their peers or strengthening fine motor skills while building a block tower taller than a skyscraper. These playful missions help kids grow in ways that traditional methods simply can’t.

The BIG THREE Additions to Heroes’ tool belts.

1. Improved Social Powers: Group games teach kids how to share, collaborate, and communicate—turning them into master team players.
2. Problem-Solving Super Skills: Puzzles and pretend play help young heroes learn to think critically and creatively.
3. Emotional Resilience: Role-playing scenarios give kids the tools to navigate their feelings and build confidence.

The Power of Play

In the world of superheroes, a child’s business is play. Through play-based therapy, skilled therapists use games, toys, and imaginative scenarios to help kids develop essential skills. Whether it’s building social connections, improving motor abilities, or boosting communication skills, every playful moment is designed with purpose—turning fun into progress.

For children, play is more than just a pastime; it’s the key to unlocking their unique powers. At MetroEHS, play-based therapy ensures every child has the chance to soar, grow, and shine—because every superhero deserves to feel unstoppable.