Navigating Walt Disney World with autism can be a sensory nightmare, but we’ve learned to love it. I’m Dr. Caitlin Goodwin, an autistic (AuDHD) nurse and mom to four neurodivergent kiddos. This firsthand sensory review of Disney’s Old Key West Resort is rooted in evidence and personal experiences from autistic individuals. We’ve learned so much…
Planning a trip to South Florida with a neurodivergent child means looking for low-sensory escapes, reliable accommodations, and predictable spaces. West Palm Beach offers a fantastic mix of coastal calm and local culture without the overwhelming chaos of Miami or the packed theme parks. Here is your streamlined guide to where to stay, where to…
Planning a family trip to visit Niagara Falls, NY, can feel overwhelming when traveling with autism. Most guides focus on the Canadian side or assume you’re visiting in the peak summer season. This guide is your shortcut to stress-free fun year-round on the U.S. side, packed with sensory-friendly activities, kid-approved attractions, road trips, and free…
Western New York is one of the most family-friendly regions in the Northeast, home to Niagara Falls, Buffalo museums, state parks, historic trains, and easy road trip stops. This guide brings together itineraries, sensory-friendly activities, and family-tested trips for our gluten-free and autistic family! Keep reading for our tested family-friendly, five-night, six-day sensory-friendly itinerary from…
Navigating Walt Disney World with an autistic child shouldn’t mean constant sensory overload. Disney offers some of the best sensory-related and neuroaffirmative accommodations I have seen in the travel industry. As an autistic nurse and mother to four neurodivergent children, I’ve mapped out the quiet areas for decompression across all four parks. Disney requires intentional…
There is a popular saying in the autism community, “If you know one person with autism, then you know one person with autism.” No two people with ASD are alike, and what works for our children and me may not work for yours. Some children seek sensory input, while others avoid it. For example, the Rainforest Cafe…
I am an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with nearly 20 years of experience, and I believe in evidence-based medicine. As an autistic mother to two autistic children, let’s see what science says about the gluten-free (GF) diet for autism. Does the Gluten-Free diet help kids with Autism? Yes, the gluten-free casein-free (GFCF) diet has been…
So many people fail to understand what autism is. Every time I tell someone my son has autism, they say, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” But I’m not even a bit sorry. If you’ve ever felt frustrated because it feels like you’re parenting on an island and looking for support to parent your child…
Is Disney Vacation Club’s Saratoga Springs worth it? While there are many conflicting reviews about SSR, we absolutely believe that Saratoga Springs Resort is good for families. We’ll discuss the resort’s layout and some of the reasons it’s one of our favorites! Is Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (SSR) Good for Autistic Families? Yes, there are…
When families think of the golden sands along the Palm Beaches, many overlook Lake Worth Beach. While Lake Worth Beach Casino shares a name with the historic casino complex, there is no actual gambling here. Instead, you’ll find a meticulously restored 1920s bathhouse that serves as a quiet, structured home base for a day at…