Question 1

What is Beaming Health?

Accepted Answer

Beaming Health is a free resource dedicated to helping neurodiverse families thrive.

Our mission is to help every parent sleep well at night knowing they’re doing all they can to set their child up for a happy and healthy life.

You can trust us to:

1. Connect you with the best providers via our vetted Directory.

3. Teach you with expert-reviewed guides on everything from potty training to IEPs, available in our Learning Center.

4. Guide you through free tools like gold-standard autism screeners and our “Which therapies are right for my child?” quiz.

5. Support you on the journey ahead with our personalized Action Plans for every stage of your child’s development.

Question 2

Can I get added to your directory?

Accepted Answer

Of course! If you’re a high-quality provider serving kids with special needs, we want families to be able to find you on our site.

List your practice here. If you have any questions, reach out to us at info@beaminghealth.com and we'll be in touch ASAP.

Question 3

How can I get in touch with you?

Accepted Answer

We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to send an email to info@beaminghealth.com, otherwise you can connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Question 4

My child was hitting milestones and now they aren’t – what’s going on?

Accepted Answer

While regression is common among autistic kids (usually around age 2), there can be other reasons your child isn’t meeting typical developmental milestones. It’s best to consult with your child’s pediatrician and voice your concerns.

Question 5

Why isn’t my child responding to their name?

Accepted Answer

Sensory processing differences, attention and focus, developmental differences, and hearing impairments are all possible reasons a child may not respond to their name. Children may also not respond to their name if they’re caught up in the busy work of play and imagination. But if you’ve noticed your child consistently doesn’t respond to their name, your first stop should be scheduling a hearing and vision check with their pediatrician. If that’s all good to go, something else might be going on.

Not responding to one’s name is a common sign of autism. Take our free, gold-standard autism screener here.

If your child used to respond to their name in the past but isn’t now, that could be a sign of hearing impairment (like ones caused by chronic ear infections) or regression (which is common in autistic kids). You may want to consult with an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor) or audiologist (hearing doctor) to rule out possible hearing-related problems first. You can find specialists like these by searching the Beaming Directory.

Question 6

Why is my child hitting/throwing/biting being aggressive?

Accepted Answer

A certain level of hitting, biting, and throwing is very common for young children. But if your child is frequently trying to hurt themselves or others, this can be a sign of something more. Behavior is communication. Your child is trying to tell you something. That could be big emotions, pain they’re feeling, frustration over communication challenges, a sensory need, or something else.

It’s important to know there’s a difference between tantrums and meltdowns. You may think your child throws a lot of tantrums, but they could actually be meltdowns. All children can have tantrums, meltdowns, and occasional aggressive behavior, but kids with developmental differences like autism tend to have more of them, especially if they’re nonspeaking.

For more information about aggressive behavior in autistic kids, we recommend this article. A high-quality occupational therapist can help your child with regulating their body and emotions. You can also practice things at home to reduce aggressive behaviors. Finally, a speech therapist can help your child communicate, which can reduce aggression.

Question 7

Why is my child hitting their head?

Accepted Answer

Head-banging or self-injury can be a way of self-stimulating (stimming) or self-soothing. It’s a way of communicating something to you, such as being in pain, expressing a need, or being frustrated. If your child doesn’t speak much (or at all) self-injury can be frustration from not having another way to communicate. Some kids will bang their heads or hit themselves when they have a headache or toothache, get overwhelmed, or need heavy sensory input. When your child hits themselves, you can gently and calmly block them with your arm or hand and redirect them to something soft, like a couch cushion.

Self-injury is very common in autistic children, particularly nonverbal kids. Take our free autism screener now. If your child has already been diagnosed with autism, get your personalized Action Plan for free.

Question 8

Why is my child shaking their head?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the situation. Kids may shake their heads playfully or to communicate “yes” or “no”. Head shaking can also be a self-stimulatory behavior (stim), a way to self-soothe, or just a habitual behavior your child can eventually grow out of. However, head shaking can also be a sign of serious neurodevelopmental, neurological (like seizures), or other conditions (such as fluid on the brain or ear infections).

If your child shakes their head frequently, you’ll want to consult with your child’s pediatrician and rule out any medical causes first. Your pediatrician may refer you to a developmental pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist, which you can find through the Beaming Directory.

Question 9

Why won’t my child sleep?

Accepted Answer

There are so many reasons a child may not be able to sleep well (or at all). Depending on your child’s age, environment, and overall health, they could be having a hard time sleeping for many reasons. Sleep problems are very common among neurodivergent kids, like those with Autism or ADHD. Sleep disorders, like insomnia and sleep apnea, can also occur in children.

If you’ve tried everything and can’t get your child to sleep, you may want to request a referral to a sleep specialist from your pediatrician. In the meantime, check out our guide to helping your child sleep better. (It’s focused on autistic kids, but these tips work great for all children!)

Question 10

Why does my child play with poop?

Accepted Answer

Poop-smearing (also called “fecal smearing”) is a common sensory-seeking behavior for kids. Your child doesn’t have to have a developmental difference to smear poop, but it is common among autistic kids and those with other developmental conditions. To your child, poop isn’t a gross thing, it’s a fun thing! It’s important to know that poop smearing is not misbehavior and shouldn’t be punished. Learn more about poop smearing here.

Question 11

Why doesn’t my child look at me?

Accepted Answer

Like auditory and other types of processing, children are still developing their vision. It’s normal for newborns and infants to take a little while to establish consistent eye contact. If your child is older and still isn’t making eye contact, it may be because eye contact is overwhelming for them. This is common for kids with autism or sensory processing differences. Not making eye contact can also be a social or emotional thing – the child may feel anxious or fearful.

Eye contact is an example of something that is culturally dependent. That is, in some cultures (like our American culture) eye contact is seen as a sign of respect, interest, and engagement. If your child is not making eye contact, it’s not that they don’t care or aren’t focusing, it may just be that eye contact is difficult or overwhelming for them.

You should schedule a hearing and vision check with your child’s pediatrician. Try our personalized Early Concerns Action Plan for more guidance.

Question 12

Why doesn’t my child listen?

Accepted Answer

Children’s brains are still developing, which means that task management, communication, executive function (including understanding and following directions) is really hard. Using simple language, short sentences, and visual aids can help your child understand what you’re asking of them.

If you find that your child doesn’t respond to you a lot, you may want to get them a hearing and vision check. If that comes back all clear, it could be a sign something else is going on. Create a free, personalized Early Concerns Action Plan for more guidance.

Question 13

Why does my child play alone?

Accepted Answer

Parallel play (playing by yourself but next to someone else) and independent play (playing alone) are an important part of childhood development. Some kids are shy, prefer to play alone, or get overwhelmed playing with other kids. Social differences, such as preferring to play alone vs. with other kids, are common among autistic kids. Playing alone is also a great way to use your imagination, which is also developmentally important for kids. There’s nothing wrong with preferring to play alone.

There’s also no “right” or “wrong” way to play! But as a parent, seeing your child uninterested in other kids can be concerning. Our customized Action Plan can guide you in finding answers.

Question 14

Why does my child spin, rock, or flap?

Accepted Answer

Self-stimulatory behaviors, aka “stimming”, is something all humans do! But some kids, like those with autism or ADHD, may stim a lot more than others. Your child may stim when they’re in distress, happy, sad, bored, need to calm down, or just because it feels nice. Stimming can also be part of sensory processing difficulties or just your child’s natural development as they learn new motor skills and figure out their bodies.

To learn more about sensory processing, you can check out this article or find an occupational therapist via the Beaming Directory.

Question 15

Why does my child ignore me?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the individual circumstances (moody teenagers aside), your child probably isn’t ignoring you. Toddlers and small children generally have short attention spans, get easily distracted, or have communication difficulties. Their minds and bodies are still developing. If you’re concerned your child is frequently not responding to you, you may want to consult with your child’s pediatrician for a hearing and vision check. If that comes back all clear, then it could be a sign something else is going on. Check out our customized Early Concerns Action Plan for help with navigating this process.

Communication challenges are a common sign of autism; if you think your child may be autistic, take our free, gold-standard autism screener.

Question 16

Why does my child arch their back?

Accepted Answer

Your child might be arching their back for many reasons. It could be a reflex, a sensory experience, stretching (as part of their natural development), colic, acid reflux, or it could be the sign of something more serious. Involuntary back arching can be a sign of a neurological condition like Cerebral Palsy, seizures, or Rhett’s Syndrome.

If you have concerns about your child’s back arching, it’s best to consult with a qualified doctor. You can search for developmental pediatricians, neurologists, and more on the Beaming Directory.

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