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Your at-home starter plan

The most helpful things you can do yourself — free, today. Pick one and begin. From A New Story.

🗣️ Talking & language

Narrate your day out loud as you do it.
Wait 5–10 seconds — give them room to respond.
Expand: echo what they say + one word ("ball" → "throw ball!").
Re-read favorite books again and again.
If they use a device, model on it yourself.

🤸 Movement & sensory

Heavy work calms: carry groceries, push the laundry basket, wall push-ups, animal walks.
The playground is a free OT gym — swings, climbing, hanging.
10 minutes of this before homework or a hard transition.
Crash zone: a pile of couch cushions.

📖 Reading

Use decodable books (only sounds they've learned), not "guess from the picture."
Go sound-by-sound; keep it short (10–15 min) and warm.
Let them listen to grade-level books (Bookshare is free if qualifying) while they learn to decode.

💛 Big feelings

Co-regulate first — your calm is contagious.
Name it: "you're really frustrated."
Build a calm corner (pillow, fidget, breathing visual).
Use color zones: "looks like the red zone — let's take 3 dragon breaths."

⏱️ Focus & transitions

One task at a time; break big things into tiny steps.
Show time with a visual timer.
First-then: "first shoes, then park."
A warning before every transition.

💰 Who pays (so you don't)

School must pay for evals, IEP services & the AAC device.
Disagree with the eval? Free outside eval (IEE) at district cost.
Insurance / Medicaid waivers cover therapies & devices.
Many states: $10–30k disability ESA/voucher.

✅ This week, just do ONE thing. Don't try it all. Pick a single idea above, try it for a few days, and notice what helps. That's how real change starts — and you're the one who's there every day.

Free from A New Story — anewstoryadvocacy.com · Information, not medical or legal advice.
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