Keep up with the latest news and updates
December 1, 2023
The holiday season is a time of peace and love for most families. However, autism and Christmas tell a whole different story. “I hate Christmas ” is a familiar refrain in my home. My oldest son and wife utter this phrase often during the holiday season. The truth is, both love a lot about Christmas.
November 29, 2023
An autism babysitter could be an excellent option for parents who need to know that their child’s special needs are being met. Finding quality child care, whether at a child care center or home, can be challenging when parents seek candidates to meet their child’s needs. A child’s development and safety are of utmost importance,
November 27, 2023
When our child gets diagnosed with autism, it opens up a range of questions. “How can we help them?” “What will their future be like?” “Will they be able to have children?” “What’s life like for autistic parents?“ Depending on our knowledge of autism and how it affects those on the spectrum, we may already
November 24, 2023
For many parents, the autism advocacy journey often begins upon learning of their child’s autism diagnosis. After figuring out what is best for their child, one of the first thoughts is how to make the world a better place for others on the spectrum. In a way, autism parents are often the first and most
November 22, 2023
“Why can’t I play with my brother like other kids my age play with their siblings?” Coming from my older son, Jeremy, that question cut like a knife. The fact is Joey struggles with joint attention. He can only sometimes focus on the same things as everyone else. For joint attention to work with Joey,
November 20, 2023
For some autistic children, nonverbal communication is a key factor in their specific diagnosis. However, nonverbal autism can present different challenges. Understanding the uniqueness of autism can be a crucial component for the individuals, their families, and the professionals they work with. Different programs, support, and services can help the child with language development if
November 17, 2023
As the autism diagnosis rates continue to rise, awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the need for an autism specialist also increase. An autism specialist is trained to provide the support needed to a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and could work with the child in a school setting, therapy sessions, or other
November 15, 2023
Your child has been showing signs of autism, yet there’s a part of you that thinks it’s too early to intervene. You’ve read about various management strategies, but how important is early intervention in autism? Early intervention services for autistic children have been shown to have a lasting impact on their development. Although there can
November 13, 2023
On Thanksgiving Day, families across the United States will gather to celebrate gratitude. It can be a time for visiting with close family and others you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a time for remembering the special moments and blessings you are grateful for. If you are hosting the holiday, it can also be
November 10, 2023
When we warn our children about stranger danger, we tend to focus on random strangers and neighbors we don’t know. Unfortunately, stranger danger can come from many different places, including the Internet, our communities, or even our family. Teaching children about personal safety and who they can trust is important. Stranger danger should be the
November 8, 2023
Social stories about personal space can help a person with autism to understand their personal space boundaries better while respecting those of others. Social stories can range from being a personal space social story that helps the individual better understand personal space boundaries and respect the personal space of others to different situations, like visiting
November 6, 2023
Children come in all shapes, sizes, and with different abilities. Your child with autism is no different in that regard. So, you’ve just been informed that your child with autism may be a strong visual learner. What will that mean for both you and your child? Every child learns differently, and visual learners have unique
November 3, 2023
As you scroll through your social media, your algorithm is filled with autism advice and stories other parents and experts share. A couple of autism memes pop up, and you’re stuck in a dilemma: should you find them funny just because they’re relatable? These pictures highlighting a particular topic can be funny and offensive to
November 1, 2023
Mary is wondering if her 6-year-old boy might have autism. He has trouble communicating and has repetitive behavior. Like many parents, a question at the forefront of her mind is: Who can diagnose autism? Diagnosing autism spectrum disorders is complicated; finding a reliable source can provide answers and support for the individual and their family
October 30, 2023
In a world that often feels overwhelming, especially for neurodivergent children, visual schedules have proven to be powerful tools to provide structure, promote independence, and reduce anxiety. A visual schedule represents a sequence of activities or tasks presented clearly and organized using images, icons, or words. They serve as a roadmap for individuals to navigate
October 27, 2023
Alex, a young boy on the spectrum, was playing with his favorite toys – the colorful cars. For everyone around him, there was an obvious difference between these toy cars, but Alex couldn’t see. He struggled greatly as his parents tried to help him match the cars of the same color, which made them wonder
October 25, 2023
You know the scenario too well: You’ve spent hours cooking a delicious and nutritious meal – only for your child to dislike most ingredients on their plate. “I don’t want to eat broccoli,” they proclaim. “But it is good for you,” you answer back. And so it goes on. Luckily, there are practical tips that
October 23, 2023
Upon hearing something about joint hypermobility in autistic children, parents and caregivers can often wonder if it is something they should be concerned about. Are there regular joint hypermobility occurrences in autistic children? There are many different comorbid diagnoses that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have, and their parents and caregivers may
October 20, 2023
When you get the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, there are a lot of questions that every parent must ask. A central one is, “What can I do to help my child?” But one question that unfortunately must be asked is about autism life expectancy. Do autistic people have a lower life expectancy? This article
October 18, 2023
Occasionally, all kids can be picky at the dinner table. Sometimes, picky eating can take on an extreme and become a pediatric feeding disorder. But what exactly is pediatric feeding disorder, and how do you recognize your child needs help? Some parents question if their child’s eating is outside of typical development. This article will
October 16, 2023
“Ow! Joey’s hitting me!” That phrase has been said far too often in my home. My son is considered “profound” on the autism spectrum and needs a lot of redirection. So, what do you do when your child is aggressive and hitting? Many autism advocates suggest using a social story for hitting. In simple terms,
October 11, 2023
During a long-time friend and co-worker conversation, I described my son, Joey, as “neurodivergent.” That led to an interesting discussion about neurotypical vs neurodivergent regarding terms used to describe people with autism spectrum disorders. She asked about these terms, what they mean, and what it means to identify as a neurotypical person or neurodivergent. Her
October 6, 2023
Here is some expert advice from Michelle Ridsdale on peer relationships related to autism. Sometimes, parents are concerned about their children’s peer relationships. They want to know what the experts say and what things parents should look for in their autistic child’s behavior, attitude, self-esteem, etc. Positive peer relationships and peer acceptance are difficult for
October 4, 2023
Television characters with autism have come a long way over the years. When I was a kid, there was very little representation of children on the autism spectrum. Most autistic characters were resented as savants who could do almost anything. While there is a broader representation today with more autistic traits being shown, the entertainment
September 28, 2023
Find out what adaptive skills are, why they are necessary, and where these skills are needed. “Who needs adaptive skills? I easily adapt from one task to the next.” Parents can easily think like this, especially if they are unaware of what adaptive skills are and why they are necessary. For children on the autism
September 27, 2023
The global Autism Parenting Summit is returning in October 2023. Imagine 32,000 attendees, 30+ world-class speakers, 4 informative days, and 1 global event – the Autism Parenting Summit is back! The Summit, hosted by Autism Parenting Magazine, is a free virtual event on October 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th. Doctors, psychologists, educators, advocates, and people
September 20, 2023
We hear it on television, in magazines, and on the radio… Everywhere people are talking about celebrating neurodiversity. But what does it mean, and are there stereotypes or misconceptions associated with it? After all, the term was only coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, and it can refer to a diverse range of conditions,
September 14, 2023
In April 2023, my son had one of the worst meltdowns I could remember. He was screaming, running, crying, throwing himself on the ground, and was generally inconsolable. He struggled with emotional regulation at that moment. See, his routine had been thrown off. But how do you help an autistic child regulate emotions in such
September 7, 2023
“We have a wide variety of seating, so students can choose how they learn.” This was a statement I wasn’t expecting to hear when I met my son’s teacher. I grew up when all the desks were the same, and students were expected to sit quietly and follow along with the teacher’s lesson. But when
September 4, 2023
“He can’t have autism; our family has no history!” These words from family members cut me like a knife when my youngest son was diagnosed with autism, and it immediately brought up the age-old question: Is autism hereditary? My son was just three weeks shy of turning two years old when he was diagnosed, and
September 1, 2023
When autistic children are interested in something and talk about it constantly, parents and others wonder if autism and narcissism are linked. Although having a passion and discussing it with others is great, especially when they listen, but would that qualify that individual as a narcissist? It can be daunting when little Johnny or Susie
August 30, 2023
Change is part of life. We move from one task to the next or even move house. But many autistic children thrive on consistency and a schedule – struggle adapting to change. This struggle can cause stress for the children, parents, teachers, and others interacting with them during these difficult transitions. Instead of reacting, parents,
August 23, 2023
An autism diagnosis can bring a lot of uncertainty. One of the first things families learn is that it is a spectrum, hence autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But did you know there are different autism levels? Besides being on a spectrum (low to high-functioning autism), not many parents know that the 5th edition of the
August 10, 2023
Imagine you pick your child up from school, go through her bag and find a letter from her teacher. You see the phrases flash before your eyes: “disruptive in class,” “hit a classmate,” and “damaged school property.” Naturally, you are very concerned about your child’s behavior and wonder what you can do next. For many
July 18, 2023
Parents in the US can take a sigh of relief because a recent study published in Pediatrics found that community-based primary care doctors with specialized training make accurate autism diagnoses in most cases. This primarily applies to pre-school ages children and comes mere months after the CDC announced that 1 in 36 children are now
July 14, 2023
As a parent, seeing your child battle depression can be one of the most difficult things to do. You want to help them through it and see brighter days ahead, no matter how bleak things may look at the time. But what about children with autism? Can a child have autism and depression? The simple
July 7, 2023
When I was a teenager, there was a young boy whose family attended the same church my family did. He had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He often exhibited what was viewed as “classic” autism symptoms, at least by 1990s standards. Today, that little boy is a grown man and many would refer
July 5, 2023
For any parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s essential to keep up with some of the fantastic research findings connected to ASD. Much of it is innovative, and almost all of it is informative. Autism research has come a long way from when those in the autistic community were shunned. But
June 28, 2023
Tips on how people on the Autism Spectrum can stay safe with Independence Day fast approaching Independence Day is fast approaching in the United States, and that means the sure signs of American patriotism will be on full display. Families will be going to picnics and barbecues, fun will be had at the nearest lake
June 23, 2023
If you’re a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, it can sometimes be challenging to develop a fun way for them to play. Children with autism are often not intrigued by the same types of play that other kids love. Many children will need some ideas for sensory play that will keep them
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