Early Neurodiversity Community

The village you’ve been looking for is here

See what is waiting for you inside!

Become a member of the Early Neurodiversity Community

Monthly support, expert-led education, and the village you’ve been craving—right here. 💬👶🏽🌈

If your baby, toddler, or preschooler is highly sensitive, neurodivergent, or showing signs that something more is going on—you don’t have to figure it out alone.

The Early Neurodiversity Community is a membership space for families navigating the early years with complex, sensitive, or neurodivergent kids. Whether you're just beginning to wonder, or you've been advocating for a while, this space is here to meet you with the support you’ve been craving.

Who is this for?

This space was made for parents of babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and school age children (0–6 years) who are:

  • Highly sensitive, intense, or showing early signs of neurodivergence

  • Struggling with sleep, sensory regulation, feeding, or communication

  • Facing red flags or wondering if something deeper is going on

  • Dismissed by professionals or told to “wait and see”

  • Trying to access early intervention, early childhood education services, or IEP/504 support—but feeling overwhelmed

  • Looking for a village that truly gets it

What’s Inside of the Community?

For your membership fee, you’ll get:

✅ Monthly live Q+A calls with Lauren (RN, mom of 3 neurodivergent kids, and founder of Spirited Baby Sleep)
😴 Quarterly sleep-focused calls with a certified Sleep & Wellbeing Specialist
🎤 Expert workshops on IEP prep, ARFID, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, PDA, sensory needs, and more
🧠 Access to the full Early Neurodiversity Course (an $89 value)
📚 Library of exclusive resources you won’t find anywhere else
💌 Parent-to-parent messaging for real, judgment-free connection
🫶🏼 Group coaching & topic-specific chats to connect in real time

Here's just some of what you’ll dive into as soon as you join:

🧠 Understanding Early Signs of Autism & ADHD
🌿 Sleep, Sensory, and Nervous System Support
🎤 Workshops in feeding, speech, and early childhood advocacy
📋 IEP Planning + Early Intervention Navigation
🎧 Real-parent convos about regulation, burnout, and doing things differently
🫂 Parent-led space for co-regulation, real talk, and celebrating small wins

There’s so much already waiting for you inside—scroll down for the specifics! 👇

You don’t have to do this alone.

This is the community I wish I had from the beginning. A place where no one tells you “all babies do that,” where you don’t have to justify your instincts, and where real support meets real understanding. Whether you’re just starting to ask questions or you're deep in the thick of advocacy, this is your space.

Ready to join the village?
You’re not too early. You’re never too late.

Sign me up

Existing Courses + Workshops already waiting for you inside!

The Complete Early Neurodiversity Course — $89 Value

  • 🌿 The Early Neurodiversity Course

    Supporting Your Baby’s Unique Journey

    The Early Neurodiversity Course is an evidence-based, compassionate guide designed to help parents understand and support their highly sensitive or neurodivergent babies and toddlers from birth to age three.

    Whether you’re navigating inconsolable crying, sensory sensitivities, developmental delays, or just a strong sense that your baby is developing differently, this course will validate your intuition, equip you with knowledge, and empower you to advocate for your child—long before a diagnosis.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 Neurodiversity in Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers

    Gain a deep understanding of the natural variations in brain development and behavior that shape early neurodivergence. You’ll learn about:

    • What Autism and ADHD can look like in infancy and toddlerhood

    • Traits of highly sensitive babies (drawing on Elaine N. Aron’s research on HSPs)

    • What it means to be twice-exceptional (2e)

    • The role of temperament, including how the 9 temperament traits impact regulation and sleep

    • Typical diagnosis timelines and why early signs may be missed

    🫶 Support Before a Diagnosis

    Discover how to secure supportive services without waiting for a formal label. This section walks you through:

    • How to initiate early intervention and self-referrals

    • What to expect from early childhood education programs

    • How occupational, speech, and physical therapy can help regulate the nervous system and support development

    • Navigating private therapy and overcoming common barriers parents face

    🚩 Ruling Out Red Flags

    Before addressing behavior or sleep struggles, it’s crucial to rule out underlying clinical factors. You’ll learn how to spot and seek help for:

    • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and feeding-related challenges

    • Airway issues such as Laryngomalacia, oral ties, and open-mouth posture

    • Nutritional deficiencies, especially low Ferritin levels

    • Allergies, intolerances, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

    • Motor delays and sensory dysregulation

    ♾️ Special Considerations

    Explore the broader neurodevelopmental picture and how it intersects with early caregiving. Topics include:

    • The nervous system and sensory processing

    • Stimming, special interests, and developmental delays

    • Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and appetite regulation

    • Childhood Apraxia of Speech, dyspraxia, and motor planning

    • 2e profiles and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

    😴 Sleep Through a Neurodiversity Lens

    Traditional sleep training often fails to account for sensory sensitivities or neurological differences. This section reframes sleep support with:

    • Developmentally appropriate sleep needs, cues, and wake windows

    • Understanding true disordered sleep versus typical variations

    • The role of Melatonin and the nervous system in sleep regulation

    • Gentle, responsive strategies that protect attachment while supporting rest

    🌈 Neurodiversity-Affirming Care

    End the course grounded in a neurodiversity-affirming framework that centers dignity and inclusion. You’ll explore:

    • How to recognize and unlearn ableism

    • Affirming language and terms to use

    • The importance of autistic voices and lived experience

    • Trusted resources to support your journey

    🌿 This Course Will Help You:

    • Feel validated and understood as you navigate early signs and challenges

    • Build a support network and confidently access services

    • Learn how to meet your baby’s sensory and regulatory needs

    • Shift from fear and uncertainty to connection and advocacy

Supporting Transitions Workshop

  • 🌿 Supporting Transitions Workshop

    Understanding Why Transitions Are Hard—And How to Support Them

    The Supporting Transitions Workshop is an in-depth, neurodiversity-affirming workshop designed for parents of highly sensitive and neurodivergent toddlers and preschoolers.

    Transitions—moving between activities, environments, or caregivers—are one of the most common triggers for dysregulation. This workshop pulls back the curtain on why they’re hard and gives you evidence-based strategies to reduce stress, meltdowns, and resistance during daily shifts.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 The Science of Transitions

    Understand the why behind your child’s big reactions:

    • How the Stress response system and sensory system interact during change

    • The role of Neuroception and the brain’s threat detection circuits

    • Why unfamiliarity, unpredictability, or perceived loss of control can overwhelm a developing nervous system

    • How early neurodevelopment shapes flexibility and adaptability

    ⚡ What Dysregulation Looks Like

    Learn how to recognize and respond to signs of distress before your child tips into full meltdown:

    • Common outward behaviors during transitions (fight/flight/freeze/shut down)

    • How sensory overload and emotional overflow contribute to resistance

    • Why these reactions are not “behavior problems,” but protective nervous system responses

    🌈 Tools to Support Transitions

    Walk away with a toolbox of practical strategies you can begin using right away:

    • Proactive preparation and visual supports (timers, first/then boards, social stories)

    • How to lower sensory demands before and after transitions

    • Using co-regulation to keep your child within their Window of Tolerance

    • Building transition routines that create predictability and safety

    💬 Real-Life Scripts & Language

    Get concrete examples of what to say and do during tricky moments:

    • Scripts that validate your child’s feelings and nervous system state

    • Language shifts that reduce perceived demands and increase cooperation

    • How to model emotional regulation in the moment without escalating conflict

    💛 Rooted in Connection

    This workshop emphasizes connection over compliance. You’ll leave with a framework that:

    • Honors your child’s nervous system

    • Reduces power struggles by supporting regulation first

    • Builds your confidence to navigate even the hardest daily transitions with empathy and consistency

    🌿 This Workshop Will Help You:

    • Understand the root causes of transition challenges

    • Respond to meltdowns with confidence and compassion

    • Create smoother daily routines anchored in safety and connection

    • Support your child’s long-term flexibility, emotional regulation, and resilience

Accessing Services Workshop

  • 🌿 Accessing Services Workshop

    Getting Support for Your Baby or Toddler—Without Waiting for a Diagnosis

    The Accessing Services Workshop is a step-by-step, empowering workshop designed to help you secure early support for your highly sensitive or neurodivergent baby or toddler (ages 0–3).

    Many parents are told to “wait and see”—but early support is crucial, and you don’t need to wait for a diagnosis or a professional referral to get it. This workshop shows you exactly how to navigate the system and begin services early, so your child gets the help they need during this critical window of development.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 Understanding Early Intervention

    Learn what early intervention is, who qualifies, and why it matters:

    • The purpose of Early Intervention (Part C of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the U.S.)

    • What developmental delays, sensory differences, and regulatory challenges may qualify a child

    • How starting services early can support the nervous system, reduce stress, and change developmental trajectories

    💌 How to Self-Refer for Services

    You don’t have to wait for a pediatrician’s referral. This workshop will show you how to:

    • Initiate services yourself (self-referral)

    • Find and contact local early intervention programs in your area

    • Request developmental evaluations and screenings

    • Overcome common barriers like long waitlists, gatekeeping, or dismissal of concerns

    🧩 Understanding Available Services

    Get a clear picture of the many supportive options available to babies and toddlers, including:

    • Occupational Therapy

    • Speech Therapy

    • Physical Therapy

    • Early childhood education programs (like Parents as Teachers and Early Head Start)

    • Private therapy and when it can be helpful

    • How to request accommodations and build a collaborative team around your child

    🛑 Navigating Barriers and Red Tape

    Many parents are met with resistance when they first seek support. This workshop will help you:

    • Respond when professionals dismiss your concerns

    • Know what to say if you’re told to “wait and see”

    • Understand your rights and your child’s rights

    • Advocate confidently without burning bridges

    🌿 This Workshop Will Help You:

    • Bypass the “watch and wait” approach that delays support

    • Access developmental, therapeutic, and educational services early

    • Build a supportive care team around your child

    • Step into your role as your child’s strongest advocate with clarity and confidence

Expert Guests already waiting for you inside!

Bedsharing: Where, When, Why + How

  • 🌿 Safe Bedsharing Workshop

    With Infant Sleep & Wellbeing Specialist Taylor Westenberger

    The Safe Bedsharing Workshop is a comprehensive, evidence-based training designed to help families safely share sleep.

    Led by Taylor Westenberger (@babyledsleepmama)—Certified Sleep & Wellbeing Specialist and Lactation Educator—this workshop dismantles fear-based messaging around bedsharing and equips you with practical, research-supported tools to protect your baby while honoring their deep biological need for connection.

    Whether you are already bedsharing or are navigating exhaustion with a baby who won’t sleep alone, this workshop will give you clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🛏 What Bedsharing Really Is

    • The difference between Cosleeping and bedsharing

    • Chaotic vs. intentional bedsharing and why this distinction matters

    • Why many families bedshare out of necessity—and how to do it safely from the start

    🌍 Bedsharing in Context

    • How cultural norms shape attitudes toward bedsharing

    • What the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) say—and why their recommendations differ

    • Why denying safe bedsharing information increases risk, especially for families of babies who cannot sleep alone

    ⚡ Understanding Risks & Risk Mitigation

    • What makes bedsharing dangerous (bedding, location, parental impairment, overheating, pets/other children, etc.)

    • The difference between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID)—and why bedsharing does not cause SIDS

    • The Safe Sleep Seven guidelines from La Leche League for creating a safe bedsharing environment

    🤱 The Science of Breastsleeping

    • How physical contact during sleep supports breastfeeding and regulation

    • Research on how shared sleep affects arousal, breathing, temperature, and nervous system regulation

    • Why breastsleeping dyads are uniquely attuned to each other overnight—and how this reduces risk

    🛠 How to Bedshare Safely

    • Setting up your bedsharing environment (mattress choice, bedframe safety, pillow and blanket guidelines, room setup)

    • The cuddle curl position and how to do it safely

    • The unique considerations and safety steps for chest sleeping

    • How to troubleshoot rolling, multiple children, and older siblings in the bed

    💬 Common Questions Answered

    • What to do if your baby rolls off

    • Whether bedsharing is possible with preterm or bottle-fed babies

    • How to balance safety with realistic family needs

    • Why safe bedsharing is protective, not negligent

    🌿 This Workshop Will Help You:

    • Understand the science, history, and safety of bedsharing

    • Confidently set up your sleep space to reduce risk

    • Protect your baby’s nervous system and meet their need for connection

    • Get more rest while keeping your baby safe and close

Insight Session: Apraxia of Speech with Michael Tatro

  • 🌿 Insight Session: Childhood Apraxia of Speech

    With Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist Michael Tatro

    The Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Insight Session is an eye-opening, practical conversation with Michael Tatro, a pediatric speech-language pathologist.

    This session bridges the gap between what parents may notice in infancy—like limited early sounds—and later challenges with speech clarity, planning, and sequencing. It’s designed to help families understand what apraxia is and why early support matters.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 Understanding Childhood Apraxia of Speech

    • What Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is and how it differs from other speech delays

    • How CAS relates to motor planning and coordination in the brain

    • Why children with CAS often have typical receptive language but struggle to produce words

    🐣 Early Signs That May Appear

    • Limited babbling, delayed consonant development, or reliance on vowel sounds

    • Late first words or groping

    👶 How Apraxia Can Emerge in Toddlerhood

    • Inconsistent speech errors (saying the same word differently each time)

    • Groping or visible struggle to form sounds

    • Sound omissions or simplifications

    • Gaps between receptive and expressive language

    🌈 Early Support & Intervention

    • Why “watch and wait” can delay critical therapy access

    • How to pursue a motor speech evaluation and what to expect

    • The role of Speech-Language Pathology, including therapy intensity and strategies

    • How to support communication at home while reducing stress and pressure

    🌿 You’ll Leave With

    • A clear understanding of what CAS is—and isn’t

    • Clues to watch for in babies and toddlers who may be at risk

    • Steps for pursuing evaluation and therapy early

    • Tools to support your child’s communication while preserving connection

    This session is educational and not diagnostic, but it will give you the insight and language you need to advocate for your child early.

Neuroaffirming Transitions in Early Childhood Workshop

  • 🌿 From First Steps to First Grade

    With Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC
    Neuroaffirming Transitions in Early Childhood

    The From First Steps to First Grade Workshop is a parent roadmap for navigating the entire early childhood support system—from your child’s first developmental concerns through early intervention, preschool special education, and the transition into kindergarten.

    Led by Dr. Destiny Huff, Licensed Professional Counselor, parent advocate, and Master IEP Coach®, this workshop equips you with the tools to secure neuroaffirming supports, protect your child’s sensory and regulatory needs, and walk into IEP meetings with confidence.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 The Landscape of Early Childhood Services

    • The difference between Early Intervention (Part C of IDEA), Early Childhood Special Education (Part B Section 619), and school-age services

    • What happens when your child transitions from an IFSP to an IEP

    • How eligibility criteria and services shift as kindergarten approaches

    🧩 Understanding Neurodivergent Development

    • Early signs of autism, ADHD, and sensory processing differences

    • How neurodivergence impacts communication, play, regulation, feeding, and sleep

    • Why big emotions and meltdowns are communication—not “misbehavior”

    ⚡ Avoiding Common Transition Pitfalls

    • How to prevent sudden loss of services when moving from EI to ECSE

    • Myths around “readiness” (potty training, sitting still, multi-step directions) that can lead to gatekeeping

    • Reducing mismatched expectations that often cause behavior misinterpretation, discipline, or exclusion

    🌈 Neuroaffirming Transition Planning

    • Centering your child’s identity, strengths, and voice

    • Creating “All About Me” profiles and sensory snapshots

    • Visual supports, transition countdowns, and proactive regulation plans to reduce overwhelm

    🤝 Collaborative IEP Meetings

    • Your role as a parent and the provider’s role in creating a collaborative team

    • Writing goals that build agency, not just compliance

    • Using neuroaffirming language and meaningful accommodations

    • How to bring observations and questions that invite partnership

    📚 Tools & Resources

    • Do’s and don’ts for neuroaffirming transitions

    • Recommended books (Uniquely Human, Brain-Body Parenting, Punished by Rewards)

    • Practical templates for parent input statements, sensory snapshots, and continuity planning

    🌿 This Workshop Will Help You:

    • Confidently navigate every stage of the early childhood services system

    • Anticipate eligibility and service changes before they catch you off guard

    • Advocate for your child’s sensory and emotional needs in every setting

    • Build a consistent, supportive plan from toddlerhood through first grade

Insight Session: PDA with Sunita Theiss

  • 🌿 Insight Session: Understanding PDA

    With PDA Coach Sunita Theiss
    Supporting Autonomy in Neurodivergent Toddlers & Preschoolers

    The Understanding PDA Insight Session is a compassionate, practical conversation with Sunita Theiss—a late-diagnosed PDA, autistic, and ADHD adult; parent to fiercely independent kids; and a PDA North America Level 1–certified coach.

    Drawing from lived experience and years of family coaching, Sunita helps parents reframe “defiance” as nervous-system protection, reduce daily battles by lowering perceived demands, and build a home rhythm rooted in safety, connection, and trust—especially within cross-cultural and/or faith-informed families.

    What You’ll Learn Inside 👇

    🧠 PDA, Clearly Explained

    • What PDA is and isn’t within the autism spectrum

    • Why demands (even fun ones) can trigger fight/flight/freeze

    • How PDA differs from “strong-willed” behavior or typical toddler resistance

    🌪 Early Presentation in Little Kids

    • Common patterns: insistence on autonomy, distress when your attention is divided, refusal of routine care tasks, “can’t when asked”

    • How unpredictability, pace, and stacked demands drive dysregulation

    🌈 Lowering the Demand, Keeping the Boundary

    • Translating “low-demand” into daily life without giving up safety or values

    • Co-regulation, choices that feel like agency, and flexible sequencing

    • Gentle scripts that reduce status threats and preserve connection

    🏡 Family, Culture, and Faith—Without Conflict

    • Navigating extended-family expectations and generational norms

    • Aligning your values with a PDA-affirming home rhythm

    • Language for schools, churches, and community spaces that protects your child’s autonomy and dignity

    🧩 Practical Tools You Can Use Tonight

    • “Before/During/After” transition supports

    • Demand-dialing (how to step demands down, then back up)

    • Quick language shifts that lower resistance (“when/then,” “first/then,” side-door invites)

    🌿 You’ll Leave With

    • A nervous-system lens for understanding PDA (not a behavior chart)

    • Concrete scripts for tough moments and public settings

    • A plan to reduce daily flashpoints while keeping essential boundaries

    • Confidence to advocate—at home, with relatives, and in community spaces

    Sunita’s coaching is inclusive and affirming for families of all backgrounds and beliefs. While her personal faith informs her empathy and approach, this session is designed to feel safe, respectful, and accommodating regardless of culture or creed.

    Note: This session is educational coaching, not medical, diagnostic, or psychotherapy advice.

Why Community Matters

When you’re surrounded by people who don’t understand your child—or your parenting—it becomes more than just isolating. It becomes disorienting. You begin to question what you know. You over-explain your decisions, water down your concerns, and shrink your voice to avoid criticism. Even when your gut is screaming that something more is going on, the constant need to justify your parenting choices can erode your confidence. It gets harder to advocate clearly when your own nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

So many of the families I work with have been told the same outdated lines: “It’s just colic.” “They’ll grow out of it.” “Don’t worry unless they’re still doing that at three.” “You just need to sleep train.” “Put them in 40 hours of therapy and be consistent.” These statements don’t support parents—they silence them. When you're isolated in your knowledge, it becomes harder to trust yourself. And when you don’t trust yourself, advocacy becomes harder to access.

But when you sit in a space with like-minded parents—people who see what you see, who understand the language of sensory regulation, nervous system support, and early neurodivergence—something shifts. You begin to exhale. You start recognizing that what you’re seeing is real, and that your child doesn’t need to be fixed—they need to be understood. Surrounded by others who truly get it, you build the language, tools, and community to show up with clarity and confidence. You stop defending your child and start advocating for them.

The Early Neurodiversity Community isn’t just a place to gather information—it’s a place to rebuild your trust in yourself. It’s a space to feel seen, supported, and steady. Because when you’re connected and regulated, you can show up for your child in powerful, transformative ways. You were never overreacting. You were early. And now, you don’t have to be alone.

Find your advocacy through community…

Learn More

A little more about me…

👋🏼 I’m Lauren—RN, parent of three neurodivergent kids, and the founder of Spirited Baby Sleep. I’ve spent over a decade navigating therapies, sleep challenges, diagnoses, sensory systems, and emotional regulation—and I built this space because no family should have to figure this out alone.

Whether your baby is a few days old or your preschooler is 4, this is your space to learn, be held, and grow.
I’ll be in your corner every step of the way.

Can’t wait to meet you inside. ✨