Features:
Connections With Karen: We’ve Come a Long Way
Here are ways resources and tools for autism have changed over the years.
Karen Kaplan, MS
Revolutionizing Autism Support with Innovative Technology
Find out how technology is helping to benefit individuals on the spectrum and their families.
Wendy Dawson
Q&A With Dr. Temple Grandin - Aggression
This month, Dr. Temple Grandin answers parents’ questions about aggression.
Temple Grandin, PhD
Warning: How Screen Time Is Impacting Development
Does increased screen time affect your child’s development?
Smridhi Grover, MOT
VR: Enhancing Social and Emotional Learning
Can Virtual Reality (VR) enhance social and emotional learning curricula for students with autism?
Julie Mower, MA, Ed
Cables, Computers, and Curiosity
Can technology be helpful for someone on the spectrum? Here is one dad’s perspective.
Alex Kocan
Ask Dr. Malcolm
Dr. Malcolm answers parents’ questions and concerns about their autistic children.
Ronald I. Malcolm, EdD
The Future of Autism Therapy: What’s Trending Now
Learn how the right support and therapy can empower those with autism to embrace their strengths while building skills and self-advocacy.
Shelby Nelson, MEd, BCBA
Helping Autistic ESL Learners Succeed
Exploring the difficulties autistic students face when English is not their first language.
Sharon Longo, BA
Success Story - Blake's First Word
Here is another success story. Lisa Parker, mom to five-year-old Blake who is non-speaking, celebrates her son clearly saying his first word.
Lisa Parker
The Importance of Daily Routine and Structure
A mom with children on the spectrum offers helpful ways to create or refine daily routines.
Alicia Trautwein
Autism and Communication in the Workforce
How does someone with autism find employment when struggling with communication and social skills?
Jeanine McAdam
Sleeping Beauty
A dad whose son is on the spectrum describes his son’s reaction to a certain tune.
Joe Blair
Empower Your Child to Thrive Independently
One woman on the spectrum provides ways to support and guide your autistic child to possible independence.
Julie Day
Overcoming Biases Toward Autistic Candidates When Hiring
An autism coach advocates for autistic applicants while providing suggestions and tips for companies that may be hiring.
Jaclyn Hunt, MA, ACAS, BCCS
Harmonizing Hope: Music, Science, and the ASD Brain
Learn how music therapy can help autistic individuals with various skills and sensory processing.
John Mews, LMFT, MT
Autism Warrior - Fostering a Sense of Community
One woman with autism, raising two children on the spectrum, strives to empower and support other families on their journey.
Sharon Longo, BA
What’s New on the Bookshelf: The Story of Codey Crowe
A grandmother wants to help others understand autism through her book about her grandson.
Karen Murphy
What’s New on the Bookshelf: My Friend's Autism: Advice From Someone Who Is Autistic, His Friends, Classmates, Teammates, Mentors, and Family from Elementary School Through the College
One young man with autism and his mom have written a book with advice for others on the spectrum.
Pauly Montgomery and Cindy Montgomery
Dear Readers,
As we head into November, I know that for some people, this may be a bleak season, in contrast to others. Nature seems to have lost its color as trees become stark and empty. Perhaps that was how you felt when your child was first diagnosed with autism—as if the color were removed from your world for a brief time. However, like all seasons, we know this shall pass. With research, support, and changes in technology, the future seems just a bit brighter.
Our theme this month is “Tech and Autism: The Future Is Now,” and Karen Kaplan reminds us, “We’ve Come a Long Way.” This issue provides insight into some helpful technology that can lend itself to enhancing certain skills and empowering some to embrace their strengths. It also points to some that may affect your child in a more negative way.
Our experts provide information on behavior, while Alicia Trautwein writes about “The Importance of Daily Routine and Structure” for your child. For adults on the spectrum, Jeanine McAdam covers the topic of finding employment when struggling with social and communication skills in her article “Autism and Communication in the Workforce.”
If you love music, read “Harmonizing Hope: Music, Science, and the ASD Brain” by John Mews, and for some lighter reading, Joe Blair writes about his son’s reaction to a certain tune in “Sleeping Beauty.”
No matter how bleak or stark the world may seem at different times, know that another parent has walked your path and found that brighter season up ahead. New research continues to produce hopeful findings, and technology helps to make life just a bit easier. While we may not always know if a blizzard or a bouquet is waiting around the corner, we do know that the color returns and the sun shines once more.
Sharon Longo
Editor
Autism Parenting Magazine