Dr. Lisa Marnell, OTD, MBA

For many Autistic students, the end of the school year is not lighter. It may actually be less predictable, more socially demanding, louder, and full of transitions.

As an Autistic adult, with my own OT clinic and a lot on my plate with speaking and delivering school district professional development, I face the same challenge every day. And it is this: I struggle with transitions. The stress I feel typically (always) disappears once I am inside a new task, especially when this task is something I enjoy and that I am drawn toward. Once I start the task, I remember how I LOVE to engage deeply and I do engage. Then, I am fine. I suspect all people and...

As the school year moves forward, I find myself thinking about the word break. It is a word that shows up in classrooms, IEPs, and behavior plans, yet it is rarely examined closely. We talk about breaks as if they are one thing: A pause. A reward. A moment away from work. But when you respectfully try to understand Autistic students, it becomes clear that breaks are not interchangeable. A break that supports one child’s nervous system may dysregulate another. And a break that looks restful on...