RDIconnect® Blog
Articles. Resources. Help.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 child with autism. Learn more by watching...
Promoting Positive Behavior in our Autism Treatments
Problem behavior, typically thought of as “ASD 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 with ASD 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
A dad and his little girl are playing catch, she moves from a simple back and forth play routine into a different kind of play as she introduces a request for fought and tumble.Watch...
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
It’s Thursday—like no Thursday we’ve ever known. Parents who are mindful guides help children manage difficult times. This is a video that shares the problems a mother encounters as her...
RDI At Home: A Reciprocal Pattern
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...
RDI At Home: Making Cookies
The following was submitted by an RDI Parent"This is Mom and Zayd...To help manage the stress of the pandemic we have been doing many daily mundane activities with RDI in mind.This one...
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...
RDI At Home: Variations on the Game of War
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known.In response to quarantine and isolation, RDI families and consultants are sharing videos of themselves working and playing with their...
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...
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...
RDI At Home: Action for Action
It’s Thursday—like no Thursday we’ve ever known.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...
Covid 19 Off the Rails: The Emotional Roller Coaster
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve ever known.Dr Sarah Wayland ( RDI Consultant and Parent) joins Parent to Parent host Kat Lee, revisiting the Emotional Roller Coaster in these...
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...
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 “This...
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 A Sister Who Has Autism
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 a young woman...
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 Texas!...
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 guiding...
RDI At Home: Fight Song
It’s Friday—like no Friday we’ve ever known. Admire and enjoy the senior project of an amazing young woman who has her sights set on a career as an interpretive artist. Kat Lee has been an RDI...
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...
RDI At Home: Experience Sharing with Pizza
It’s Monday—like no Monday we’ve ever known. As this RDI mother and son work together to make a pizza, the boy is introduced to a cheese shredder. Does it have a battery? He asks. There are many...
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 children with autism 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...
RDI At Home: Spelling is Universal
It’s Saturday, like no Saturday we’ve ever known. I’m thinking of everything I used to do on Saturday. But, this is very cool! Watch this father and son spell universal. There are pauses, lots of...
