For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), head banging is a common way to self-soothe and communicate needs. Both neurotypical and autistic babies and toddlers seek to recreate the rhythm that stimulated their vestibular system while in utero. Other rhythmic habits that fuel a child’s kinesthetic drive include head rolling, body rocking, biting, and thumb… Continue Reading
Dr. Stephen Shore once said “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” As many of you know, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are now 1 in 68 children living with autism in the United States. What this means for each child and his/her family… Continue Reading
Help! I am going to be starting Applied Behavior Analysis for my son who has autism. Can you tell me things to ask and what to look for in an ABA provider? — Jane I am so glad you asked this. Within the autism community there are mixed feelings about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). But,… Continue Reading
How do you handle high anxiety of a child on the spectrum? My son is 12 years old and where we live there is a hurricane coming soon. Everyone is talking about it and he is terrified. He gets upset when it rains and he cries because he’s scared. With others he appears angry and… Continue Reading
A grandfather from Singapore asks… My eldest grandson (age 5) is autistic. His parents work full-time so I am his caretaker. He is very picky about his food, does not talk, is hyperactive, walks on his toes, has difficulty concentrating, wakes up in the middle of the night, is not potty-trained, and fiddles with his… Continue Reading
Hi, I am the parent of a 13-year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome. He was unable to cope with school so he now has a tutor come to the house each day for one hour. He is very withdrawn and this is worse when his tutor comes. How do I get him to engage with the… Continue Reading