LAS VEGAS, NEV. (May 22, 2025) — Most school-aged children are counting down the days to summer vacation, but this time of year can be very overwhelming to a child who is diagnosed with autism and who can find the change of routine, added people, and new experiences too much to handle. At Touro University Nevada’s Pierce Autism Center, experts share valuable tips on how to mitigate stress during the summer months for families with children on the spectrum.
Jennifer McConnell, a board-certified behavioral analyst with the Pierce Autism Center at Touro University Nevada provides tips and ways to help neurodivergent children minimize stress and enjoy the holiday. Strategies include:
· Plan ahead. Parents have approximately 11 weeks to help their child grow and succeed in preparation for the upcoming new school year. Evaluate your child and identify any areas, skills or tasks you’d like to see advance over the summer break. It could be tasks such as dressing themselves, brushing their teeth independently or learning new words. Having a goal in place helps you to structure free time to meet that goal.
· Maintain a schedule. While it is tempting to sleep in or stay up past your child’s normal bedtime, it is crucial to keep a regular schedule. The familiarity of a routine can help an autistic child feel grounded while other changes are occurring. Keep regular bedtimes, mealtimes and other planned activities as consistent as possible.
· Explore new learning opportunities. Summer break can be a shift of learning from academic to social and emotional skills. Everyday activities that you typically tackle while your child is at school can now become valuable learning experiences. Simple outings like trips to the grocery store or bank can help build new skills and boost their confidence. Including them in daily chores not only improves their motor skills but it teaches them new responsibilities.
· Keep the fun going with summer activities. Summer doesn’t have to be all work; fun summer activities can help your child on the spectrum grow as well. Sensory walks, water play and gardening are all great ways to work on sensory development and a fun activity. Research other activities hosted by the community to take your family to that can help your child learn how to adapt to new environments and people.
Summer offers a good opportunity to spend quality time with your child—not only to maintain the skills they’ve gained but also to help them grow and develop new ones. It is important to keep the learning momentum going year-round and utilize summer break strategically for continued learning and engagement.
The Sharon Sigesmund Pierce and Stephen Pierce Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities was established to address an unmet need in the State of Nevada for providing therapy services for our community’s children with developmental disorders. The Pierce Autism Center offers applied-behavioral analysis therapy to children aged 18 months up to 18 years of age, helping them and their families reach their full potential using an evidence-based, team-centered approach. According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 31 children are identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder. According to this data, there has been a significant increase in children diagnosed with autism. Based on the latest prevalence data, an estimated 16,947 children in Clark County, Nev., could be diagnosed with autism in 2025.
ABOUT TOURO UNIVERSITY NEVADA
Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and Health and Human Services (Touro College of Medicine) has the most medical school graduates in Nevada. Touro’s medical school is fully accredited, and a private, non-profit, Jewish-sponsored institution. Opened in 2004, Touro was established to help address critical needs in health care and education and as a resource for community service throughout the state. Its mission is to provide quality education programs in the fields of healthcare and education in concert with the Judaic commitment to social justice, intellectual pursuit, and service to humanity. Touro University Nevada is home to more than 1,500 students in a wide variety of degree programs including osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, education, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and medical health sciences. The University’s Henderson campus houses the Engelstad Research Complex for Biomedical and Human Performance Research that is committed to serving humanity and contributing to intellectual progress through insightful scientific research. The campus also includes a multi-specialty health center for the public that accepts all health insurance and the Sharon Sigesmund Pierce and Stephen Pierce Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. For more information on the Pierce Autism Center at Touro University Nevada, visit Pierce Autism Center at Touro | Touro University Nevada or call 702-777-4808.
For more information on Touro University Nevada, visit www.tun.touro.edu or call 702-777-8687.
Media Contact: The Warren Group, Cherryl Kaopua, cherryl@twgpr.com, 702-408-8334
