For many children, summer is a time for rest, play, and new adventures.
But for children with autism, summer break can sometimes lead to more than just a pause in learning—it can result in regression of important skills if supports and services aren’t continued consistently.
Whether your child receives speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA, or other school-based services during the year, continuing support over the summer can make a world of difference. Here's why summer services matter—and how they can help your child thrive.
What Is Skill Regression?
Skill regression happens when a child temporarily or permanently loses previously acquired skills due to a lack of practice or reinforcement. These skills might include:
- Communication and language abilities
- Social interaction and play skills
- Daily living routines (dressing, hygiene, etc.)
- Behavioral and emotional regulation
- Academic or cognitive tasks
- Fine and gross motor coordination
Skill regression is especially common during long breaks, when structure and therapy services are reduced or paused altogether.
Why Children with Autism Are More Vulnerable
Children with autism often rely heavily on structure, repetition, and reinforcement to maintain skills. When consistent supports are removed—like therapy sessions, visual schedules, and specialized instruction—they may:
- Struggle with transitions
- Experience increased anxiety or sensory overload
- Lose ground in communication or behavior regulation
- Revert to old habits or behaviors
Without regular opportunities to practice and reinforce learned skills, progress can stall—or even reverse.
How Summer Services Can Help
Enrolling in summer services—whether in-home, in-clinic, or community-based—helps bridge the gap between school years and provides the consistency many children with autism need.
Here’s how summer services make a difference:
Maintain Momentum
Therapies don’t just build new skills—they help keep existing ones strong. Summer sessions provide ongoing reinforcement to ensure your child retains what they’ve worked so hard to learn.
Target Specific Goals
Summer is a great time to focus on individualized goals, from social interaction and sensory integration to communication and life skills, in a less pressured environment.
Offer Structure and Routine
Therapy sessions add predictability and structure to the summer, which helps reduce anxiety and behavioral challenges often triggered by too much unstructured time.
Support Social Opportunities
Many summer programs include group-based activities that allow children to practice peer interaction and communication in real-world, supportive settings.
Empower Families
Therapists often work closely with families during summer to provide training, home programs, and strategies that help extend learning beyond the session.
Small Steps, Big Impact
Even a few hours of therapy per week can make a major difference in preventing regression and setting your child up for a strong start in the fall. It’s not about overwhelming your summer with appointments—it’s about keeping meaningful routines and supports in place.
Let Us Help You Make the Most of Summer
At Community Autism Services, a division of The Stepping Stones Group, we’re here to partner with you year-round. Our summer services are designed to keep kids engaged, supported, and progressing—even when school’s out.
Whether your child needs speech, occupational, physical, or behavioral therapy, we’ll help you build a plan that works for your family’s needs and goals.
Contact us today to learn about available summer services in your area.
