These Books Aim to Help Kids With Autism Better Understand COVID-19

Speech and language pathologist Tara Tuchel, who has specialized in autism for the last 20 years, has been creating free, printable stories on her website, Autism Little Learners, to help children with autism better understand covid-related changes they may be experiencing.

Tuchel founded Autism Little Learners to help provide resources for families and education. When the pandemic started, she refocused her goal on teaching how to navigate any feelings of anxiety and confusion.

“As the Coronavirus pandemic started, I had a friend who asked if I could write a social story for her daughter, who was having a hard time suddenly having to stay home,” Tuchel told Scary Mommy in an interview. “She missed going to her favorite stores and restaurants. So, I wrote her a story about Coronavirus and staying home.”

After seeing how much the story helped her friend’s daughter, she put it out on her social media, where followers could access it for free. As demand grew, she began writing more stories about what’s happening in the world, including social distancing, facial coverings, what the return to school might look like and more.

“I wrote stories about COVID and staying 6 feet apart. Then, about distance learning and how-to video chat. Then, it moved to seeing people wearing masks followed by wearing a mask. Then, a story about not going back to school. The new topics just kept coming and I was getting requests for stories on these new topics,” Tuchel told the outlet. “So, I relied a lot on what parents and teachers were asking for. The stories spread around the globe and started being translated into many, many different languages. This really made me realize that the entire world was in this together and facing the same challenges.”

All her stories are all available to print and share with licenses on her website, where she also has many other tools, including flashcards on toilet training, screaming, fire drills, and school safety, as well as resources for at-home speech therapy. You can check them out at AutismLittleLearners.com.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.