What 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 readingASL Offers New Opportunities for Communicating with Autism
American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most used foreign language in the United States. It ranks right behind Spanish and French, with approximately 2 million individuals in the United States utilizing it (Gallaudet University Library, 2016). How can this beautiful language be used to benefit the lives of children with autism? 1. Does Your […]
Continue readingThe Value of Nurturing Your Special Needs Child’s Hidden Talent
Our son, Himal, was only two years old when he was diagnosed with profound, non-verbal autism. Fifteen years later, despite all the unknowns and challenges ahead, we have never felt more hopeful about his future. As the parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), do you feel genuinely optimistic about your child’s future? […]
Continue readingPerception Matters: The Interesting Impact of Autism on Marriage
While a great deal of research can be found on how autism symptoms affect a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and interventions to manage these symptoms, there is far less research addressing how autism symptoms affect the marital relationship. What limited research there is on the topic primarily reports negative outcomes for married […]
Continue readingStarting the School Day Off Right on the Bus With a Special Needs Child
Many parents seem to focus on schoolteachers when preparing for the first day of school. However, the truth for many children is that the first person they encounter may not be their classroom teacher—but rather the school bus driver. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are no different. Ensuring this step goes smoothly is extremely […]
Continue reading3 Simple Tips For Implementing AAC for Better Connections
Augmentative-alternative communication has become more available to families as both they and schools access iOS technology and apps. But, sadly, what is not readily available is the knowledge of how best to teach their children how to use these systems to communicate. It’s a myth that you can give a child an AAC system, whether […]
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 readingHow You Can Create a Climate Of High Expectations in the Classroom
“He doesn’t talk much. He reads at a 1st-grade level. We’re working on coloring and staying in the lines.” As a public school special education teacher, nothing upset me more than statements like these. An incoming 6th grader, the student gained three years of academic growth that year. By the end of 7th grade, he was […]
Continue readingWhen Special Education Fails to Be Special
Whether you call it special education or exceptional education, your expectations for its role in your child’s life are high, as well they should be. As parents of special needs students, we face decisions that parents of typical students rarely consider. Public, private, or charter school? Consider homeschooling? Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan? Standard diploma […]
Continue reading5 Steps to Acquiring and Improving Communication Skills for Life
Molly was diagnosed with autism at age two. She was quiet—almost non-verbal—and did not play with other children. To communicate, she led her parents to what she wanted or needed. Molly also had severe tantrums and trouble maintaining a regular sleep pattern. She did not appear to be a typical two-year-old. She seldom smiled or […]
Continue readingAutism: The Enigma That Amazingly Saved 14 Million Lives
Alan Turing: The man who cracked the ‘unbreakable’ German Enigma Code in World War II. A gay man convicted of homosexuality in the dark days when it was a crime, but posthumously pardoned by Her Majesty the Queen in 2013. Until recently, that was about the sum of my knowledge of this brilliant man, but […]
Continue readingIssue 57 – Conquering A New Year
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Let’s Hear It For This Year’s Special ContributorsA special recognition for our Top 15 Contributors for 2016 who have helped make Autism Parenting Magazine an award-winning magazine.Amy KD Tobik The Urgent Need to Stop Criminalizing AutismA leading attorney and autism/children’s rights advocate shares the vast need for the education and […]
Continue readingGiving a Voice to Special Needs Kids Who Cannot Speak
Over the past 17 years, our program, Kid Pan Alley, worked with more than 40,000 children writing songs in schools throughout the country. Those kids have written more than 2,700 songs, some of which were recorded by top entertainers such as Delbert McClinton, Sissy Spacek, Amy Grant, Kix Brooks, Suzy Bogguss and more. One was […]
Continue readingSkateboarding Boy with Autism Uncovers the Ride of a Lifetime
A child with autism is sometimes hard to please. There is only so much a child can do in the backyard, and even planned activities, such as an afternoon at the movies, can end in disaster. Organized sports can offer a little excitement if your kid is able to follow along and process the concept […]
Continue readingThe Important Difference Between Conversation and Communication with Autism
It is amazing to watch the interaction between these two young, fun-loving adults. Both are geniuses in their own way. One is an artist. The other, a computer whiz. And they both share a fantastic camaraderie. They have a special connection and enjoy spending time with each other. They’re both blessed with a sense […]
Continue readingHow to Use PECS to Give Your Child with Autism the Voice He/She Needs
“Use your words.” How often have we heard parents around the world use this phrase, or at least something like it? And what do parents mean exactly when they say this to their children? I remember not quite understanding the meaning of these words when I was in the pre-parenting phase of my life. You […]
Continue readingHow Journaling with My ASD Son Created a Special Life Connection
Recently I was searching the house for something. We have no storage space so “storage” is pretty much anywhere I can stuff something and finding “said something” later often proves to be an all day event. I never did find what I was looking for but I did come across DC’s Journal from way back in […]
Continue readingPets Can Make all the Difference in the World of Autism
Recently, a mom was crying to me that her son has autism. I know that “I just got soccer punched in the gut” feeling after the doc says my children are “on the spectrum.” I listened to all her heart’s concerns and comments with the autism diagnosis. When she was finished I said to her, […]
Continue readingBrain Balance Takes a Look at the Challenge of Sensory Processing Disorder
“I can’t wear those jeans!” “No, I won’t eat mashed potatoes!” “Agh, don’t make me touch that!” These statements and tantrums are often how Sensory Processing Disorder shows itself in a child. Sensory processing is the brain’s recognition of receptor (eyes, nose, skin, taste, vestibular, etc.) driven input, and the interpretation, integration, and prioritizing of […]
Continue readingLiving Autism Day By Day – A Focus on Family Strength
Like any parent, my initial reaction to the autism diagnosis of my son John left me stunned and, for a moment, confused. It was not my first foray with having a special needs child though, as my eldest has Tourette’s. But all the same, the first blow left me breathless. This was an entirely new […]
Continue readingNew Ways to Be Happy and Healthy While Parenting an ASD Child
Parenting a child on the autism spectrum can be very rewarding, however, it also comes with unique challenges. Some of the unique differences that parenting a child on the spectrum can bring are feelings of isolation due to anti-social behaviors that are often extreme and aggressive; the need for constant routine and daily repetitive tasks; […]
Continue readingTrehalose: The Promising Supplement You’ve Never Heard About
We are always looking for something new and something better. What’s the newest invention? What’s the newest discovery? Where’s the answer that’s going to change my world! It’s that constant and never ending hope that propels our search. The need for 100% is necessary. While we should always have gratitude for the things we have, […]
Continue readingIssue 39 – Working Together to Communicate Better
Dear Readers,Communication can be tough. As we all know, many children diagnosed with autism have a more difficult time developing the language skills they need at first. Nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, hand gestures and facial expressions, can especially be a challenge. While many children with autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) develop communication skills differently […]
Continue readingHow One Special Bear Changed the Way People See Autism
In two short years, Tikko has captured the hearts of thousands of people. What began as my child’s dream to make the world a better place for families living with autism, is now a passion that continues to grow every time Tikko travels. We know all too well the challenges in raising a child on […]
Continue reading10 Valuable Life Lessons My Brother with Autism Has Taught Me
My brother, Christos, was diagnosed with autism when he was two. We grew up in Cyprus and our parents were extraordinary and even though no one prepares you for an autism diagnosis, they made it seem effortless. Living with autism is enthralling; so much so that the daily obstacles we encountered became our life. Nothing […]
Continue readingIssue 38 – Keeping ASD Kids Healthy
Dear Readers,The journey toward good health — it’s in the news every day. It’s circulated on television, social media, newspapers, magazines…we are inundated by free-flowing advice. It’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed by all the reports, as they often contradict and they aren’t always easy to follow.That’s why we have chosen to focus this […]
Continue readingEncouraging ASD Children to Develop Whole Selves
Fourteen years ago I became a mother to a boy and girl set of twins. Two short years after that my son Jon, began losing language and was soon diagnosed with autism. Maybe some of you can relate to the whirlwind that begins when you hear that your precious and beloved child has an exceptional […]
Continue readingQuotes About Autism 2
“Think of it: a disability is usually defined in terms of what is missing.… But autism … is as much about what is abundant as what is missing, an over-expression of the very traits that make our species unique.” – Paul Collins, Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism “I myself am opaque, for some reason. […]
Continue readingMusic May Hold the Key to Enhancing Language for Autistic Children – 7 Tips for Integration
Through my experience working with children with autism, on numerous occasions, I witnessed how music could enhance their speech, language and communication skills. Several times I noted that children with very little speech who had been described to me as almost non-verbal, could easily recall words from songs. I carried out research for a PhD […]
Continue readingScuba Diving: A Soothing Adventure
As a parent, one of the hardest things you’ll have to do is watch your child struggle. At the age of five, our son was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. When he turned nine, at an attempt to have a “typical “birthday party, we invited 10 kids to come scuba diving. It was something most kids […]
Continue readingInterview with Dr. Maria Wynne
Interview with Dr. Maria Wynne Leslie Burby: Hi, thanks for joining me, I’m Leslie Burby, editor-in-chief of Autism Parenting Magazine and today we are here with Dr. Maria Wynne of Wynne Solutions and today we are going to talk about Tele-health. Thanks for joining me today doctor. Dr. Maria Wynne: Thanks for having me. Leslie […]
Continue readingNon verbal Autistic Musician Kyle Coleman
Kyle was once thought to be totally nonverbal as a symptom of his Autism. Here is the story of how he discovered his singing voice in this interview with Caroline Coleman and her son Kyle. Kyle is a Leslie: This question is for Kyle. Kyle, do you like singing? Kyle Coleman: Just Listen. Caroline […]
Continue readingHow a girl with Autism expresses unimaginable intelligence
Often it is perceived that non verbal children with autism are mentally challenged and have no hope of getting a job or expressing themselves. This story about Carly, changes everything. Carly experienced severe delays in the early part of her life which prevented her from walking and sitting up. Lacking the ability to speak she seemed […]
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