Living with Asperger’s syndrome has turned out to be a literal roller coaster in more than one sense. For starters, you don’t always know how to deal with intense feelings, with different situations that are out of your routine, and, this is the best part, you have to discover the best way to process it… Continue Reading
Every day my oldest son, Andrew, and my daughter with autism, Lizzie, rode their scooters down the block. They would go just out of my sight to the same crack in the sidewalk where Lizzie would turn around; then they would race back to me. For months, I walked with them fearing they would go… Continue Reading
A friend’s teen daughter who has high functioning autism enjoys her bird pets. She is aware of their heartbeats and she notices their beautiful eyelashes. Most wouldn’t see these special elements of birds. Maria’s sensitivity is an amazing gift and her caring for all animals is inspiring. Animals are great healers for many children, especially… Continue Reading
Aaron was not happy. Wednesday night was youth activity night, and since Leia was away at an all-girls camping trip, it was just him. The boys were meeting at Nate’s house for a pool party which meant being shirtless. Worse, his parents had decided they were going to walk there. Aaron didn’t mind walking, and… Continue Reading
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) take in information and learn differently. We know through various medical analysis and research that children on the spectrum can struggle in social situations, particularly around understanding communication and building relationships. Having worked with many children on the spectrum and with those who experience anxiety as a result of… Continue Reading
When we think about autism awareness, we think about educating the community leaders; the teachers, caregivers, police officers, neighbors, family and friends. It’s so important to make sure as many people as possible are educated in autism and the challenges and beauty autism offers because awareness is key to acceptance and respect. The more people… Continue Reading
For years, I’ve been searching for a way to reconcile my passion for speech therapy and my addiction to earning new, vibrant stamps in my passport. I was reading a news article when I came across a non-governmental organization in Cambodia helping to make speech therapy available to those with communication difficulties. In Cambodia, speech… Continue Reading
One of the most difficult things to cope with as an autism mom was my son’s inability to speak. I remember hoping and praying that speech was going to develop and reassuring myself that it was a matter of time and the words would emerge by perhaps the next holiday or birthday. I recall having… Continue Reading
For women with Asperger’s, the workplace can be a very isolated place. Organizations are social environments, which is uniquely challenging for Aspie Women. In the workplace, women tend to form cliques, social groups, and tribes that neurotypical women are more naturally enabled to understand and navigate. In organizations that I have observed, there is a… Continue Reading
When it comes to autism, there can be many misconceptions and misunderstandings in the classroom environment. Sometimes, parents of children with autism in mainstream settings are blamed for their child’s unusual behaviors; teachers may not accept that behaviors they are seeing are typical of autism. This is probably because autism isn’t always apparent when a… Continue Reading