July 15, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources for Summer Sensory Processing Issues The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of resources for sensory processing issues that are exacerbated by summer. Learn More For many children with autism, The Child Mind Institute writes, summer can be a challenging season. Because many of them can be sensitive to light or certain sounds and textures, they might not enjoy things that other children do – such as playing in the sand on the beach or watching July 4th fireworks. The Child Mind Institute has put together some resources that parents can utilize to help children with autism enjoy the season on their own terms. Tips on how to navigate overstimulating summer activities involve planning and letting children know what to expect, whether you’re going on vacation or outside on a hot day, as well as smoothing transitions from one environment to another since unfamiliar sensations can lead children to act out. Rather than avoiding potentially stressful situations, The Child Mind Institute notes that it’s better to prepare for them by carrying comfortable clothing, earplugs, sunglasses, and other items. Showing kids how to deal with unpleasant sensory experiences helps them to recognize their needs and learn to manage situations on their own. Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on managing sensory processing issues during the summer: Summer and Sensory Processing Issues Sensory Processing Issues Explained Tips for Going Places with Sensory-Challenged Kids How Can We Help Kids with Transitions? Supporting vs. Enabling Sensory-Friendly Party Ideas
May 26, 2025 Child Mind Institute Lists Best Books on Mental Health for Children As part of national Mental Health Awareness Month, the Child Mind Institute has released a list of the best books of 2024 for children that tackle topics relating to mental health. Learn More Clinicians at the Child Mind Institute reviewed more than 60 titles while compiling the list and eventually narrowed it down to 20 books. The books on the list involved storylines or themes that helped children to understand and handle mental health challenges. The list breaks down the books by topics: anxiety, mindfulness, feelings, sadness and depression, OCD, ADHD, autism, eating disorders, and parental addiction. The lists included Anxiety The Worry Monster (Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone) What to Do When You Worry Too Much (Dawn Huebner, PhD) Invisible Isabel (Sally J. Pla) Unstuck (Barbara Dee) Mindfulness A Tiny Difference (June Tate) Today (Gabi Snyder) Feelings Bea’s Bad Day (Tom Percival) The Hare-Shaped Hole (John Dougherty) My Thoughts Have Wings (Maggie Smith) Cranky (Phuc Tran) A Terrible Place for a Nest (Sara Levine) Sadness and Depression The Cat Who Couldn’t Be Bothered (Jack Kurland) Gray (Laura Dockrill) A Voice in the Storm (Karl James Mountford) OCD The Very Best Me (Marin Canaday) Puzzled (Pan Cooke) ADHD That Always Happens Sometimes (Kiley Frank) Autism Henry and the Something New (Jenn Bailey) Eating Disorders Louder Than Hunger (John Schu) Parental Addiction Breaking Into Sunlight (John Cochran) For the entire list and the descriptions of the books, visit the Child Mind Institute’s website.
April 18, 2024 Sensory-Friendly Afternoon The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh will host a sensory-friendly event on the second Tuesday of every month, starting May 14. Learn More Children with autism spectrum disorders and sensory sensitivities can take part in a fun, friendly experience with their families in a comfortable and accepting environment. Lights and sounds in spaces throughout the museum are adjusted for the event. There will be designated quiet areas to provide space to take a break. Sensory kits with noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, an assortment of fidgets, and other items will be available. More Details Sensory-Friendly Afternoons will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information, email accessibility@pittsburghkids.org.
Sensory-Friendly Afternoon The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh will host a sensory-friendly event on the second Tuesday of every month, starting May 14. Learn More Children with autism spectrum disorders and sensory sensitivities can take part in a fun, friendly experience with their families in a comfortable and accepting environment. Lights and sounds in spaces throughout the museum are adjusted for the event. There will be designated quiet areas to provide space to take a break. Sensory kits with noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, an assortment of fidgets, and other items will be available. More Details Sensory-Friendly Afternoons will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information, email accessibility@pittsburghkids.org.
Sensory-Friendly Afternoon The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh will host a sensory-friendly event on the second Tuesday of every month, starting May 14. Learn More Children with autism spectrum disorders and sensory sensitivities can take part in a fun, friendly experience with their families in a comfortable and accepting environment. Lights and sounds in spaces throughout the museum are adjusted for the event. There will be designated quiet areas to provide space to take a break. Sensory kits with noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, an assortment of fidgets, and other items will be available. More Details Sensory-Friendly Afternoons will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information, email accessibility@pittsburghkids.org.
Sensory-Friendly Afternoon The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh will host a sensory-friendly event on the second Tuesday of every month, starting May 14. Learn More Children with autism spectrum disorders and sensory sensitivities can take part in a fun, friendly experience with their families in a comfortable and accepting environment. Lights and sounds in spaces throughout the museum are adjusted for the event. There will be designated quiet areas to provide space to take a break. Sensory kits with noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, an assortment of fidgets, and other items will be available. More Details Sensory-Friendly Afternoons will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information, email accessibility@pittsburghkids.org.
April 8, 2024 Family Scholarships Offered for National Autism Conference The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is offering family scholarships to attend the 2024 National Autism Conference in Harrisburg. The conference, which runs from Aug. 5-8, provides comprehensive, evidence-based information to assist educators, other professionals, and families in developing effective educational programming for all students with autism spectrum disorders. Who Should Apply The Parent/Caregiver Scholarship is available to parents or caregivers of a child with an individualized education program (IEP). It is also available for caregivers of a child who receives early intervention (EI) services and meets certain qualifications. Other qualifying factors include: Parents or caregivers who have never previously received the scholarship or who received it previously, but not more than two years in a row Parents or caregivers who receive early intervention services, regardless of whether they have attended in the past Parents who are employed in a professional capacity as educators by any of the following: school, school district, charter school, intermediate unit, parent training and information center, community parent resource center, or other federally-funded educational or advocacy organization are not eligible for a scholarship and should seek funding through their employer. The scholarships offered include full (covers conference registration, lodging, and travel expenses), partial (registration, but not lodging), and lodging for full scholarship applicants traveling for more than 50 miles, one way. More Details The registration window for the scholarship is open through May 30. Scholarships will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. However, priority will be given to parent or caregiver scholarship recipients for the Children’s Institute. Eligible recipients are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Notifications on whether a recipient is accepted for the scholarships will be sent out by June 20. More scholarship details are available on the PaTTAN website.
July 10, 2020 Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism Are you interested in learning how to help early learners with autism engage with remote instruction through evidence-based practices? Attend the webinar “Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism” on July 16. About While remote learning allows students to continue their education, it can be challenging for young students with autism and other developmental disabilities to attend to the screen and engage with the curriculum. In this webinar, STAR Autism Support Training Specialist Elizabeth Curtin will discuss strategies to help early learners with autism engage with synchronous remote instruction through evidence-based practices. A focus of this presentation will be on teaching skills in receptive language, expressive language, social and play, and pre-academics. This webinar will include video examples of teachers coaching caregivers to provide consistent instruction to their students. Participants will also learn strategies on teaching students to be more independent in daily functional routines. This webinar is best suited for pre-k through elementary teachers and school leaders. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. Registration to attend the live presentation is limited to 2,000 people. A recording of the session will be available to those who sign up to receive it via email and to those who attend the live event.
June 19, 2020 Adaptive Dance | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Hosted by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Adaptive Dance is an online class series intended for children ages six and up with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other sensory sensitivities. About The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) emphasizes creative movement principles and modified ballet technique in a welcoming and structured studio environment. Classes are taught by PBT School instructors experienced in adaptive dance and are limited to 15 students. Live music/percussion accompany each class. Caregivers may observe and/or participate in classes if they wish. This class is for children ages six and up. All classes will be held on Zoom. Each student that registers for the entire semester will also receive an adaptive dance kit to bring even more of the studio experience to their home. Session costs five dollars each or you can buy purchase all six sessions for 25 dollars. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre website. More Information For questions about the class or registration, email accessibility@pittsburghballet.org. Share this flyer with your network.
April 23, 2020 Supporting Your Child’s Learning in Everyday Activities Are you interested in learning how to support your child’s learning in everyday activities? Join Autism Navigator on April 28 for their webinar, “How-To Guide for Families: Supporting Your Child’s Learning in Everyday Activities.” About Autism Navigator is collaborating with the Autism Science Foundation to host a webinar that will review what it takes to learn to talk – the gestures, sounds, and actions; how to support children’s learning in everyday activities; and how Autism Navigator and Baby Navigator online resources can support families. Specifically, this webinar will explore their How-To Guide for Families and ways that families can use this resource to help develop their child’s social communication skills. In celebration of Autism Awareness Month, the hosts will offer enrollment in their How-To Guide for free to all families of children ages one to six years old who join this webinar. Registration To register, visit the event webpage.
