Resources
We are here to help! We hope you find some useful tips or strategies on this page!
Advocacy & Support Organizations
ImpactParents.com - This was started by a mom who wanted there to be more support available for parents of kids with neurodivergences (mostly ADHD and autism). They have many free resources and supports.
AANE.org - This organization has a lot of resources and is neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-focused. They also have a lot of free resources like articles, support groups, and trainings.
CHADD and ADDA - These are the two largest ADHD organizations in the US. They also have a lot of free resources like articles, support groups, and trainings.
HSPerson.com - This is a website about people who are highly sensitive and how they experience the world. The book The Highly Sensitive Child may be helpful.
SensoryHealth.org - This website is more about sensory intervention strategies and they also have a lot of information available to help you understand how OTs would work to help support regulation.
www.ChildrenandNature.org - Being in nature or around natural elements is very calming and regulating. When kids can run around in the woods or splash in water or even just play in the mud, it helps their bodies settle down. You can also bring in more natural elements in the home with houseplants (even fake plants!), a tabletop fountain, photos of the ocean, etc. During sessions, I often play videos of waterfalls which help students be more calm and focused, so it can even be virtual.
DC PEERS - Neurodivergent-focused social groups and workshops with free and low-cost options.
Strategies & Modalities
YouTube channel SlowTV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rDjPLvOShM
Deep Pressure & Exercise
Recommended activities: swimming, climbing, or martial arts. These are all activities that give a high amount of deep pressure and resistance to the joints, which is very calming. Activities where kids move quickly in a linear manner can also be very calming. This would include things like swinging and biking.
Body Doubling
www.cofocus.one - using this online platform, you can book a 50-minute 1-on-1 session with another person to use for focused work
Sensory Brushing
Desensitization of the tactile system can be facilitated by a brushing protocol. Here is a description of it and a video.
Products/Services
Fidgets/Focus Aids
Xylitol Gum: Helps keep teeth clean and gives deep pressure to the jaw
Water bottle with a straw: sucking is very calming
Houseplants (one of the most beautiful ways to improve focus!): AeroGarden, Wally Grow, potted plants
Life Management
Automatic Delivery: Amazon, Walmart, Chewy, Gerber, Soap.com, Drugstore.com, Thrive Market
Chest Freezer: cook in bulk and freeze for later
Meal Prep Cookbooks: Cook Once, Eat all Week, Once A Month Cooking, Make It Ahead, The Batch Lady
Illustrated Cookbooks: Mark Bittman, Cooks Illustrated, America’s Test Kitchen
Meal Kits: Blue Apron, Hello Fresh
Hire Extra Help!
Meal Delivery: Galley, Healthy Fresh Meals, Territory, Vegetable+Butcher
Mobile Mechanic: Roda, Dryver, AutoMech
Cleaner
Housekeeper
Virtual Assistant: UpWork, Fiverr
Personal Chef
Organization
Retractible multi charging cable
Bag within a bag: Keep keys, earplugs, phone, and other necessaries in a small clutch you can pop into bigger bags or use on its own
Bins: The Container Store, Walmart, Target, Dollar Tree
Time mangement
Visual timers: sand timer, TimeTimer, Pomodoro timer
Google Calendar
Pocket notebook & golf pencil: keep it in a pocket to quickly jot down notes without getting on a device
Technology
Airtags: Put on anything you need to keep track of. The Apple ecosystem will alert you when you leave an apple product or AirTag behind.
Apple Watch: Allows you to set reminders, timers, and have your next event in front of you without getting sucked into your phone.
Tile: put it on anything you want to find. Less accurate location than AirTags, but has a longer battery life.
Alexa: set reminders, gather grocery lists, play motivational music, etc.
automatic locks on doors: one less thing to think about when you’re leaving the house
locks with codes, not keys (door locks, combination locks): no more lost keys!
Household Products
Slipcovers
Duvet covers
Electric kettle with automatic shutoff
Toaster oven with auto shutoff
Sleep products
Cooling mattress cover/cushion: lower body temperature helps with sleep
Waterproof mattress cover: just in case you knock something over!
Eyemask or blackout curtains
Hot bath/shower or hot tea: promote a drop in body temperature to help get sleepy
programmable thermostat: to help you get sleepy and wake up naturally as your environment warms up
Mouthguard: check with your dentist, but neurodivergent people are more likely to have bruxism which can lead to erosion of the enamel
CPAP: neurodivergent people are more likely to have sleep apnea
Sensory Products
Weighted blankets can be very helpful for settling down. Ensure it is less than 10% of total body weight (kids blanket, adult blanket)
Sensory brushes: used to desensitize tactile defensiveness and to calm down
noise canceling headphones
Disclaimer: This is for information only. This isn’t an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee. We don’t profit from anything listed here, but we are professionally associated with some organizations