5 AI Prompts to Support Your Neurodiverse Child (That Actually Work)
In the early days of our journey with Autism, I sometimes just felt overwhelmed by all the new terminology. Sometimes I would just pretend to know what they were saying to me and then spend my evenings researching for hours. AI can cut through so much of that and connect the dots faster. I still have many of those binders with pages and pages of printouts, notes, images, tools lists, accommodation lists. Parents need to know how to leverage AI so they don’t have to go through what I went through. It’s no longer necessary, not with these tools, and I’ll shout it from the rooftops if I have to and it if helps one family and gets one child the resources and supports they need faster. Yes, I’m really that passionate about it. I don’t want to talk about it but if you’ve walked in my shoes you know the hours of exhaustion, the overwhelm, crying, and still determination and perseverance. If I only had these tools back then.
Now? I use AI to come up with social stories, personalized worksheets, accommodation plans, connect to services and resources in five minutes—and they’re better, more personalized, and even fun tp create.
If you’re a parent like me—raising a brilliant, beautiful, neurodiverse child—then you know that every day brings both magic and mayhem. But here’s the truth: AI can help. It can be a powerful support to you in ways that matter.
1. Create a Personalized Social Story
Prompt:
“You are an expert in child development and neurodiversity. Write a social story including visual images for a [insert age] -year-old child with [insert diagnosis]who is afraid of getting a haircut. Use short sentences, clear visuals (describe them), and a calm, reassuring tone. Include what to expect, how it might feel, and positive affirmations.”
✅ Why it works: These are gold for preparing your child in advance. You can even edit or print it to read together before big moments.
2. Build a Visual Routine or Schedule
Prompt:
“Act as a parent coach for neurodiverse families. Create a daily schedule for a [insert age]-year-old with [insert diagnosis eg, ADHD and sensory needs]. Include built-in transition times, brain breaks, and after-school activities. Format it with emojis and icons for visual clarity.”
✅ Bonus: Copy the output into Canva or your favorite schedule tool and add images your child recognizes.
3. Reframe a Meltdown Moment With Empathy
Prompt:
“You are a therapeutic parenting expert. A parent’s [insert age]-year-old had a public meltdown at a store after being overwhelmed by lights and noise. Write a script that helps the parent talk to their child afterward with empathy and reflection, building trust and emotional awareness.”
✅ This helps you lead with compassion—even when you're tapped out.
4. Generate Sensory-Friendly Play Ideas (Based on What You Have at Home)
Prompt:
“Give me 5 sensory-friendly play activities I can do with my [insert age]-year-old child who is autistic. We have [insert what you have available, eg, playdough, pillows, a trampoline, a blanket, and water beads]. Keep ideas safe, simple, and calming. Include one that helps with emotional regulation.”
✅ It’s like having a therapeutic recreation specialist in your pocket.
5. Write a Custom Affirmation Script for Your Child
Prompt:
“Write a short morning affirmation I can read to my 8-year-old with ADHD and anxiety. Make it encouraging, rhythmic, and focused on building confidence and emotional regulation. Include their name, and reference starting a new school day.”
✅ Tip: Record your voice reading it and play it each morning—or say it together in the mirror.
6. BONUS: Write a Heavy Work Activities List for Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Prompt:
"You are a pediatric occupational therapist specializing in Sensory Processing Disorder. Suggest 10 safe, fun, and developmentally appropriate heavy work activities I can do at home with my [insert age]-year-old child who has sensory seeking needs. Include activities that require pushing, pulling, lifting, or deep pressure input. Use simple language, explain why each activity helps, and offer options for both indoor and outdoor settings using common household items. Activities must be safe and based on my child’s age, size, height and weight so be sure to prompt me for that information one at a time so you can make safe recommendations."
✅ Tip: You can also add additional direction like for indoor play, for outdoor play, involving stuffed animas, etc..
💬 Final Thoughts: You Deserve Tools That Work With You
Parenting is already a full-time job. When you add therapies, IEP meetings, and emotional labor, it’s a lot. These AI prompts aren’t here to replace your intuition. They’re here to amplify it.
Start with one. Try it out. Adjust it. Make it yours.
And if you need help building a toolkit that fits your unique family, I’m here. This is what I do.