The library

197 social stories for families of nonverbal autistic kids. Plain-language, therapist-informed, and paired with AAC overlays for Avaz, TouchChat, and Proloquo2Go. Browse by category or search by word.

Big feelings 14 Daily routines 15 Medical & body 14 Eating & food 13 Self-advocacy 15 AAC skills 15 Community & outings 14 School & learning 12 Social situations 15 Family events 15 Safety 15 Body sensations 12 India-specific 15 The first week 4 For the parent 4 After-me planning 3 Dads, siblings, grandparents 2

Big feelings 14 stories

Meltdowns, recovery, calming down, overwhelm. See all →

What to do after my autistic child has a meltdown

Meltdown just ended; parent wants repair script.

Story pack · AAC overlay

My nonverbal autistic child hits when angry — why and what to do

Aggression toward sibling/parent; guilt and fear.

Sensory overload in my nonverbal autistic child — signs and help

Child shuts down in crowds; parent wants recovery strategies.

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How to teach my autistic child to wait

Can't handle any wait — queue, food, screen time.

Why do transitions cause meltdowns in my autistic child?

iPad to dinner, playground to car — all explosive.

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How to help my nonverbal child express sadness

Quiet tears; parent can't find the cause.

Is my autistic child's stimming okay when happy?

Parent wondering whether to 'correct' joy stims.

How to help my autistic child when he's scared

New environment, loud noise — child terrified.

My autistic child gives up easily and gets frustrated

Zipper, puzzle, shoelace — anything hard = shutdown.

My autistic child is too excited — how to help regulate

Hyper excitement before birthday / trip.

My nonverbal child cries and I don't know why

Mysterious crying; parent searching body map help.

My autistic child can't handle plan changes

Rain canceled outing; child inconsolable.

Deep pressure for autistic meltdown — does it help?

Parent heard about weighted blanket/squeeze.

My autistic child had a meltdown in public — what now

Yesterday's mall meltdown; parent humiliated.

Daily routines 15 stories

Brushing teeth, nail clipping, haircuts, bedtime. See all →

Why does my nonverbal autistic child refuse to brush his teeth?

Parent needs a visual script to reduce toothbrushing resistance tonight.

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How to prepare my autistic child for a haircut without a meltdown

Parent planning Sunday haircut, child has screamed the last 3 times.

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My nonverbal child panics when I cut his nails — what do I do?

Parent has given up on nail cutting; nails are now long and breaking.

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How to bathe my autistic child who hates water on his head

Daily evening battle over head-wash. Parent wants gentler script.

Why does my autistic child refuse certain clothes?

Mornings are hell; child only wears two t-shirts.

How to help my nonverbal autistic child fall asleep

Child up till 1am; parent exhausted.

My autistic child wakes up crying every morning — why?

Disorganized mornings trigger meltdowns before school.

My nonverbal child screams when I wash his hair

Specific to head/hair wash, not general bathing.

Potty training my 10 year old nonverbal autistic child

Older child, still not fully toilet trained; parent ashamed, searching late.

Teaching my autistic preteen to change clothes privately

Preteen needs privacy teaching; parent worried about public changing.

Social story for hand washing for nonverbal child

Wants to build handwashing independence.

My autistic child can't put on his own shoes — how to teach

Independence skill for older child.

Why does my nonverbal child cry when I comb her hair?

Tangles + sensory = tears.

Getting my autistic child into school uniform without a fight

Monday morning uniform resistance.

My autistic child hates sunscreen — sensory?

Summer outing planning.

Medical & body 14 stories

Doctor visits, vaccines, dentist, X-rays, meds. See all →

Dentist visit for autistic nonverbal child in India

Parent booked first dentist appointment and is terrified.

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How to prepare my autistic child for a vaccine shot

Vaccine scheduled; last time child screamed for 2 hours.

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Blood test for autistic child — how to prepare

Lab appointment tomorrow; parent anxious.

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My nonverbal child has a fever — how to explain what's happening

Child is feverish and agitated; can't say what hurts.

How to know if my nonverbal child has a toothache

Child is holding face and crying; parent can't locate pain.

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My autistic child keeps pulling his ear — ear infection?

Classic nonverbal ear pull; parent googling.

My nonverbal autistic child is constipated and in pain

Tummy pain, no poop in 3 days; parent desperate.

My autistic child wakes up crying with leg pain

Night leg pain; parent worried something is wrong.

Eye checkup for nonverbal autistic child — how to do it

School flagged vision; parent worried child can't do chart.

Explaining puberty to my nonverbal autistic son

11-13yo body changes; parent scared of confusion.

How to prepare my autistic daughter for her first period

Mother of autistic preteen girl, preparing for menarche.

My autistic child cut himself and needs stitches

Emergency situation, parent searching while in ER.

X-ray for autistic child — how to explain

Suspected fracture; child needs to stay still.

General doctor visit for autistic nonverbal child

Annual physical; parent wants a smooth visit.

Eating & food 13 stories

New foods, restaurants, feeding challenges. See all →

How to introduce new food to my nonverbal autistic child

Child eats only 5 foods; parent desperate to expand.

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My autistic child refuses all vegetables — help

Iron/nutrition concern; no veg accepted.

Restaurant meltdowns with my autistic child — what to do

Plans to eat out on weekend; last time was a disaster.

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Why does my autistic child melt down while waiting for food?

Hunger + wait = meltdown pattern.

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How to handle food refusal at the table without pressure

Nightly fights; parent wants a no-pressure script.

My nonverbal child doesn't drink water — how to help

Hydration concern; child refuses to sip.

My autistic child won't eat his school tiffin — what to pack

Tiffin comes home untouched every day.

How to handle spicy food at family meals for autistic child

Indian household; spice level is too high.

Feeding therapy for autistic child in India — what happens

Parent booking feeding therapy session.

Teaching my autistic child to use a spoon

Independence skill.

My autistic child won't eat birthday cake — why?

Social pressure at parties; parent embarrassed.

Teaching my nonverbal child about food allergies

Child has peanut/dairy allergy; can't verbalize.

My autistic child can't swallow tablets — alternatives

Parent looking for alternatives to whole tablets.

Self-advocacy 15 stories

Asking for help, saying no, naming feelings. See all →

How to teach my autistic child to say NO using Avaz

Compliance culture; parent wants child to consent.

Teaching my autistic child to ask for a break

Self-regulation via breaks.

How to teach my nonverbal child to show pain location

Body map teaching.

Teaching my autistic child to say 'all done'

Foundational AAC phrase.

My autistic child doesn't ask for help — how to teach

Stuck in silence; parent teaching to request.

Helping my autistic child make choices

Teaching decision-making.

Getting my nonverbal child to tell me about their day

After-school communication drought.

Teaching my autistic child to signal bathroom urgently

Continence accidents in public.

My autistic child doesn't say 'I love you' — is he okay?

Parent grief around verbal affection.

Teaching my autistic child to say 'that's not what I mean'

AAC ambiguity; people guessing wrong.

My autistic child uses an English AAC at home but family speaks Hindi

Grandparents/helpers don't understand the English AAC voice — child feels unheard.

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How does my nonverbal child say 'I don't like this'?

Parent realising child endures uncomfortable things silently; wants a refusal script.

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My autistic child can't say which sibling he wants to sit with

Car seat / TV / bedtime — child can't signal preference and gets decided for.

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My autistic child needs a quiet room but can't ask — AAC script

Family gatherings / malls — child needs a break but can't communicate it.

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How my nonverbal child can ask the class teacher for help

Child sits stuck at school — parent wants teacher-facing self-advocacy.

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AAC skills 15 stories

Using Avaz in real moments — across situations. See all →

Using Avaz to order food at a restaurant

Building AAC confidence in public.

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Using Avaz at the doctor's office

Medical communication.

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Using Avaz at home for daily requests

Daily AAC habit.

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Using Avaz in school with peers

Peer inclusion via AAC.

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What if my child's Avaz dies in public?

Parent anxiety about AAC failure.

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Introducing my child's AAC to new people

Repeat script for new faces.

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Core AAC words for autistic child — daily practice

SLP/parent building vocab.

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My child only requests on Avaz — how to teach commenting

Beyond requests — comments.

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Teaching feelings words on Avaz

Emotional vocab via AAC.

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Teaching my autistic child to protest on Avaz instead of melting down

AAC as meltdown prevention.

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Switching Avaz between English and Hindi for my autistic child

Parent considering Hindi voice pack or bilingual setup for child.

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How to let my autistic child use Avaz in the back of the car safely

Long drives — child can't reach parent up front to request things.

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What if my autistic child's Avaz dies while we're out?

Parent anxious about being out with no AAC; wants a backup habit.

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My autistic child shuts down with grandparents who don't know AAC

Grandparents don't engage with the device; child stops initiating.

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Teaching my autistic child to comment on things, not just request

Child only uses AAC to request food/toys; parent wants richer language use.

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Community & outings 14 stories

Shops, parks, weddings, temples, public spaces. See all →

Taking my nonverbal autistic child to the mall without meltdowns

Weekend mall trip; parent wants survival script.

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Shopping at the kirana / supermarket with autistic child

Quick grocery trip turns into meltdown.

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Taking my autistic child to the temple / mandir

Family pressure; bells, incense overwhelming.

Should I take my autistic child to a birthday party?

Invitation received; parent worried about fit.

Taking my autistic child to a big Indian wedding

Upcoming shaadi; 500 guests, dhol, lights.

First flight with my autistic nonverbal child

Upcoming travel; parent terrified.

Long train journey with my autistic child in India

Indian rail journey; chaos of stations.

My autistic child doesn't like new drivers — Uber rides

Frequent cab use; stranger driver problem.

My autistic child at the park — sharing swings

Other kids at park cause friction.

Taking my autistic child to a cinema — sensory friendly?

First cinema trip; too loud?

Salon visit for my autistic child — waxing, facial, etc

Teen grooming; first salon visit.

Taking my autistic child to a swimming pool

Summer pool trips; water sensory + crowd.

Taking my autistic child on the metro

City parent uses metro daily.

Going to a crowded local market with my autistic child

Parent wants to take child to local bazaar.

School & learning 12 stories

Classroom, substitutes, schedule changes, homework. See all →

My autistic child is getting a new teacher — how to prepare

Term change; old teacher gone.

Fire drill at school — preparing my autistic child

School sent notice about upcoming drill.

My autistic child can't focus — classroom is too loud

Teacher flagged focus issue.

My autistic child struggles with group work at school

Group activity anxiety.

My autistic child gets upset over any mistake

Homework = tears; perfectionism.

Preparing my autistic child for exam day

Upcoming exam; accommodations anxiety.

My autistic child hates PE class — what do I do

PE is sensory chaos for child.

Morning school assembly is overwhelming for my autistic child

Daily prayers + announcements.

Substitute teacher day — preparing autistic child

Regular teacher sick; sub panic.

I think my autistic child is being bullied — what to do

Child coming home upset; unclear cause.

My autistic child forgot homework and is melting down

Executive function miss.

School field trip — how to prepare my autistic child

Upcoming school trip note.

Social situations 15 stories

Friends, play dates, teasing, group dynamics. See all →

Teaching my autistic child to greet people

Basic social greetings.

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My autistic child won't share — how to teach

Playdate conflict.

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Teaching my autistic child to take turns

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My autistic child melts down when a friend says no

Rejection tolerance.

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Teaching my autistic child to join a game in progress

Entry into peer play.

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Kids laugh at my autistic child — what to teach him

Social ridicule protection.

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Teaching my autistic child to say sorry

Repair after conflict.

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First playdate with a friend — preparing autistic child

First playdate planning.

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Teaching my autistic child about personal space

Child too close to others.

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How my autistic child should behave with babies

Baby cousin interaction.

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Teaching my autistic child to respond when someone is crying

Empathy expression.

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My autistic child wants to play with cousins who don't know about AAC

Family trip to cousin's house; child isolated because cousins don't know how to include him.

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Another child is staring at my autistic child — how to handle it

Park/mall — other kids stare at the AAC device or stimming; parent wants a calm script.

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A child grabbed my autistic child's AAC device — what do we do?

Another child picked up or pressed the device; parent wants protective boundary script.

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First day on the school bus — preparing my autistic child

School bus switch from parent-drop; sensory and separation anxiety stacked.

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Family events 15 stories

Birthdays, visitors, travel, new siblings. See all →

A new baby is coming — preparing my autistic child

Mom is expecting; big life change.

Dadi / Nani visiting — how to prepare autistic child

Grandparent arriving for extended stay.

Papa/Mama is going on a trip — explaining to autistic child

Business travel; separation anxiety.

Our pet died — how to explain to my nonverbal autistic child

Family pet gone; gentle explanation needed.

Explaining death of a grandparent to autistic child

Grandparent passed; family grieving.

Parents fight in front of autistic child — impact

Guilt-search; parent worried about impact.

We're moving houses — preparing my autistic child

Upcoming house move; routine disruption.

Big family gathering — preparing autistic child

Family function; 20+ relatives.

Separation / divorce — explaining to autistic child

Family change; sensitive.

New house helper / nanny — preparing autistic child

Indian households with live-in help; child attachment issue.

My autistic child's older sibling is leaving for college

Sibling going to hostel/college.

Mama is going back to work — preparing my autistic child

Stay-at-home parent re-entering work; major daily routine change for the child.

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Taking my autistic child to a wedding mehendi or sangeet night

Big family wedding with multi-day events; specifically loud music night.

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A new baby cousin is visiting our home — preparing my autistic child

Relative visiting with an infant; autistic child dysregulated by crying/handling rules.

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Papa is in the hospital for two days — explaining to my autistic child

Short planned procedure for a parent; child scared by routine change.

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Safety 15 stories

Crossing roads, strangers, elopement, emergencies. See all →

What to do if my nonverbal child gets lost

Fear of child wandering.

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Teaching my nonverbal autistic child stranger safety

General safety awareness.

Teaching road safety to my nonverbal autistic child

Impulsive darting fear.

Teaching my autistic child body safety — saying no to touch

Abuse prevention; critical.

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Fire alarm at home or school — safety for autistic child

Noise + emergency protocol.

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Earthquake drill — preparing autistic child

School drill; rare but serious.

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Water safety for my autistic child at pool / beach

Drowning prevention.

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Kitchen safety for autistic child — stove, sharp things

Wandering into kitchen; burn risk.

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Electrical socket safety for autistic child

Child fascinated with sockets.

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My autistic child runs out of the house — how to prevent

Elopement risk; terrifying.

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Internet safety for my autistic tween

Online strangers; YouTube rabbit hole.

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How do I stop relatives from pinching my autistic child's cheeks?

Family function coming; aunty/uncle always grabs the child's face — parent wants a script.

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Loud car horns on the road terrify my autistic child — what can I do?

Indian traffic horns constant; child bolts or freezes near roads, a real safety issue.

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Teaching my autistic child not to take food from strangers

Functions/parks where strangers offer sweets; parent worried about allergies and boundaries.

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My nonverbal autistic child got lost at a mela — what should I teach?

Festival / mela / railway station — parent terrified of separation.

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Body sensations 12 stories

Pain, hunger, tiredness — reading body signals. See all →

My nonverbal child keeps scratching — teaching about itchy

Mystery itching.

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Teaching my autistic child to say 'I'm too hot'

Heatstroke prevention.

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Teaching my autistic child to say 'I'm cold'

Winter regulation.

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How to know if my nonverbal child has a headache

Frequent head-touching; parent guessing.

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My autistic child doesn't say 'I'm tired' — teaching

Exhaustion signaling.

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How to teach my child to signal bathroom urgency early

Accident prevention.

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My autistic child seems dizzy — teaching the word

Low blood sugar / dehydration.

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Teaching my autistic child to signal thirst

Dehydration prevention.

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My autistic child has a tummy ache — helping him tell me

Stomach pain communication.

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My autistic child needs to move a lot — why

Understanding sensory seeking.

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Bright lights bother my autistic child — sensory

Fluorescent / sunlight sensitivity.

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Strong smells upset my autistic child — sensory guidance

Perfume, food, incense overwhelm.

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India-specific 15 stories

Pujas, joint-family homes, auto-rickshaws, festivals. See all →

Diwali fireworks scare my autistic child — help

Diwali coming; firework PTSD.

Holi celebration with autistic child — sensory help

Holi sensory overload (colors, water, grabbing).

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Monsoon season — sensory tips for autistic child

Changes in routine due to monsoon.

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Power cut scares my autistic child — what to do

Indian power cuts terrify child.

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Taking my autistic child to Ganpati / Durga Puja pandal

Regional festival; large crowd.

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Heat wave — sensory help for autistic child in India

May-June heat spike.

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Rakhi with my autistic sibling — easy rituals

Sibling tying rakhi onto autistic child's wrist.

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Mom is fasting today — explaining to autistic child

Karva Chauth / Navratri fasts confuse child.

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Sending my autistic child to tuition — what to expect

Indian tuition culture + autism.

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My autistic child panics getting into an auto-rickshaw — what do I do?

Parent needs the school run or doctor trip to happen in an auto today without a meltdown.

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How to take my autistic child to the sabzi mandi without overwhelm

Saturday vegetable market trip; parent wants child along instead of leaving at home.

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Eating at a chaat shop with my autistic child — tips

Weekend family outing to a crowded chaat corner; child finds it overwhelming.

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Neighbour's pooja loudspeaker is melting my autistic child down

Sudden bhajan / jagran / azaan on speaker from next door; child in full overload.

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Taking my autistic child to watch cricket at the local ground

Sibling / cousin has a match; parent wants the autistic child included safely.

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Janmashtami late night — keeping my autistic child calm

Bedtime disrupted by late-night bhajan / aarti; parent wants a gentle way to mark the day.

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The first week 4 stories

What to do in the first 48 hours. What to ignore for a month. See all →

The first 72 hours after an autism diagnosis — what to do, what not to do

Parent googling at 11pm on diagnosis day — 'what do I do now, what's next, what should I do first'. High intent, panic-adjacent, wants a list.

The map you don't have yet — the road ahead after an autism diagnosis in India

Parent a few days post-diagnosis, starting to ask 'what comes next, what's the system, what are all these acronyms I keep seeing' — UDID, Niramaya, RPwD, OT, ST, AAC, etc.

The diagnosis day no one prepared you for

Parent just heard the ASD diagnosis, sitting in the car or at home that night, doesn't know what the next hour looks like.

What to ignore in the first month after diagnosis

Parent recently diagnosed, drowning in advice from WhatsApp groups, relatives, YouTube, Ayurveda clinics.

For the parent 4 stories

Written to you, not about your child. Grief, blame, the life you didn't expect. See all →

It is not your fault — an essay for the parent who just got the diagnosis

A parent — almost always the mother — who just received an autism diagnosis for her child and is already being blamed, silently or loudly, by herself or her family.

When the blame comes from home

Mother whose in-laws or own family are blaming her for the child's diagnosis — told she stressed during pregnancy, was negligent, sinned in past life, etc.

The career you quit to raise this child

Mother who left her job to become full-time caregiver after diagnosis, feeling ambivalent, invisible, or guilty about missing the work she was good at.

Your mother-in-law is grieving too

Parent whose relationship with mother-in-law has become difficult since the diagnosis — she's angry, distant, blaming, or pretending nothing happened.

After-me planning 3 stories

UDID, Niramaya, guardianship, the letters you haven't written yet. See all →

How to apply for a UDID card in India — a 20-minute walkthrough

Indian parent of autistic child wants to apply for the Unique Disability ID card for school/scheme/insurance access but doesn't know where to start.

Niramaya — India's ₹1 lakh health insurance for your autistic child

Indian parent looking for affordable health insurance for child with autism, since private insurers reject or price-out ASD coverage.

A letter to my child's future caregiver

Parent thinking about what happens to their autistic child after they're gone — the 'what after me' question.

Dads, siblings, grandparents 2 stories

The rest of the family — what they carry, what they need, what they can do. See all →

What a father actually does in the first year after diagnosis

Father of a newly diagnosed autistic child who feels shut out, lost, or wants a concrete role beyond being the family's emotional ballast.

What your neurotypical child needs from you right now

Parent of an autistic child who has a second (neurotypical) child and worries that child is being eclipsed, over-responsible-ised, or feels invisible.

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