Making Connections: Supporting Children on the Autism Spectrum at School and at Home
Recorded on March 3, 2026
Welcome to Making Connections, a live, virtual training series created by Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) fellows during their Schools & Communities rotation. This program is designed specifically for educators across Illinois to deepen their understanding of mental health challenges students may face and to foster a supportive learning environment.
About This Session
In this recorded session, we dive into Autism Spectrum Disorder: exploring how educators can better understand and support autistic children both in the classroom and at home.
All Topics > Making Connections > Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at School and at Home
Certificates are not available for this session at the moment. To receive ISBE 77-21b form and CE credit for social workers, professional counselors, and psychologists under IDFPR, please return after April 30, 2026 for the course link.
Overview and Learning Objectives
- Provide a clear overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), focusing on how it shows up in everyday school life.
- Walk through the school’s role in evaluating neuropsychiatric conditions and when to consider referrals for formal assessments or medication.
- Highlight the importance of 504 Plans and IEPs, sharing common accommodations that help children with ASD thrive.
- Share practical tips for families to support their children at home, creating consistency and calm.
Meet our facilitators:
- Lydia Livas, MD, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago & McGaw Medical Center at Northwestern University
- Khushbu Shah, MD, Attending Supervisor at Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital & McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
Citations
- 2022 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2022 Oct. CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587174/
- Shaw, K. A., Williams, S., Patrick, M. E., Valencia-Prado, M., Durkin, M. S., Howerton, E. M., Ladd-Acosta, C. M., Pas, E. T., Bakian, A. V., Bartholomew, P., Nieves-Muñoz, N., Sidwell, K., … Maenner, M. J. (2025). Prevalence and early identification of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 4 and 8 years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 sites, United States, 2022. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries, 74(SS-2), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7402a1
- Autism Speaks. (n.d.). https://www.autismspeaks.org/
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2025, May 22). Autism spectrum disorder: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928
- Winny, A. (2025, October 7). The evidence on Tylenol and autism. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-evidence-on-tylenol-and-autism
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (n.d.). Autism spectrum disorder: Parents’ medication guide. https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/resource_centers/resources/med_guides/parentsmedguide_autism.pdf
- Okoye C, Obialo-Ibeawuchi CM, Obajeun OA, Sarwar S, Tawfik C, Waleed MS, Wasim AU, Mohamoud I, Afolayan AY, Mbaezue RN. Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review and Analysis of the Risks and Benefits. Cureus. 2023 Aug 9;15(8):e43226. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43226. PMID: 37692637; PMCID: PMC10491411
- Autism Speaks. (n.d.). Applied behavior analysis (ABA). https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis
- Kazdin AE, Glick A, Pope J, Kaptchuk TJ, Lecza B, Carrubba E, McWhinney E, Hamilton N. Parent management training for conduct problems in children: Enhancing treatment to improve therapeutic change. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2018 May-Aug;18(2):91-101. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2017.12.002. Epub 2018 Feb 7. PMID: 30487914; PMCID: PMC622504
- Leifler, E., Carpelan, G., Zakrevska, A., Bölte, S., & Jonsson, U. (2021). Does the learning environment “make the grade”? A systematic review of accommodations for children on the autism spectrum in mainstream school. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28(8), 582–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2020.1832145
- Autism Speaks. (n.d.). Autism in the classroom: Strategies for success. Autism Speaks. https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit-excerpt/autism-classroom-strategies
