Richie Smith is a managing director of Awesometistic, a unique autism training business. Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 33 years old, Richie’s goal is to generate autism understanding and acceptance wherever he goes. Can you share with me what life was like growing up without an official autism diagnosis? Growing up without a diagnosis […]
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Netflix released Season Two of Atypical in September 2018, and soon there will be Season Three. I really hope this TV series will continue for many more seasons. I have been following it since the first season and I believe that there are social dimensions that should not be absorbed by the comical element of […]
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Have you ever wondered what role faith plays in your autism journey? As a Christian, I can only speak from that perspective, but I am aware that other faiths may have insights on this topic as well. Our faith in God gives us hope in what otherwise would seem like a hopeless situation. Faith gives […]
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Last week I overheard my 5th grader, Olivia talking with her friend about not being a “girly-girl.” She asked if her friend noticed. Her friend said “yes.” Then Olivia asked her if she cared. So I asked myself, did I notice that Olivia wasn’t a “girly-girl?” Did I care? If your child is expressing a […]
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1. Give Credit Where Credit is Due I have a seven-year-old boy who can recite the alphabet backward faster than some can forwards. He can name the planets and dwarf planets in order of their distance from the sun. He will tell you how many sides are on a pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon, […]
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My son, Ryan, and I reside in a medium sized outdoors-driven town just a hop and a skip south of the Canadian border. Sandwiched between Vancouver, BC to the north and Seattle, Washington to the south, our community, trying to stave off too much growth, strives to be tight-knit, which has allowed Ry and I […]
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As a sibling to autism for more than 50 years, I have many true stories to share about life with this developmental difference—stories that you may not have encountered elsewhere. For instance: One summer afternoon, a neighbor from the apartment complex in which my autistic adult brother and mother lived called the police about my […]
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The subject of potty training or toilet training, simple as it seems, can be anything but easy for children with autism or special needs. This milestone is one that all parents strive for as it is an important part of a child’s development. The current advice from many pediatricians is that you should begin to […]
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Children with autism may engage in problem behaviors that pose a danger to self or others (e.g., physical aggression, self-injury, elopement, etc.). Unfortunately, when these behaviors pose a significant risk to the child, school personnel may restrain and/or seclude a child with autism to prevent him/her from harming another student, staff, or him/herself (Matson & […]
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What is Forest School? Forest School is a type of outdoor education which takes place in natural spaces and encourages participants to develop personal, social and practical skills. The concept of Forest School was brought to the United Kingdom by a group of early years practitioners from Bridgwater College who visited Denmark and returned enthused […]
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