Blog Posts

National Alliance on Mental Illness

5/29/2026

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, also known as NAMI is a wonderful resource for those who experience a mental illness or are affected a mental illness. NAMI is a nationwide organization that provides support and education to those in need. Mental health diagnoses can vary from ADHD to schizophenia and anything in between. Wisconsin alone has 25 different chapters throughout the state. The majority of NAMI's resources are free. To name a few of the resources available --
-Support groups (virtual and in person) for families affected by mental illness
-Support groups (virtual and in person) for those affected by mental illness
-NAMI helpline, providing immediate support from 10am-10pm
-Information on mental health conditions
-Guidance on a variety of situations (e.g., finding a missing loved one, calling 911, being prepared for crisis, how to support recovery, etc.)
Reach out to your local NAMI organization today!

Child Profile

4/28/2026

You are the expert on your child. You know them at their worst, their best, and all the in betweens.

When your child meets someone new that will be caring for them, it can feel like a daunting task to try to convey all of this information in a way that will be heard and taken to heart. Likely, you have shared this information over and over again, which can be exhausting and feel really redundant and impersonal.

Developing and sharing an informational profile with new team members can help you give them a snapshot of who your child is, how they best communicate, their likes and dislikes, their strengths, skills they are working on, what to try if they seem upset etc. It can also give you a space to share little tidbits of information that could help new providers take that little extra step to help your child feel more comfortable and successful. Sharing a profile can be a great way to help you connect with new providers in a personalized way, which can set the tone for individualized care and attention.

The great thing about developing a profile is that you can make edits to it as your child grows and develops. No need to reinvent the wheel and your child may eventually be able to help you make edits with the information that they feel is important to share. Self-advocacy for the win!

There are many online resources drafting an informational profile. Try searching “Meet My Child Summary” to get started!

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Sensory Overload Explained (From a Child’s Perspective)

4/6/2026

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Imagine this.
You walk into a room where the lights are too bright.
There’s a buzzing sound you can’t turn off.
Someone is talking to you, but their voice feels loud—almost painful.
Your clothes itch.
Something smells wrong.
And no matter what you do… you can’t escape it.
Now imagine someone asking you to stay calm, listen, and behave appropriately.
This is what sensory overload can feel like for a child.

“It’s Too Much, But I Don’t Know How to Tell You”
From a child’s perspective, sensory overload isn’t just discomfort—it’s overwhelm in their entire nervous system.
They may not say:

“The fluorescent lights are overstimulating me.”
“I’m experiencing auditory overload.”

Instead, it might look like:

Covering ears
Yelling or crying
Running away
Refusing to participate
Shutting down completely

What looks like “behavior” is often a child saying:
“I can’t handle this right now.”

What It Feels Like Inside My Body
If a child could explain it, it might sound like this:
“Everything feels loud. Even things that shouldn’t be loud.”
“My body feels tight and buzzy.”
“I can’t think.”
“I want it to stop, but I don’t know how.”
“When people keep talking to me, it makes it worse.”
In overload, the brain shifts into survival mode:

Fight (yelling, hitting, pushing)
Flight (running away, escaping)
Freeze (shutting down, going silent)

This is not a choice.
It’s a nervous system response.

Why “Just Calm Down” Doesn’t Work
When a child is overloaded, their thinking brain goes offline.
That means they can’t:

Reason logically
Follow multi-step directions
Explain what’s wrong
“Use their coping skills” on demand

So when we say:

“Use your words”
“Make a good choice”
“Calm down”

…it often increases frustration—because they physically can’t access those skills in that moment.

What Actually Helps
From a child’s perspective, support might feel like:
✔ Reducing the input

Dim the lights
Lower noise
Move to a quieter space

✔ Saying less

Fewer words = less demand on their brain
Calm, simple phrases work best

Try:

“You’re safe.”
“I’m here.”
“Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

✔ Giving space (but staying nearby)
Some kids need distance to regulate—but not abandonment.
✔ Co-regulation first, problem-solving later
Connection helps the nervous system settle.

What I Wish You Knew
If a child could leave you with one message, it might be this:
“I’m not trying to be difficult.
I’m having a hard time.
When my world feels too big and too loud, I need you to help make it smaller and calmer.”

A Gentle Reframe for Adults
Instead of asking:
“Why are they acting like this?”
Try asking:
“What might be overwhelming them right now?”
That one shift changes everything.

Final Thought
Sensory overload isn’t a behavior problem—it’s a nervous system in distress.
And when we respond with understanding instead of correction,
we don’t just stop the moment…
We build trust, safety, and long-term regulation.

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Autism Society Updates

3/23/2026

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Autism societies in Wisconsin have some exciting updates!
Instead of affiliate Autism Societies throughout the state, varying by region, there are now two larger regional autism societies --

Autism United of Wisconsin: Supports Milwaukee and their surrounding counties (Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, Ozaukee, and Washington)
Autism Society of Wisconsin: Supports the remainder of the state (see post below for specific chapters that merged)

Many of the regional chapters still maintain their Facebook presence, featuring local events. If you are an Autism parent or have a child with any cognitive disability, please subscribe! They provide amazing resources, connect like-minded families to feel supported, and hold many sensory/disability friendly events throughout the year!!

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Children’s Community Options Program

3/9/2026

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Wisconsin offers a valuable program that assists families with a child with a disability – Children’s Community Options Program! Also known as CCOP, this program helps families and youth become more independent by paying (typically reimbursing families) for many supports and services that families can’t get through another source (e.g., private insurance, CLTS, or Medicaid). CCOP may be able to pay for ongoing support or a one time need (note, if the support can be covered by another funding source, it cannot be accessed using CCOP funds). CCOP funds must be used to purchase goods or services that meet or assist a need or outcome on the child’s Individual Service Plan. Common examples of covered goods and services include:

Home modifications
Adaptive Aids
Special Recreation for the child
Respite care

If you are interested in applying for CCOP, visit DHS’s website OR ask your CLTS Support and Service Coordinator if CCOP is an option for your child! Note, CCOP funds are funded annually and do run out, so it’s imperative to apply early to ensure the best outcome!

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National Alliance on Mental Illness

Child Profile

Sensory Overload Explained (From a Child’s Perspective)

Autism Society Updates

Children’s Community Options Program

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