TheAutismShop

All items are customized or made-to-order and therefore are not eligible for return.

Payment is required at the the time of purchase with PayPal or Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Esty gift card.

Items are shipped USPS and are shipped within 5-8 days of payment received. Orders that are CUSTOM made or modified may take 5-10 business days before it's ready to ship depending on the current case load. But rest assured, the extra wait will be worth it. Your child will have a customized item to suit their communication needs.
Shipping is by weight. So combined shipping isn't necessary. This includes US, CAN, and INT'L orders.

All items over 13 oz. will ship Priority Mail (that is USPS shipping weight policy). Additionally, when you pay for quicker shipping that does not mean I can make your item faster. Priority shipping just means the travel of your package will take 1-3 days approximately, once your item has been made. If you need me to make your item faster you will need to contact me to see if that is possible.

In all situations, you will need contact me BEFORE ordering a custom book. I will let you know what my waiting list is like, how long it will take to write your story, whether or not I am able to write a story about the topic you are seeking, and I will need detailed information about your topic in order to determine that. (If you want a custom story, you will need to read these instructions in full).

~~~~CAN I GET A STORY CUSTOMIZED TO FIT MY CHILD'S SITUATION?~~~~

Yes! If you find a story topic that fits your child or 'sort of' fits your child's issue but need to make sure a specific issue is addressed, or something needs to be worded a certain way... PLEASE let me know. I am happy to make these minor changes to a book. In most cases the extra fee is $10-$20 depending on how much needs to be changed. Changing wording and rearranging pages take a lot of time. Sometimes as much as writing a whole new story. If you need a whole new storyline, a custom social story would be necessary. To get an idea of what you should order please contact me BEFORE ordering. I do not just 'add pages' to the story, it's not that simple.

~~~~HOW DO I KNOW WHAT YOUR SOCIAL STORY SAYS?~~~~

Easy! Just take a few moments to look at the listing about the story that most closely represents your topic. Then take a look at the photos. The photos are clear enough that you can read almost half of the social story and get the feel of what it is about, maybe how it could be changed a bit to fit your child's circumstance, and if the book reads either too old or too young for your child (this can be changed too!).

~~~~WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS SEVERAL ISSUES AND I WANT TO COMBINE THEM ALL IN ONE BOOK?~~~~

Umm, sorry no. Each book needs to address a specific topic and stay crystal clear on that topic. Most kids can't handle the input of several topics at once. So I can't make a combination book about 'Being Patient-Not Holding My Pee-Going to the Eye Doctor' book. It would be confusing and not beneficial for a child in the least. So I have to break down the books into separate issues in order to adequately address them and input positive scripts regarding each issue.

~~~~WILL YOU WRITE A SOCIAL STORY FOR MY CHILD?~~~~

Sure, BUT... You must know that I will NEED your input. You have to be able to give specifics about the issue/topic. I can't write a story if you say, "My child is afraid of green beans." or "Can you tell my kid how to play soccer?" What I will need to know from you is EXACTLY (or as much as you can surmise) what the problem is:

1) WHAT the issue is that your child is facing (i.e. hitting others, won't try new foods, moving to another house, etc.) Then I will need to know...
2) WHO is this book for? Is this for a boy or girl, what age, and what is their level of comprehension. This gives me some insight into whom I am working for.
3) WHY is this a concern or what do you believe your child's road block is for this subject (i.e. teachers are getting frustrated, need to prepare for an event, resistant to change, etc.) Then I would like you to tell me...
4) WHAT positive spin (or solution) do you want to give to your child (i.e. when you are frustrated instead of hitting others you will... go to your happy place, take a break, tell a teacher.) We can't just tell them to 'stop it' we need a replacement activity. If this book is NOT behavioral and just informative or a script, I will still need to have a positive spin. Like, 'I will be in big boy underwear and stay dry all day!' or something of that nature.
5) TELL ME what the title of the book should be. I may have to tweak it a bit, but this gives me a good idea of where you are coming from on the topic and where you are headed with the book.

~~~~UGH, CAN'T YOU JUST WRITE THIS STORY FOR ME WITHOUT ALL THIS INFORMATION?~~~~

Boy, that would be miraculous wouldn't it? BUT A GREAT CUSTOM SOCIAL STORY HAS A LOT OF PARENTAL AND/OR TEACHER INPUT. I will be here to help guide and word things to get it right for your child. I can offer suggestions to help you develop your story and put it into words and pictures for your child. Only you know your child best and your input is priceless!

~~~~CAN YOU USE PHOTOS I TAKE AND PUT THEM IN A SOCIAL STORY?~~~~

I really don't do that because most people are not very good photographers. In my experience the pictures i receive are usually low resolution, not centered well, and very dark. This makes the photos very difficult and sometimes impossible to work with. I am not in the business of photo editing, so it's not my expertise either. The time involved for me to create a full story with your photographs would be very time consuming and costly. In instances where I will work with photos is usually a head shot of a parent, therapist, pet, or sibling in order to make a simple PECS card or sometimes 1-2 photos in a book if absolutely necessary.

~~~~WILL YOU WRITE A STORY ABOUT ANYTHING?~~~~

Well I don't 'censor' the topics parents need for a story. However, if I don't know much about a subject and/or the parent can't give me enough inside information, then I simply can't write a story that would be beneficial. In such a case I would have to decline.

Once I review your information, I can determine if I can write an effective story for your child or not. I am human and a creative person, so if a story doesn't come to me from your information, then I simply can't. Nothing personal, and that doesn't happen very often.

I have only needed to decline a story twice: A parent asked me to write a book that would teach her child to play a specific sport. I just didn't know enough about the sport to even attempt such a book. Another time a parent asked me to write a story about the difference between two different religions. I didn't know much about either religion and didn't feel I would be able to represent it properly.

~~~~HOW MUCH DOES A COMPLETE CUSTOM SOCIAL STORY COST?~~~~

In most cases a complete custom social story will be $45-$50 depending on the number of pages and artwork or pictures needed to complete it and I need to consider any unforeseen matters as well. It's really very reasonable considering I am going to spend anywhere from 2-6 hours creating your child's very special book.

If you wish to proceed with a custom social story, feel free to contact The Autism Whisperer via email and put CUSTOM SOCIAL STORY in the subject line AutismShopper [!at] gmail.com

Purpose of social stories:
• I ncrease understanding
• D ecrease anxiety
• E ducate your child about an event
• A ffirm success
• S hare information

This story is 10 or 14 pages (depending what your story's needs are) and measures approx. 8" x 6". ALL MATERIALS are printed in color on heavy duty card stock and heat laminated with commercial plastic. The book is bound with a vinyl coil binding and is extremely durable.

The Autism Whisperer™

Visual Aids for Visual Kids™