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Autism can be very elusive, masked by success in 1 area, or by the ability to get by until life presents a challenge which requires the individual to perform or interact in a manner not supported by their autism.

Do individuals with ASD mature more slowly than their peers without ASD? Typically, yes, it is common for individuals with ASD to develop more slowly compared to their non-ASD counterparts, often reaching milestones such as potty training, driving, and having a...

What is the best autism therapy for creating independence in a child with ASD? A therapy that provides frameworks, education and support to both the individual and the family. The sad truth about ASD is that either the individual is moving forward in life, facing the...

Therapists are helped by being trained with insights into the thinking and drivers behind behavior in autism.

Is there a connection between anger and autism? Yes. absolutely. One of the most pronounced emotional characteristics of many people with autism is their anger. Anger often develops due to constant frustration, disappointment and the inability to control the world. In...

Why Do Small Things Upset People on the Autism Spectrum with Such Regularity? Because one incident at some earlier point in time created a black and white rule in their mind. When living with, working with, or just relating to an individual on the autism spectrum, it...

Is autism a disability? After more than 14 years of writing extensively about this, I can say unequivocally that no matter what you say about autism, or how caring you are, or politically correct you attempt to be, someone will find it offensive. It has become very...

Do parents with a child on the spectrum have the same experiences as a parent who does not have a child on the spectrum? No! Parents with a child on the spectrum experience parenting very differently than other parents. Often it feels disloyal or unloving to talk...

Do I need a therapist for my child with autism? Yes! But not just any therapist. A therapist knowledgeable in autism. Families frequently report the frustration, lack of results and lost time they experience working with schools and therapists who don't understand...

Vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, right? The purpose of vacation for most of us to take a break from our regular routine. That's not always true for those on the autism spectrum. To make vacations more fun and relaxing for those with ASD takes advanced...

Does the start of summer make you want to hide under your hat? Changes in routine can often present difficulties for those with ASD - even the changes that others wold see as fun or easy to adjust to, like the end of the school year. In This Article: Changes of...

Do you have a Lego-Lover in your house? Surprisingly, Lego-loving kids are something many families with an ASD child share. Legos are not only fun, but can be therapeutic and can be used to bridge a gap with your ASD child. In This Article: Lego LovingAppeal of...

As a parent or therapist, do you ever experience pain in witnessing the struggles of an individual on the autism spectrum? Yes! We witness it all the time. And that’s exactly why we need a Witness Protection Program! We feel the pain, the struggle, the hurt and the...

People often ask me, are there adults who never got diagnosed with ASD and what happens to them? Yes! There are many, many adults with ASD who have never been diagnosed. That includes people of all ages: seniors, those in middle age, young adults and everything in...

Is there a relationship between culture and autism? Up until now, our dialogue about autism has been very one dimensional - FLAT. The idea that autism effects only the individual on the spectrum is as antiquated and the idea that the world is flat. As the days of...

How do we need to adjust our expectations if we have a child diagnosed with ASD? One of the biggest challenges we face as parents of children on the autism spectrum is to adjust our expectations and beliefs about our child’s abilities and their future without giving...

How do we get past the stigma? As a parent, finding our way to appreciation of the autism of our child is a tricky path to walk. We hold out hope that things will be better once… (fill in the blank). The blank gets filled in with whatever current challenge we are...

Does it get easier as your child gets older? Being a parent of a child on the autism spectrum is a very painful and emotional experience for most of us, regardless of the age of our loved one. Sometimes when the anxiety or difficulty with the world overtakes our loved...

What do you do when their behavior doesn't make sense? Like most of you who have had a child diagnosed with ASD, my family's journey was a struggle. Before the diagnosis, I felt desperate and confused. One minute my son seemed so “normal” and the next minute he was...

Is seeing autism as a limitation the real limitation? No matter how much the oak wants to be a maple tree, or how hard it believes, or how much therapy you give it, it is an oak tree, and as an oak tree, by its nature, it makes acorns. Asking it to struggle to be a...

Is autism appreciation more than a socially acceptable, politically correct goal? Yes, absolutely! When you interact with a person on the autism spectrum from a place of appreciation born of real understanding, it categorically changes their experience. In This...

What can I do to help my teenage child with ASD become capable of living independently? Finding training that teaches your child to develop functional skills, critical thinking and life independence was nearly impossible... until now! In This Article: Parents Have...

I know there's something different about my child. How do I know if it's autism? Many parents recognize the signs of autism long before they know what they mean or receive a diagnosis. In This Article: Behavior PatternsEach Child Is UniqueFinding A Therapist Behavior...

What does it mean when you say high functioning autism? "High functioning autism" (HFA) is a phrase that many people with autism don’t like. Often, as younger children, those with HFA are dubbed "little professors." These are often people who seem neurotypical, but...

What causes autism? There are no definitive answers to that question! What we do know, however, is that the brain of an individual with autism develops differently and processes the world differently. That different processing style leads to a very specific world...

Can people with ASD lead rich and full lives? Yes! However the degree of independence and individual with ASD can achieve may vary depending on the level of severity of autism. Regardless of the impact the autism has, and individual can find an improved ability to...

Is autism a limitation? At first glance, so many people see autism as a limitation. They mistakenly believe that it is a “disease” that needs to be cured. Autism is not a disease. Nor is it a condition where the individual is broken, sick, wrong or bad. Autism is a...

Why Create A Well-Defined Plan? All of us have our hopes up that life is going to get better. We are anticipating less sickness, more health. Less restrictions, more freedom. Less fear, more certainty. And the return of the control of our own lives. The first step to...

What's the difference between awareness and appreciation of autism? Awareness is about recognition. Appreciation is about changing your response. It requires that we take new action in response to our awareness, not just experiencing a feeling. In This Article:...

The I Have Autism BookmarkThis bookmark was created to help the reader recognize the many ways that an individual with ASD is impacted by their autism. Each phrase on the bookmark is written from the perspective of the individual on the spectrum, and serves as a...