The Importance of Self-Care for the ASD Caregiver
It’s hard, folks. We all know the struggle and time consumption of caring for a child on the spectrum. It is a 24/7 lifestyle with what might seem like more downs than ups sometimes. I know for me it is a constant struggle, and when I say constant, I mean every single second is a […]
Continue readingWhat Are the Signs of Autism in Girls – Is Asperger’s in Women Overlooked?
Girls with autism are often misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and lack the essential support they need according to recent studies. Research by Brown University indicates that autism and Asperger’s syndrome are more common than previously thought and girls are more likely to be diagnosed 1.5 years later than boys. One of the reasons for this is the […]
Continue readingOne Mom and Seven Children on the Spectrum
I was born on a cold winter’s day in November. Other than some sleeping issues and my being quieter than my brother, I was a healthy baby. According to the medical community in the early 1970s, my development milestones were all met. As I grew, my mother says I had a lot of anxiety, preferring […]
Continue readingEasy Ways to Help Your Child With Self-Regulation
Our ability to self-regulate or exercise control over our emotions and behaviors is a critical skill that evolves as we mature and get older. The goal of self-regulation is to gain control over our emotions and behavior in order to act in our long-term best interest. It helps us get through everyday life and cope […]
Continue readingTaking Care of YOU…The Importance of Self-Care
Parenting a child with autism can be one of the toughest, most overwhelming jobs. Your daily life revolves around your child, from dealing with meltdowns to driving to various therapies. It is important to take the time to ask yourself, “When do I have time for me?” You are human and if you do not […]
Continue readingBeing Brave With Autism
Bravery is one of the most powerful qualities you can instill in your child with autism. The moment you hear that your child has autism, you want to be brave, and you want your child to be brave enough to power through obstacles, too. Developing bravery in your child with autism is easier said than […]
Continue readingExpert Advice When You Think You Might Have Autism
When a child is diagnosed with autism, the parents will be asked detailed questions about how their son or daughter is different from other children. In considering their reply, parents may reflect on whether the characteristic being described was apparent in their own childhood. If the behavior, difficulty, or ability was a part of their […]
Continue readingHow Cats Can Help Children With Autism Become More Social
Cats are lovable and cute, but what most people don’t know is that these furry animals can help children with autism improve their social skills. Cats bond with the children by providing affection and attention which promotes healthy relationships. Parents with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might not want to get their child […]
Continue readingAutism Diet and Nutrition: How Does it Affect Autism Health?
Although there is no conclusive evidence that diet can improve symptoms of autism, many parents and caregivers of children with autism are using nutrition to modify and manage some behaviors that come with being on the spectrum. Quick Navigation What is the connection of diet to overall autism health? Can Diet Treat Autism? Autism and […]
Continue readingThe Pros and Cons of Screen Time for Kids with ASD
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face difficulty in understanding and navigating the world around them. A slight trigger can cause children who have ASD to become hyperactive. Furthermore, autistic children are prone to repeating specific patterns of behavior, which makes it difficult to interact with others. This is why digital devices provide an […]
Continue readingTypes of Autism Behavior Interventions
What is an autism intervention? Intervention for autism involves taking action, often with outside help, to improve a specific condition or behavior. A successful intervention requires the cooperation of the child, parent, and therapist. With consistent practice and teamwork, interventions can make a difference. There are many interventions that address the many challenges parents encounter […]
Continue readingHow to Help a Child With Autism With Emotional Self-Regulation
The stressors of a typical school day are only compounded for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They often struggle with emotional self-regulation, or the ability to moderate feelings in situations that provoke intense reactions. Traversing a crowded lunchroom can flood heightened senses, and difficulty understanding social dynamics during group projects can spark panic. To […]
Continue readingMedical Cannabis, Autism, and the Transformation of Medicine
In 1987, during my freshman year at Lehigh University, our first English assignment was to write a letter to an elected official advocating for a controversial issue of our choosing. I decided to write my United States congressman to express why I believed marijuana should be legalized. What was supposed to be a three to […]
Continue readingA Parent’s Love Knows No Bounds
A parent’s love is a special love. It is not about approval or accomplishment. It is about unconditional support and concern. It’s a love born in joy, nurtured during adversity and reconfirmed on a daily and hourly basis. It’s a love bound up in anxiety and expectation. Often worry and concern can creep in as […]
Continue readingHow to Introduce New Foods to Picky Eaters with Autism
Picky eating isn’t uncommon to anyone who has or works with children. Most parents know there are only a handful of foods their children will eat, and getting them to try new foods is often challenging. Picky eating, or food selectivity, has a much higher prevalence in children who are on the autism spectrum compared […]
Continue readingWhy It’s Important to Embrace Autism Research
Research is very important for parents to understand—unfortunately, it isn’t something that a lot of families have time for or can easily access. It may seem that research exists in an ivory tower. I want to inspire you to embrace research. It helps inform the practitioners and teachers that work with your loved one on […]
Continue readingThe Struggles of a Teenage Girl With a Late Autism Diagnosis
We entered through the glass doors and were swept along with the crowd up escalators, down long hallways lined with multicolored fluorescent light tubes hung as art. People walked in pairs, groups of three, parents with their teens, groups of teens. We walked down a tunnel lined with pink and yellow glass through which we […]
Continue readingAutism and Depression: Connections Between Autism, Mental Health, Emotions, and Other Co-Relating Conditions
What is depression? Psychiatry.org defines depression as a medical illness that causes “feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.” People with autism, particularly teens and adults, are prone to depression. At this stage of their lives, autistic teens and adults have more social experiences. As a result, they can go […]
Continue readingQuick Tips on Communications for Children With Autism and Special Needs
As a pediatrician, I have been taught that the developmental progress of a three to four-year-old should include well over 500 words and a child should be able to describe things and situations in a meaningful way. This milestone is one that all parents strive for as it is an important part of a child’s […]
Continue readingAutism in Teens: Puberty, Expectations, Symptoms, and Treatments
Signs of Autism in Teens Autism in teens can be recognized during regular interaction with others at school and at home. Verbal signs of autism in a teen might include: Not knowing how to engage in a two-way conversation; Usually talking about a single topic without allowing the other person to talk or respond Only […]
Continue readingWeighted Vest for Autism – Benefits and Uses
What is a weighted vest? A weighted vest is a garment worn over clothing with extra weight added within the vest. This is done either by using heavy fabric or filling the vest’s pockets with weighted objects such as steel bars or sandbags. It is designed to add between five to ten percent of a […]
Continue readingHow Music Can Help Those With ASD Cope With Anxiety
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD ) is a wide spectrum and one that can come in a whole range of severities. However, one thing that many people with ASD have is some form of anxiety, and that can be tough to deal with. Research has shown that music is able to help mental health quite substantially, […]
Continue readingHelp: My Child With Autism Is Afraid to Go to the Dentist
Many children struggle with the idea of going to the dentist, but for children with autism, a trip to the dentist office can create anxiety and even panic. Here are some simple suggestions that may ease stress levels and make your dental visit a success. 1. Visual Schedules A visual schedule is a great way […]
Continue readingFrom Chaos to Peace – Using Mindfulness in Special Education
Close your eyes and imagine walking into a classroom and seeing what can only be explained as pure chaos. You can see students arguing with paraprofessionals, a student laying on the floor and kicking his feet while he yells, a student sitting in the corner with his hood on (no doubt trying to cancel out […]
Continue readingThe Best Ways to Help People with Autism Manage Anxiety
Many children with autism have higher rates of anxiety than their peers. Specifically, nearly 40 percent of children and adolescents with autism are estimated to have clinically significant anxiety or at least one anxiety disorder (Van Steensel et al. 2011). Anxiety is experienced when errors in thinking that include exaggerating threat or danger as well […]
Continue readingThree Amazing Ways Mindfulness Can Impact Special Needs Parenting
Before you shrug off mindfulness as a trendy buzzword found on supermarket tabloids or at a local yoga studio, hear me out. Mindful parenting is not complicated, nor is it something that you have to make time for; it is simply about being present. It’s an evidence-based practice that works. It’s about stopping and noticing […]
Continue readingFinding Balance As a Special Needs Parent
The phone rings, I pick up, and a dear friend asks if I am coming to the potluck tonight. I say thank you, and I wish I could, but I am terribly swamped tonight and perhaps another time. What I don’t say is, my son is having a bad day, he is on his tenth […]
Continue readingAutism and Comorbidities: How to Treat One While Treating the Other
Q&A with Matthew Fisher, MD, Medical Leader, Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health Psychiatric Residential Treatment Program and Outpatient Psychiatry Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience other medical conditions or comorbidities that can sometimes mask or even exacerbate symptoms of autism. At the top of the list are psychiatric conditions, neurological issues, and even gastrointestinal […]
Continue readingDeveloping Life Skills With Autism-One Pizza Order at a Time
Friday night was pizza night. This tradition began when Dylan was in middle school and the increased social pressures and new academic pressures conspired to totally “unglue” him. By Friday, he was an exhausted wreck, and frankly, so was I. Middle school is difficult for most children. It was close to unbearable for Dylan. It […]
Continue readingAutism Medication Guide: Treating Autism and Its Core Symptoms
While the first clinical account of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was published more than 75 years ago by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner, the precise cause of autism is still not clear to scientists. Billions of dollars have been spent on autism research over the years in an attempt to unravel the mystery that now affects […]
Continue readingWhat You Need to Know About Depression for People With Asperger’s
Depression 101 for Aspies Having a condition such as Asperger’s syndrome sounds complicated, however, we learn how to be in control, how to deal with it over time. We try this, we try that, and start noticing what gives good and bad results. It gets easier for sure. But what happens when you have two […]
Continue readingInteresting Ways Occupational Therapy Can Help Parenting Stress
“[Having a child diagnosed with autism is] very stressful. I don’t have time for my husband, and I don’t have time for me! …I’m always thinking that what happened to my son is my fault. I’m trying to do my best! He needs me!” —Anonymous parent Does the above statement ring a bell? Are there […]
Continue readingBest Supplements and Vitamins for Autism
Why children might need vitamin and mineral supplements Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have long been prescribed vitamins, minerals, and natural supplements to help with sleep, gastrointestinal distress, and boost low vitamin levels, all of which are common in children and adults with ASD. Quick Navigation Why children might need vitamin and mineral supplements […]
Continue readingIssue 76 – Raising A Child with Autism
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:The Road to Independence with Special Needs Begins with a Single StepAn autism advocate and mother to a young man with autism shares their tender journey together as she teaches him essential life skills.Kimberly Reeves, MEd Seven Heartfelt Father’s Day Gifts For Special Needs DadsA loving letter of thanks […]
Continue readingHow to Deal with Anxiety and Asperger’s Now
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 readingBest Sensory Toys for Kids with Sensory Processing Issues and Autism
Does your child with autism struggle with sensory input? Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience problems processing sensory input. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), “hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific […]
Continue reading10 Ways an Assistance Dog Can Help Your ASD Child Sleep
Studies show that a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is likely to experience more sleep issues than a child who is not on the spectrum. A child with autism may find it harder to get to sleep, to stay asleep, and sleep earlier in the day. Frequently, the bedtime routine can be challenging for […]
Continue readingIssue 71 – Navigating A New Year
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Why Not Pledge to Cut Yourself Some Slack In the New Year?The father of a young, nonverbal boy compassionately reviews the true value of new year’s resolutions.James Guttman Easy Ways to Add Simple Communication Strategies to a Kid’s LifeA speech-language pathologist, parent coach, and autism expert describes ways to integrate […]
Continue readingWhy Can’t We Talk About Autism in the Asian-American Community?
Growing up in a fairly strict and conservative first-generation Korean home in the United States, we were taught we shouldn’t discuss any of our issues outside the home. We are a culture that feels we must suffer in silence, for it is disgraceful to be so open about our challenges in public. Unfortunately, this is the mindset of the […]
Continue readingIssue 69 – The Gift of Calm This Season
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Expert Advice On How To Manage Anxiety In Children With AutismA consultant psychiatrist with 20 years of clinical experience shares ways to ease your child’s anxiety and encourage stress management.Andrés Fonseca, MD, MSc, MRCPsych, FRSA Easy Ways To Create Some Calm For A Child With ASD This HolidayLearn 10 simple […]
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