Potential Team Member Spotlight With Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
Everyone needs enriching experiences. Getting involved in social activities for a child with ASD can be super rewarding, but it’s not always easy.
Building social skills with your child is about figuring out what makes them comfortable while knowing how to de-escalate certain situations to get back to the fun.
Fewer people know how transformative ABA services and engaging social activities can be other than one of Potential’s staff members and mother to an adult with ASD – Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN.
“We see such miraculous changes in [the kids] enough to be able to have the best life they could possibly have. And that’s why we’re all there – to make sure that they have every opportunity to get to the best place possible for themselves and their families.”
Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
If you’ve been searching for ways to engage your child on the autism spectrum further, here are a few expert tips for making them feel thought of and included.
3 Expert Tips For Engaging A Child With ASD In Social Activities
Whether it’s choosing the right activities or finding better ways to communicate, these ideas are all about helping kids with ASD have a good time while picking up important social skills along the way.
“Being out in the community, I feel, is super important in so many ways. You can’t keep social skill sets and lessons in the school…our kids need to be able to interact with the general public.”
Potential Staff Member & Donor, Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
1. Ask About Volunteering Opportunities
Many food pantries, nursing homes, and other nonprofits need volunteers during the week, which is ideal for students on the autism spectrum.
“At the food pantry, we’re autonomous. They show us what to do when we come in…and there’s usually a bunch of different items on pallets. We know where they go, and we kind of follow suit with what’s on the shelves because there may be specific things that [the food pantry] wants us to do.”
Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
Children with ASD who participate in volunteering activities have more opportunities to work on social skills like:
- Taking turns
- Following instructions
- Nonverbal communications
- Starting and maintaining conversations
Nonprofits typically have fewer people on-site during the week, which makes them a better space for volunteers with ASD to be themselves, learn, and thrive.
2. Connect With Your Child’s Inner Network
If no one has told you this yet, now is the time to hear that no single person has all the answers for raising a child with ASD. This is why you must connect with other parents and caregivers who understand you and your child’s needs best. A few ways to expand your network is to:
- Reach out to other parents or caregivers
- Ask for reliable contacts from your ASD school
- Have routine discussions with your child’s teacher and other support staff
As your network grows, you can plan social activities together and lightly share responsibilities to help each other out. When asked if there’s a noticeable difference in children who participate in more social engagements, Lisa says,
“My goodness, yes! And I LOVE how there are constantly things I see on [social media] where we have [helpful resources for families] about different tips for our families…and if you’re going to do things with your child during the summer, or what to watch out for during the upcoming holiday.”
Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
Even if you’re naturally an introvert, you should know that having a village to back you up can make a complete difference for your child with ASD and your family.
3. Use ABA School Resources For New Ideas
Even if your child isn’t enrolled in an ABA school like Potential, you should be able to access resources for quality advice and expert insights. And, of course, keep your unique perspective in mind when making decisions for your child.
Autism acceptance isn’t likely to be achieved overnight. However, it’s important to start somewhere while keeping in mind that as the parent or guardian of a child with autism, you’re the best person possible to help them grow and develop.
“A lot of people don’t understand what autism is and they think of stereotypes…the more our kids are out in the community, the more acceptance I feel that they received.”
Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN
It may help families to know that many people want to help further support autism acceptance but don’t know how. This is why we enjoy events like the upcoming Car Show for Autism to bring people together to drive acceptance for all people with ausitm.
Working With Lisa Toward A World Where Every Person With Autism Is Accepted
Potential’s staff member Lisa Heppard wears many hats including paraprofessional, community liaison, coach, activity coordinator, and most importantly – mother to her now adult son with ASD, Eric.
She knew there was an ongoing lack of adequate ABA services for children, but what about for adults? Assistance for families shouldn’t stop after a child’s school years are over. Desperate to get her 30-year-old son up, out, and interested in the world around him, she decided to stop waiting and take action.
After growing increasingly disheartened by a lack of ABA therapies available, she did what she needed to do to solidify her paraprofessional role at Potential with on-site Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and beyond.
“We have a dance party every Friday, we have bingo, we do charades, we play a card game together, we do cooking – I mean, it’s just fantastic!”
Lisa Heppard, RBT, ASN