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 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 readingIs There a Cure for Autism?
Some families feel relief after an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Other families are hesitant to accept the diagnosis. Almost all families feel overwhelmed and ask, “What is the cure for autism?” There is no cure for autism, but there are treatments that can reduce some symptoms. Early intervention is key to making sure your […]
Continue reading20 Ways to Calm or Alert the Sensory System With ASD
Children on the autism spectrum often require support to process sensory input. Some children display strong reactions to stimuli, while others tend to show little response to input. This may vary from day to day or even hour to hour. Children who have a strong reaction to sensory stimuli may avoid the bathroom because of […]
Continue readingBenefits of Weighted Pencils for Autism
Several reports from parents, teachers, and therapists of children with autism have noted they have minor difficulties with handwriting skills. Some children on the spectrum are not able to write as well as their neurotypical peers. It is for this reason that weighted pencils were introduced and became popular among parents and occupational therapists. When […]
Continue readingHELP: Why Does My Child With Autism Flap His Hands?
Is it better to let a child with autism flap his hands or should you stop it?– Jane Dear Jane, This a good question an one I’ve been asked many times about as an occupational therapist because many people consider it to be “self-stimming” and “sensory” in nature. This is possible, but as with any […]
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 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 readingAre IQ Tests Really Useful When Evaluating A Child With Autism?
Standardized cognitive testing is a complicated subject when it comes to assessing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their social, communication, sensory and behavior problems compound the difficulties in administering a standardized measure. The tests rely heavily on the subject’s language skills, ability to interact with others, motor planning and execution, and behavioral regulation. Typically, […]
Continue readingHelp: How Can I Stop a Child From Headbanging?
Headbanging may be a scary and upsetting thing to watch your child do. It is considered a self-injurious behavior (SIB), but SIB’s and/or headbanging are NOT considered a core symptom of autism, although children with autism are at greater risk of SIB’s such as head-banging. It is also important to note that just because your […]
Continue readingExpert Advice on Ways to Help a Child with a Sensorial Issue
My son, 17, is rubbing his elbows rather harshly against the arms of chairs or the console in the car. Sometimes it is his knees that are “getting the treatment” and you don’t dare stop him or he will lose it and go into crisis. I am wondering how to help him with this sensorial […]
Continue readingIssue 77 – Achieving Better Health with ASD
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Back to School Advice for Parents With Kids on the SpectrumThe CEO of Jaden’s Voice and mother to a child with autism gives proactive tips on ways to make school transitions easier for both you and your child.Terri Matthews How to Plan a Great Trip to Disney World With Special […]
Continue readingSimple Ways to Transition Back to School With Autism
Returning to school can be stressful for all children, but especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. While summer activities such as visiting new places, staying with extended family, and attending school holiday care can be enjoyable, they can also be extremely disruptive for children with autism. We need to take […]
Continue readingSensory Weighted Blanket and Miracle Cape Created with Love
Sit down for a cup of coffee with Marna Pacheco, and she’ll tell you that grocery shopping can be tough. But it’s not the weekly scavenger hunt for this obscure ingredient or that hard-to-find brand that makes food-finding missions tough. It’s a combination of things, in fact. For starters, Pacheco’s 11-year-old daughter, Millie, often acts […]
Continue readingSensory Play Ideas and Summer Activities For Kids With Autism
Does your child with autism become overstimulated or bored easily? With the school year coming to an end, are you looking for sensory play ideas for your child? This guide will provide a variety of ideas for fun sensory activities for children with autism. How do sensory issues affect children with autism? The study found […]
Continue readingBest Ways to Explain Your ASD Child’s Needs to Teachers
When it comes to autism, there can be many misconceptions and misunderstandings in the classroom environment. Sometimes, parents of children with autism in mainstream settings are blamed for their child’s unusual behaviors; teachers may not accept that behaviors they are seeing are typical of autism. This is probably because autism isn’t always apparent when a […]
Continue readingThe Lifetime Benefits of Spending Time in the Garden with ASD
Anyone who gardens knows how good it can make you feel. Whether you’re a bit tired, had a stressful day at work, an argument or are dealing with serious depression or heartbreaking loss, I’ve heard time and time again from people how powerfully healing gardening can be. It enables us to take time out from […]
Continue readingTop Ways to Interrupt the Meltdown Cycle
Meltdowns are often caused by sensory issues. The world is often too loud, too bright, too stinky, or too silent. Even if a meltdown is triggered by something else, adrenaline will heighten our senses more. This is a natural survival instinct, but people with autism go into survival mode more often. This leads to a […]
Continue readingCan DIR Floortime Help Kids With Autism Develop Communication Skills?
Is your child with autism passive or sensory seeking? Are there developmental delays? DIR Floortime therapy, an evidence-based intervention for autism, may strengthen basic communication skills and relationship skills for your child. What is DIR Floortime? Developmental Individual-difference Relationship-based model (DIR) Floortime was developed by the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan to help children with autism […]
Continue readingIssue 73 – Amazing Ways To Support Autism
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Easy Ways to Help Your Child Socialize Using Video Self-ModelingLearn simple ways to teach social skills using an innovative tool known as Video Self-Modeling.Melissa M. Root, PhD Special Needs and Safety: Ways To Keep Kids ProtectedFollow a three-step approach to preventing accidents or dangerous situations from occurring when a […]
Continue readingIssue 72 – Sensory Solutions For Life
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Top Strategies To Enhance Your Child’s Capacity For Self LoveA parent coach provides two exciting activities to help encourage self-love.Connie Hammer, MSW, PCI Certified Parent Coach® Autism and ADHD: Do You Know How To Help With Co-occurring Conditions?Learn both the differences and similarities between autism and ADHD as well as […]
Continue readingFrom Tears to Joy: A Special Homeschooling Journey
Laundry is overflowing in the hampers, the sink is full of dishes, and a mess of incomplete school work is strewn across the dining room table. Cuddled together under a warm blanket, my son Ethan and I embrace the joy of reading a book together. It was all that could make that otherwise miserable January […]
Continue readingSensory Overload: How to Find What Works Best for Your ASD Child
Needing a Band-Aid after scraping your knee seems like a rite of passage when it comes to childhood. I have many memories of running into my grandmother’s house in the summer and showing her my freshly scraped knee and waiting on the counter for her to come back with iodine and a bandage. It always […]
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 […]
Continue readingBest Sensory Strategies for Handling Tactile Defensiveness
Touch is the first sensation that starts evolving in the womb at five weeks. The early development of the touch (tactile) system provides an essential foundation for emerging social and communicative behaviors (Cascio, 2010). According to Kranowitz (2005), the touch system layers our bodies and gives us information about surrounding physical entities. Moreover, it works […]
Continue readingAmazing New Sound Reduction Vibes Earplugs Can Change Your Life
Product: Hi-Fidelity Vibes Earplugs protect individuals with sensory sensitivities from the discomfort of loud sounds while preserving the clarity of sound in their environment. Cost: $23.99 For decades, foam earplugs and over-ear headphones have been the standard for protecting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other sensory disorders from the discomfort they experience in loud […]
Continue readingGoing to the Dentist Doesn’t Have to Be a Challenge with ASD
Taking a child to the dentist can be a very stressful experience for both parents and children. For children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental disabilities who have difficulties with sensory stimuli, communication, and increased levels of anxiety, the stress is even greater. From the time spent in the waiting room combined with […]
Continue readingMy Asperger’s, My Family, and Me
My name is Alex Manners, and I live in a town called Solihull in England. I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when I was 10 years old, and while it has brought along many challenges that I have had to face, I feel that it makes me the person that I am. I consequently view […]
Continue readingNew Study Proves Melatonin Effective Sleep Aid for Children with Autism
A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry disclosed that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have refractory insomnia will benefit from prolonged release melatonin (PEDPRM). The trial conducted was random, placebo-controlled, and double-blind. Profiles of participants There were 125 participants in the trial aged 2 to […]
Continue readingBest gifts for autistic children – The Ultimate Guide
Are you a bit stressed about finding great gifts for the people you love on the spectrum this holiday season? While some kids with autism are quick to rattle off a wish list of toys, not everyone can express what kind of gift they would like. Quick Navigation Sensory needs of children with autism General […]
Continue readingLow Functioning Autism – What Sets it Apart
What makes severe autism so challenging? Individuals diagnosed with Level 3 autism need more support than their peers. Their symptoms are more pronounced and affect daily functioning to a great extent. Challenges include social difficulties, trouble with verbal and nonverbal communication, and rigid behavior. Treatments for severe autism are available and are most effective when […]
Continue readingEasy Ways to Create A Sensory Space for Kids with Autism
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have issues effectively processing sensory information and may perceive sensation differently. For example, a child may perceive touch sensation as painful or immediately become startled when touched. Some children are extremely sensitive to noises such as the sound of a toilet flushing. A child’s sensory needs and way […]
Continue readingIssue 62 – Motherhood: An Enduring Love
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Celebrating the Love and Strength of Women in Our LivesIn celebration of Mother’s Day, autism advocate and attorney Areva Martin shares an intimate look at the enduring effect of strong and loving women.Areva Martin, Esq. Top Ways Autistic Teens Can Transition to the WorkplaceAn autistic job recruiter provides points to […]
Continue readingIssue 60 – Sensory Tools For The Future
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:6 Expert Ways to Help Your Sensory-Sensitive Child DressA pediatric occupational therapist shares great tips for dressing a child when hypersensitivity to certain fabrics or surfaces is a challenge.Susan Donohoe, OTR/L The Best Academic Choice for Your Child’s NeedsA special guide to the many educational options for young people on […]
Continue readingWays to Include Your ASD Child When You Head to Church
Parents of children with special needs often fear being judged by others. It is hoped that the church will be an accepting environment; however, the reality is that the majority of church members with children who have special needs do not attend church regularly. Church holds great importance to many families, yet the thought of […]
Continue readingBest Ways to Help Win the Mealtime Challenge
Many families with a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may not look forward to mealtimes. A child might only eat a specific brand of each food in their diet or might just chew crunchy solids. Or, the child may only eat if he/she can move around the mealtime table. Because parents have a […]
Continue readingIssue 55 – Celebrating with the People We Love
Buy Single IssueSubscribe today and save 50%Features:Why Children with Autism Need Family Holiday TraditionsGreat tips on how to prepare a rigid child for the many changes the season brings as well as the benefits of family traditions.Brittany Fichter Inspiring Boy “Breaks” Through Autism and Its StereotypesA mother shares her son’s early challenges with autism and his […]
Continue readingSimple Ways to Help Relieve Your Child’s Stress: Calming Cookie Dough
If your child has autism, you are probably quite familiar with sensory processing issues. Although sensory processing and autism are two separate entities, they often co-exist and each can further complicate the other. Oftentimes, children with autism have greater difficulties regulating their emotions and behaviors because processing all the sensory stimuli in their world can […]
Continue reading10 Reasons Homeschooling May Be the Best Choice for Your Child with Autism
Allow me to introduce myself. I’m a former elementary school teacher who had no desire to homeschool. However, the six weeks my son with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) spent in a regular preschool were the worst six weeks of our lives. He became a completely different child. Moving to a developmental delay preschool room helped, […]
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