COVID-19 Resources for Families

Our professional team has created this Milestones COVID-19 Hub for social stories, supports and additional information to help you navigate the changes and challenges COVID-19 has introduced to our lives.  

Need help now? Contact the Milestones free autism Helpdesk to speak to one of our professional staff.

Social Stories and Supports: Learn About COVID-19

Getting Vaccines

Vaccine Social Story from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
Common Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine  from The Cleveland Clinic
COVID-19 Vaccine Information in Plain Language from The Cleveland Clinic
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine -- A Social Story from Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities
Getting a Vaccine: What to Know About Me from The Ohio Department of Health. Disabled individuals can fill out this form and take it with them when they get their vaccine if they are not able to articulate their needs to a health care worker.

What is COVID-19?

Hello, I Am A Virus (a Social Story for Young Children) from the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Hello, I Am A Virus (a Social Story for Young Children) Spanish version from the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities
How Do I Get Tested For COVID-19? social story for children from Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Multiple videos and social stories about COVID-19  compiled by various resources
Lectura: Aprendizaje a distancia por Autism Little Learners from Autism Little Learners

Hand Washing

Video resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
What You Need to Know About Handwashing
YouTube Live Handwashing Presentation
Clean Hands Help Prevent the Flu
Handwashing Social Story from The National Autism Association

Mask Wearing

Wearing A Mask social story from Autism Little Learners
I Can Wear A Mask! social story for children from Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Resources about Wearing Masks from Rutgers University Medical School and The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
Fluffster Wears a Mask from Sesame Street

NEW! Wearing a Mask for COVID-19 in 2023 -- A Social Story (download an easy-read printable)

Being Sick with COVID-19

If I Feel Sick social story from Milestones Autism Resources

Articles: What to Know About COVID-19

Coping with COVID-19: For Self-Advocates from Milestones Autism Resources
Tips to Help You Manage Anxiety During the COVID-19 Crisis from Milestones Autism Resources
Supporting Individuals with Autism Through Uncertain Times from the School of Education, University of North Carolina
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with Coronavirus from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Ohio Toll-Free ‘COVID Careline’ to Provide Emotional Support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Art with Heart - a website that offers exercises for expressing anxieties and feelings about the Coronavirus.
Anime-themed worksheets and flashcards for social-emotional learning on Coronavirus from Autism Teaching Strategies
Supporting Individuals with Autism through Uncertain Times from The UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Autism Team

Looking for a support group to meet other parents in the autism community? Visit our Resource Center here.

Articles: Anxiety and Mental Health Support

CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), dated August 11, 2022
Booster Fact Sheet  from The Ohio Department of Health
The State of Ohio vaccine website can help people determine where there are available vaccines closest to where they live. In addition, most major pharmacy chains now offer vaccine appointments that can be scheduled through their websites.
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID vaccines from the Ohio Department of Health
Vaccine information for Medicare recipients from Medicare.gov
Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
How to Protect Yourself and Others (updated August 11, 2022) from the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
How to Explain a Global Heath Crisis to Children with Autism from Psychology Today
Responsible Restart Ohio from the Ohio Department of Health
Safeguard against Disability Discrimination during COVID-19 from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities

Education Resources

Compensatory Education in the Time of COVID-19 from wrightslaw.com
IEP Compensatory Education and Compensatory Services  from A Day in Our Shoes with Lisa Lightener
New Special Education Term: Recovery Services, What Is It? Is Your Child Eligible? from Hickman Lowder Co., LPA
Homeschooling Your Child with Autism from The Autism Community in Action (TACA)