When we think of “finding one’s voice” we often think of a writer seeking the most natural and fluent way to express him or herself. When it comes to autism, “finding one’s voice” is more literal: we are often literally teaching a child to speak who has never spoken before or teaching a child to […]

Dear Rob, My son used to bang his head but he has stopped. For the past two months, he has been pushing and biting children in the classroom for no reason. At home, he is trying to bite us when he gets angry about not getting what he wants. Please tell me why he is […]

Dear Rob, Hello I have a seven-year-old with autism and he has bad tantrums and curses. I’m a single mom, what can I do to stop this and help him grow out of it?  — Brissa Dear Brissa, Along with the many well-intentioned efforts to understand, manage and treat the special needs child, there have […]

Question: My non-verbal four-year-old son started hitting people and himself and laughing. We thought he was just testing us, but the behavior has gotten worse over the past few months. We don’t know how to make him understand that he can’t do this. I think he’s frustrated because he can’t speak.—Christian Answer: This story is […]

How do I teach my kid to accept who he is with autism and help him reach his fullest potential to live a fulfilling life? – Raja Dear Raja, Having a healthy self-esteem is perhaps the single most important aspect of a person, and I believe it can be taught. In fact, my favorite presentation […]

Dear Rob, I am contacting you in search of some advice regarding my lad. He’s 13 and in year nine where he is very unsettled at school having returned to sports college after a managed move to another school broke down. He walked out of school due to what we think is bullying starting from […]

Dear Rob, I have an 18-year-old teen daughter who has stopped talking to us, her parents, and has become socially isolated. She graduated from high school and is taking a gap year. I feel desperate and we must rely on ourselves to help her because we can’t afford professional help. — Marlene Dear Marlene: This […]

Dear Rob… I sure hope you are able to give me some advice. My eight-year-old son has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, stress, and anxiety. The school will listen, but does nothing to help as far as changing his Individualized Education Program (IEP) for behavior issues. I am doubting myself […]