Free Printable I Need Help Cards

These free printable I need help cards are great for kids, teens, and adults to advocate for their needs and request help.

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Asking for help can be difficult for a lot of people. Yet, we all need help from time to time.

However, knowing when you need help is one thing, but knowing what to say when you need to ask for help is another thing (hint: try these social scripts).

Then there are the occasions where you might be so overwhelmed or stuck that mouth words become unreliable. Especially in environments, such as school or work, that can be busy, chaotic, and full of sensory stimuli.

Well, that's what these I need help cards are for. They're a great way for kids, teens, and adults alike to advocate for their needs and request help when they need it.

So, let's take a closer look at these help cards, what's included, and how or when you can use them.

About these Free Printable I Need Help Cards

This set of cards are perfect for kids, teens, or adults who may need help asking for assistance, whether that's at home, at school, at work, or while out and about.

You can simply grab a card and show it whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, confused, unsure, etc. instead of having to rely on mouth words.

In total, there are 32 different cards in this set, including:

• 23 black and white cards that feature an icon paired with the text "I need help." and one card that is text only

• 8 color cards featuring clipart (includes diverse images and even sign language) paired with the text "I need help."

You certainly don't need to print all of these cards off. Just print off the pages that will be the most relevant to your needs.

Then, once you've printed them off, cut and laminate for durability. Then keep the cards accessible, whether that's on your child's desk at school or home, on a lanyard, in your purse, in your pocket, etc.

Examples of When & How to Use these Help Cards

These help cards are versatile and can be used for a wide variety of situations and environments. For example, you could use them:

• At school when you're feeling stuck or confused, don't understand the instructions, need clarification, can't find certain supplies, etc.

• For emotional support

• At home when you need guidance, comfort, or support

• At work when you need clarification, don't understand a task, need troubleshooting help, feeling overwhelming with workload, etc.

• When lost or confused in a public setting

• When instructions are unclear

• During extracurricular activities such as lessons or sports

• During therapy sessions or medical appointments

• In new or unfamiliar situations

• When overstimulated

• When you feel a meltdown, shutdown, or sensory overload is close

Really, these cards are great to keep on hand everywhere you go. After all, you never know when you might need help or guidance.

Download the Free Printable Help Cards

This printable pack is four pages long and has 8 cards per page for a total of 32 help cards. There are three pages that are black and white and one page that is color.

Simply print the pages that best suit your needs. Then cut and laminate the cards for durability.

To get a copy of the I need help cards, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

 

Free Printable Support Needs Cards

Free printable support needs cards for kids, teens, and adults to advocate for their needs at school and work.

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Learning how to advocate for one's needs is important. Especially at school or at work where specific supports or accommodations might need to be in place in order to be successful in that environment.

Perhaps you already have some specific self advocacy scripts that you use verbally. However, sometimes, situational mutism or expressive language difficulties can make it challenging to communicate your needs orally.

In that case, you can use these free printable support needs cards to communicate your needs, without having to rely on mouth words. Instead, you can use written words on these cards to relay a specific message and make a request for help.

About the Free Printable Support Needs Cards

Designed to help with self advocacy skills, these cards can help kids, teens, and even adults communicate their support needs to those around them. For instance, they can be used to help students communicate to teachers, employees to employers, kids to coaches, and so much more.

These support cards are versatile and are great for:

• School, home, or workplaces

• Those who are able to write independently (although there are a few options for younger kids and/or those unable to write independently)

• Those who are easily overwhelmed, experience situational mutism, and/or have expressive language difficulties with mouth words

• Children, teens, and adults

In this pack, there are 10 different options to choose from to fit a variety of situations, needs, and preferences. The options include:

• Wording #1: What I want you to know / How you can help

• Wording #2: I need to tell you / How you can support me

• Wording #3: Here's what's going on / Here's what would help

• Wording #4: Here's how I'm feeling / What I need

• Wording #5: My message / My request

• Wording #6: I need help with / What works for me

• Blank: So you can write your own phrases, draw your own emojis or coping tools, add pictures, etc.

• Visual Option #1: Features 5 emojis and one blank face and 9 example coping tools and strategies (headphones, fidget, stop/break, visuals/AAC, water, more time, movement, books, chewelry)

• Visual Option #2 (hyperlexia edition!): Features 5 emojis and one blank face and 9 example coping tools and strategies that appeal to hyperlexic learners (visuals/AAC, whiteboard or writing tablet/drawing, books, letter toys, calculator, number toys, word puzzles, iPad/screen time, closed captions)

• Visual Option #3: Features 5 emojis and one blank face and a blank space to add your own coping strategies and tools

Suggestions for How to Use these Support Cards

While these support cards were originally intended to be used within the classroom, they certainly aren't limited to that environment. Here are a few suggestions on how you might use this visual support:

• Laminate and tape it to a school (or work) desk. Pair it with a dry erase marker. Then fill it in as needed throughout the school (or work) day and erase as needed.

• Laminate and add one velcro dot in each box. Then make some picture cards that can fit in the boxes, laminate them, and add a velcro dot to the back of the picture cards.

• Fill in a couple examples for a variety of different skills or activities that you or your child might need support with. You could then laminate them and keep them in a folder or binder to pull out as needed. Alternatively, you could assemble the pages into a little booklet that you or your child could then flip through as needed.

• Is there a substitute teacher? Fill in one of the pages that make sense (e.g., "What I want you to know/How you can help" or "I need to tell you/How you can best support me" are perfect for this!) and hand it to the teacher at the start of the school day.

• Starting camp, daycare, or some extracurricular activity (i.e., sports or music lessons)? Fill in one of the pages that make sense (e.g., "What I want you to know/How you can help" or "I need to tell you/How you can best support me" are perfect for this!) and hand it to the instructor or coach at the start of the camp, lessons, etc.

• Use at home when doing homework, similar to how it might be used within the classroom.

• Use them for social situations too, where sensory overload might be common (e.g., birthday parties) and supports might be necessary for success. You can fill in one of the pages, similar to the suggestions above for substitute teachers or extracurricular activities.

• For the ones with visuals, they could be laminated and paired with a dry erase marker. Then you could simply circle or color the emoji and coping tool you need. Or, you could simply point to the emoji and coping tool instead.

Download the Free Printable

This printable pack contains 10 pages with two cards per page. Each page features slightly different phrases and wordings so feel free to pick and choose the wordings that work best for your needs.

As indicated above, there are also a couple of options that use pictures instead and one page is blank and customizable.

To get your copy of the support needs cards, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Free Printable I Need a Break Cards

These free printable I need a break cards are great for teaching self-advocacy skills and supporting regulation.

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Sometimes kids - okay, teens and adults too! - get overwhelmed and need to take a break.

However, it can be hard to ask for a break when you need one. Especially if you're non-speaking, experience situational mutism, or have difficulties with expressive language. Or sometimes the environment (e.g., school) itself makes it challenging to communicate that you need a break, simply because there's so much else going on.

Well, that's where these I need a break cards come in handy. They're a great way to advocate for oneself and ask for a break. And they make for a great visual for a variety of settings.

So, let's take a closer look at these little break cards, what's included, and how or when you can use them.

About These Free Printable I Need a Break Cards

This set of cards are perfect for kids, teens, or adults who may need help asking for a break, whether that's at home, at school, at work, or while out and about.

You can simply grab a card and show it whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, tired, etc. instead of having to rely on mouth words.

In total, there are 40 different cards in this set, including:

• 17 black and white cards that feature an icon paired with the text "I need a break." and one card that is text only

• 2 black and white cards that feature an icon paired with the text "I need a sensory break."

• 2 black and white cards that feature an icon paired with the text "I need a quiet break."

• 2 black and white cards that feature an icon paired with the text "I need a movement break."

• 8 color cards featuring girl clipart paired with the above four phrases (2 cards per phrase)

• 8 color cards featuring boy clipart paired with the above four phrases (2 cards per phrase)

You certainly don't need to print all of these cards off. Just print off the pages that will be the most relevant to your needs.

Then, once you've printed them off, cut and laminate for durability. Then keep the cards accessible, whether that's on your child's desk at school or home, on a lanyard, in your purse, in your pocket, etc.

Examples of When to Use these Break Cards

These break cards are versatile and can be used for a wide variety of situations and environments. For example, you could use them:

• At school, especially during a loud classroom or school activity (e.g., assemblies)

• During speech or occupational therapy

• In environments with strong sensory stimuli (e.g., concerts, shopping malls, grocery store)

• During long lessons at school or meetings at work

• In crowded or busy environments

• On field trips

• When instructions are overwhelming

• During homework or studying

• In different social situations (e.g., play dates, weddings, family gatherings), especially if they are new or unfamiliar

• When you feel a meltdown or sensory overload is close

• When overstimulated

• While traveling or on vacation

Basically, if it's a situation or environment that is known to be overwhelming or is unfamiliar, then it's a good idea to keep one of these break cards handy.

Download the Free Printable Break Cards

This printable pack is five pages long and has 8 cards per page for a total of 40 break cards for students. There are three pages that are black and white and two pages that are color.

Simply print the pages that best suit your needs. Then cut and laminate the cards for durability.

To get a copy of the I need a break cards, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

 

Things to Remember as Your Hyperlexic Child Returns to or Starts School

Is your hyperlexic child starting school soon? Here are some things to remember as your hyperlexic child returns to school or starts school for the first time.

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Since many people are unfamiliar with the term hyperlexia, it can make the transition back to school a bit challenging. And sometimes frustrating too. Especially if it's your child's first year at school.

So, while it's helpful to know that, as a parent, you will likely encounter some challenges along the way, it probably doesn't ease your worries one bit.

However, there are some important things to remember as your hyperlexic child heads to school that will hopefully help make the experience a bit less surprising or frustrating.

Things to Remember as Your Hyperlexic Child Returns to or Starts School

1. The teacher and school staff have likely never heard of hyperlexia before so you'll probably have to introduce them to the term and describe what hyperlexia is. The same thing applies to gestalt language processing.

• Feel free to send them a copy of the Hyperlexia Handbook or one of these handy PDFs as a starting point

2. The teacher and school staff might not believe you at first when you tell them that your child can read, especially if your child is entering preschool or kindergarten. Sometimes they just need to see hyperlexia in action in order to believe it. Then they'll probably ask you something like, "Did you know your child can read?!" (And, yes, they'll likely still ask that even if you told them so ahead of time!)

3. Consider the spiky learning profile of hyperlexic learners and make sure that your child's teacher understands that your child might excel in some areas (e.g., decoding, spelling, math), but require extra support in others (e.g., comprehension, social interactions, transitions, writing assignments, fine motor skills, sensory needs).

4. Hyperlexic readers can be really good at masking their comprehension issues. It's also important to note that tests don't always pick up on their struggles in this area. That's why it's so important to prioritize and support comprehension skills, even if things appear fine at the moment (see point #10 here).

• Suggested reading: Drawing a Blank: Improving Comprehension for Readers on the Autism Spectrum by Emily Iland

• Resources to support comprehension

5. You need to advocate for your child's needs. That includes emphasizing their strengths and skills, collaborating with the school team, making sure appropriate accommodations and supports are put into place, and so on. You might find the following resources helpful:

• Strengths of hyperlexic learners

• Advocacy tips & IEP resources for parents

• Accommodations vs. modifications

6. Visual supports are a great way to support hyperlexic learners at home and in the classroom and taking the time to write things down can make a huge difference. Here are some examples of different types of visuals to use with hyperlexic learners:

• Social stories

• Social scripts

• Visual schedules & routine charts

• Graphic organizers

• Calm down cards

7. School can be overwhelming and dysregulating. So plan for downtime after school. Some ideas include:

• Providing access to letter toys or number toys

• Setting up a calm down corner

• Quiet time (e.g., reading, doing puzzles, doodling on a whiteboard or Boogie Board)

• Outdoor time (e.g., walk, playing outside, swinging at the playground)

• Sensory play

This list of tips above is by no means exhaustive. It's meant more to give you an idea of what to expect (e.g., no one believing you or is familiar with hyperlexia) and how to make sure your child is well supported (e.g., using visual supports, highlighting their strengths, discussing how they learn best).

There might be a few some perhaps lots of hiccups along the way and that's okay. Learn to expect that and embrace that.

Educating others about hyperlexia and advocating for your child's needs might be exhausting work, but it's well worth it in the end if it means your child is well supported and thriving, whether that's at school or in any other environment.