Tech as Tool, Not Crutch: Building Independence in Special Needs Kids Through Sensory-Based Learning
Wednesday, April 14, 2027 (6:30 PM - 8:00 PM) (EDT)
Description
For parents of children with special needs, a child's relationship with technology is complex . A communication app gives your child a voice; a visual schedule reduces morning meltdowns; speech to text reduces writing demands. But what happens when the tool becomes the only way your child can cope? When the tablet is the first ask in the morning and the last fight at night? This webinar helps parents understand what their child's nervous system actually needs to grow, regulate, and build real independence. Drawing on over 20 years of clinical expertise in sensory integration and pediatric occupational therapy, Aubrey will walk parents through the neuroscience behind why screens feel so regulating for neurodiverse kids but at the same time so disorganizing. You'll learn how to identify when tech is supporting development versus substituting for the sensory and motor experiences your child's brain needs most and how to create a balance.
Parents will leave with:
- A framework for evaluating any tech tool through a sensory lens
- Practical, low-barrier sensory strategies to pair with or replace screen-dependent coping
- Confidence to advocate for a tech plan that supports a child's growth
You will leave understanding your child's nervous system well enough to take the first steps in giving them what they truly need to thrive.
Presenter Bio: Aubrey is the owner of Sensational Achievements and has specialized in the evaluation and treatment of sensory processing disorders since 2005. She holds certification in sensory integration theory and practice, with advanced clinical expertise in functional visual skill development and sensory-based learning disabilities including dysgraphia, dyspraxia, and executive functioning deficits. She conducts Independent Educational Evaluations in Occupational Therapy across 27 Connecticut school districts. Aubrey presents four professional continuing education courses through Theramoves covering sensory supports, handwriting, intervention roadmaps, and praxis from a neurosensory perspective. She also offers an online course through PESI — Distracted and Disorganized Kids in a Digital Generation. In collaboration with Dr. Anthony Kardaris, PESI offers a Certification in Tech Addiction that includes Aubrey's course materials. In 2015, Sensational Achievements launched Body Activated Learning™, a framework helping parents, teachers, and professionals support neurologically diverse children by applying sensory principles to optimize the brain and body for learning. In November 2025, Aubrey published Uniquely Human: Raising Leaders and Creators in a Digital World — a guide for parents navigating the unique challenges facing today's generation and sharing the five pillars children need to thrive in an AI world. When she isn't educating or working with children, she spends her time with her Poochon Cooper and gardening.
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