Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

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Chantal Hewitt

12 episodes

14 hours ago

If parenting feels harder the more strategies you try, this episode gently explains why foundations—not fixes—are what truly support autistic and PDA children long term. This episode explores attuned parenting foundations for autistic and PDA children. In this final episode of the Attuned Parenting Foundations series, I’m not introducing anything new — instead, I’m helping you connect the dots. I walk you through why these foundations matter so deeply when you’re supporting an autistic or PDA...

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Episodes (12/12)

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Why Attuned Parenting Foundations Matter for Autistic & PDA Children

1 day ago

9 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Behaviour Isn’t the Problem for Your Autistic or PDA Child— The Environment Is

A connection-first look at sensory load, nervous system safety, and how altering and being aware of our sensory environments drastically affects how we support our PDA and Autistic children. In this episode of The Attuned Spectrum Podcast, I want to help you understand why sensory environments matter so much more than the behaviour you’re seeing — especially when you’re parenting an autistic or PDA child. This episode is Part 3 of a 4-part Attuned Parenting Foundations series, where I’m...

1 week ago

17 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

When Life Breaks Routine (Because It Will): Returning to the Foundations for Autistic and PDA Families

What happens when life breaks routine — especially in autistic and PDA families? In this episode of the Attuned Spectrum Podcast, I’m sharing a care-first reflection from an unexpected hospital stay and what it highlighted for me about nervous systems, routine disruption, and why returning to the foundations matters most on hard days. I talk honestly about what it feels like when overwhelm builds, when control is lost, and when you’re holding worry for your children — especially when one or m...

2 weeks ago

10 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Supporting Autistic & PDA Children Through Holiday Season Burnout

Your autistic or PDA child isn’t “acting out” — their nervous system is asking for safety, rest, and attuned support. In this episode of Attuned Spectrum, I explore why autistic and PDA burnout intensifies at the end of the year and what you can do right now to support your child through rising overwhelm, avoidance, shutdowns, and meltdowns. December creates a perfect storm: disrupted routines, sensory overload, rising social expectations, and the emotional intensity of the holiday season — a...

3 weeks ago

20 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Co-Regulation for Autistic & PDA Parents: Essential Tips for Wellbeing & Connection

In this episode, I’m diving into how I teach the first foundational pillar of Attuned Parenting — parent well-being and co-regulation. As a neurodivergent parent myself, I understand how overwhelming it can be to support a child when you’re already running on empty. But here’s the thing: you are the foundation. When we focus on our own regulation first, we can better co-regulate with our children. In this episode, I talk about: Why more tools often don’t create real change for autistic and PD...

4 weeks ago

32 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Attuned Parenting for Autistic & PDA Kids: Stop Collecting Strategies — Build These 3 Foundations

If you’ve been collecting strategy after strategy and still feel stuck in meltdowns, shutdowns, or constant overwhelm, I want you to hear this clearly: it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. It’s because strategies only work when the right foundations are in place for your child’s nervous system — and for you. In this episode, I talk about: Why “more tools” often don’t create real change for autistic and PDA children.The three foundations I see underneath calmer, more connected homes.How ner...

1 month ago

14 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

The Shift That Calmed My PDA Child’s Meltdowns (When Nothing Else Worked)

If you’ve been trying everything to support your PDA or Autistic child through meltdowns and nothing is working, this episode will help you understand why — and what actually helps. In this episode, I share the single shift that changed everything in our home when it came to supporting my PDA autistic son. For years, I approached his meltdowns like a behaviour problem to fix. What I didn’t realise was that the strategies I was using were increasing his overwhelm, not reducing it. You’ll learn...

1 month ago

15 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

Helping Your Autistic Child Through Meltdowns: 6 Connection-First Strategies That Work

Meltdowns are not misbehaviour — they’re communication from an overwhelmed nervous system. In this episode, I walk you through what’s really happening beneath autistic meltdowns and how connection, not control, becomes the foundation for calming your child. You’ll learn why meltdowns are a sign of overload, not defiance, and how your own nervous system plays a critical role in helping your child return to safety. I’ll take you inside what’s happening in your child’s brain during dysregulation...

1 month ago

11 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

5 Signs of Autistic Burnout in Children (and How to Support Recovery)

Has your child suddenly lost skills, withdrawn, or become overwhelmed by things they used to handle easily? These may be early signs of autistic burnout — a real, often-misunderstood experience for Autistic and PDA children. In this episode, I break down what autistic burnout actually is, why it’s frequently mistaken for behavioural regression, and how you can support your child through recovery without adding more pressure to their already overloaded nervous system. You’ll learn the core sig...

4 months ago

20 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

4 Simple Steps to Confident Autism Advocacy (Without Overwhelm)

If advocating for your Autistic or PDA child makes your heart race, your mind go blank, or leaves you unsure of what to say, this episode will give you a simple, empowering framework you can use in any conversation — from school meetings to family discussions. In this episode, I break down the four steps I use (and now teach) to help parents advocate with clarity, confidence and calm. You’ll learn how to guide professionals toward understanding your child’s needs, how to make requests that ac...

4 months ago

27 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

3 Connection-First Steps to Support Everyday Transitions (While Reducing Meltdowns)

Do daily transitions leave your child dysregulated and your whole home overwhelmed? In this episode, I break down three connection-first steps that transform chaotic transitions into smoother, supported moments — while gently reducing overwhelm and the meltdowns that often follow. You’ll learn what Autistic and PDA children experience during transitions, why these moments can trigger anxiety or shutdown, and how to create “safety bridges” that help your child move from one activity to another...

4 months ago

25 minutes

Attuned Spectrum: PDA & Autism Parenting Support

3 Quiet Truths That Transform Parenting Autistic & PDA Children

If you feel like you’re doing everything “right” but still struggling to support your Autistic or PDA child, this episode will help you understand why — and show you what truly creates change (even when nothing else has worked). In this foundational episode, I share the three quiet truths that transformed our family from daily stress and shutdowns into deeper connection and clarity. You’ll learn why traditional behaviour-based approaches often make things harder for Autistic and PDA children,...

4 months ago

21 minutes