RDIconnect® Blog
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Covid-19 Off the Rails: The Emotional Roller Coaster
Dr. Sarah Wayland and Kat Lee talk about the difficulties faced by our kids in the days of COVID and how we can help them – and the entire family – to regulate.
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 of another...
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...
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 an Autistic Sister
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 an autistic...
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...
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...
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 is...
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 autistic children 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
RDI® in Action This video shows RDI® in action, as father and son work together to spell out the word 'universal'. Pausing to give your child enough time to come up with the answer is a major part...
RDI At Home: Pizza Fridays
It’s Friday, like no Friday we’ve ever known. Time for Pizza! You will find yourself smiling as this father and son try to figure out what each other wants to put on the pizza. Notice the pacing and...
RDI At Home: Planting Seeds
It’s Thursday—like no Thursday we’ve ever known. Join Kathy Darrow and plan for a summer harvest. If you don’t have seed packets readily available, cut open fruit or vegetables from the refrigerator...
RDI At Home: Dance! Dance! Dance!
It’s Wednesday—like no Wednesday we’ve every known. We are working from home. We are playing as we work. This is a video of Charlee at her dance recital. It’s quite beautiful. We are spotlighting...
Covid 19: At Home with Our Children
When Family Time is Not a Choice Even the most intrepid saint-like parents might feel the ominous weight and pressure of cabin fever when family time is not a choice but a 24/7 sequestered reality. ...
You can do RDI anywhere!
What is RDI, how is it implemented and how the online platform means less dependence on outside therapists.
Presumed Competence
How Believing in Our Kids will Help Them Believe in Themselves
Declarative Language Handbook
Using a Thoughtful Language Style to Help Kids with Social Learning Challenges Feel Competent, Connected and Understood!
Helping Your Kids Navigate Sensory Challenges
People with autism see and process their world through their senses in a very different way. How can you help your child navigate their sensory issues?
Is Independence Possible with Autism?
Growth and independence are possible, and they happen through a process of guidance that stimulates growth-seeking and awareness in the child.
The Power of Episodic Memory in Autism Part 2
Without the ability to learn from your past experiences and use your episodic memory to make choices, you can become rigid and inflexible and nonfunctional.
Transitioning to Adulthood: Part 2
With RDI® all of the simple and everyday experiences we enjoy with our children become huge in terms of their growth.
What is an Autism Meltdown?
It helps parents once they understand what a meltdown is, as then you are able to gain the ability to foresee the signs of a meltdown, as well as identify the causes, and reduce the frequency.
Holidays & Autism
You can expect your holidays to have positive outcomes and produce beautiful memories when you are mentally prepared, and especially when you do not put too much pressure on yourself.
Transitioning into Adulthood: Part 1
Do you have dreams for your child with autism? Dr. Rachelle Sheely talks about how we should never limit the dreams we have for our kids, autism or not, and how to help put them on a path to independence from a young age.
Speech Therapy Goals for Autism
In the RDI program, our focus is not on language when we talk about speech therapy, it is about RDI lifestyle and daily life opportunities, simple life activities that promote mutual communication.
Non-Verbal Communication Tips
By practicing consistent directive methods, you can master communication challenges, even if your child with ASD is non-verbal.