7 Tips for Screen Time with Kids on the Spectrum
Like any technology, electronic devices are a mixed bag of benefits and downsides. While they do offer an endless world of educational resources, their overuse may harm your child’s cognitive health. For example, one recent study found too much screen time shortens the attention spans of teenagers. And for children on the autism spectrum, digital […]
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 readingA Sensory Friendly Holiday Reminder: A Letter to My Guests
Dear beloved family and friends who are coming to my house this November, While I’m overjoyed you’ll be here to celebrate a day of thanks, there are a few key ideas I need you to understand how this event might affect my child with sensory processing disorder. Last year, as you may recall, my child […]
Continue readingThoughts About My Aging Autistic Son Keep Me Up at Night
Parenting a child with developmental disabilities, including High Functioning Autism (HFA), is no doubt, a challenging but exhausting responsibility which I have struggled with for the past 45 years when my son was diagnosed with what was referred to in the late 1990’s as Asperger’s syndrome. Looking back at my son’s growth and development within […]
Continue readingA Brief Overview of Special Needs Guardianship
Can you describe Guardianship? Guardianship can be a challenging topic for many families. Guardianship needs to be separated into two distinct time periods: while parents are still alive and after parents die. Let’s review the first time period of while parents are still alive. An individual diagnosed with autism’s guardianship status is a topic that […]
Continue readingSpecial Needs Pioneer Promotes Research and a Better Understanding of Autism
Autism Warrior: Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, MD A medical officer and developmental pediatrician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she has worked since 1981. She is also an adjunct assistant professor of pediatrics at Emory University. How did you come to specialize in pediatrics and children with developmental disabilities? I decided at a very young age that I wanted […]
Continue readingAn Exclusive Look at AUTISM With Sarah Chambers
Encouragement Speaker Derrick Hayes gives an AUTISM Interview by asking six questions through each letter in the word AUTISM to give readers an insightful perspective from parents, experts, entrepreneurs, and other leaders in the field. Today’s AUTISM Interview is with Sarah Chambers, general manager at SensaCalm (www.sensacalm.com). When Sarah’s son David was diagnosed with autism, […]
Continue readingPoetry Corner: Same Differences
Every person in the universe, Looking differently. Everyone in the diverse world, Acting differently. Each person in their own dream, Thinking uniquely. Each and every person in a diverse community, Laughing away each passing moment. Every individual, Crying during the ups and downs. Everybody in the world, Learning at their best ability. Our differences making […]
Continue readingFinding Joy and Humor in Raising A Child On The Spectrum
Raising a child on the spectrum is not easy. It comes with higher demands of care and time than other children. Believe me, I know! I have four children ranging in ages from eight to 17. My youngest daughter has PDD, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, a moderate form of Autism. She is higher functioning and very […]
Continue readingA Mom’s Love: The Day He Let Go
Have you ever smelled your child? I mean really, really smelled your child? Not the, “What is that coming from the other room…. who ate tuna…with bananas…and…is that mango?!” aroma, but their smell. I’m referring to the moment when you bury your nose deep into their hair, take a deep breath, and hold your child […]
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