Beyond the Spectrum: Visual Supports and Resources

When you have a child with developmental disabilities, receiving medical care can be a challenging – and sometimes scary – experience for him or her. Your care provider will know how to treat your child’s medical condition, but may not know things like whether your child is a visual learner or if they’re okay with being touched.

Our staff at Children’s National recognized this need and formed the Beyond the Spectrum program to provide medical staff and parents with tools to make tests and treatments easier for your child.

Resources for Visual Learners

Whether your child is coming to the hospital for a procedure or just having a follow-up appointment, our Beyond the Spectrum program has resources for you to share with your child to prepare them for their care experience. Through videos, teaching stories or role play instructions, your child can learn what to expect at their visit. Learn how you can use these tools (PDF) to help improve your child's experience during medical visits.

You can also view helpful websites for autism spectrum disorders and neuropsychology.

Below, you will find additional tools to build your toolkit for your child's visit. We will continue to update this site as tools are created. If you have suggestions for tools that are needed, please email us.