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Many parents recognize the signs of autism long before they know what they mean or receive a diagnosis. There are several definitive patterns of behavior that might indicate the presence of autism: Sensory Hypersensitivity (could be sensitive on any or all sensory...

"High functioning autism" is a phrase that many people with autism don’t like. Unfortunately, the term high functioning autism has become a catch phrase, used mostly to indicate the the individual is not so severely impaired by their autism that they are a danger to...

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 view, patterns of...

Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is the diagnostic term for what is also called autism. ASD is considered a developmental disability and can cause communication, behavioral, and social difficulties in a wide range of severity from very mild to so extreme that the...

What is autism? 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 difference...

Why create a well-defined plan in 2021? We’re already 6 weeks into the new year! All of us have had our hopes up that with start of 2021, life was going to get better. We are anticipating less sickness, more health. Less restrictions, more freedom. Less fear, more...

This weekend I spent some time with Tony Robbins, the well-known teacher, speaker and motivator.This wasn’t a personal meeting, although listening to Tony always has a personal effect on me. I attended his 5-day virtual event, “New World, New You Challenge.” Day 4 was...

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...

This year, during the COVID pandemic, Christmas has looked different for many of us. Lots of people reacted very negatively. They were horrified to give up ages-old family traditions, angry to be restricted in their shopping or holiday activities, and resentful about...

No, managing an inquisitive, often very bright, and seemingly out of control toddler or child is not the most difficult challenge parents of kids with ASD face. When my kids were very young, I thought it was the hardest thing ever. I could follow my two boys through...

When a parent of a child on the spectrum goes looking for a therapist, it can feel like an uphill battle with no hope in sight. That’s because being the parent of a child on the autism spectrum is really hard! Nobody “get’s it!” Finding the Right Help There are so...

In the name of being easy-going, it is so compelling to want to dismiss small scrapes that come up while living with an adult with high functioning autism. After all, it’s not the individual incident that is so egregious, horrible or disruptive. However, the...

Up until now, our dialogue about autism has been very one dimensional. As the days of hyper-focus on autism’s cause and cure seem to be fading into the sunset, our attention has shifted to focusing on methods to “treat” autism. That is, the focus is on how to do...

It hit me like a ton of bricks! Of course! Autism and chronic loneliness go hand in hand, whether you are the individual with ASD or someone in their family! That means that the loneliness I experience as a parent of 2 kids with ASD is a perfectly sensible response....

Parental stress from ASD is a real thing. Last year Disability Scoop Magazine ran an article referencing research from the University of Wisconsin which measured the stress level of mothers with adolescent and young adult children on the autism spectrum.The study...

I would like to propose a new addition to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary ther·a·pize /ˈTHerəpiz/ verb verb: therapize; 3rd person present: therapizes; past tense: therapized; past participle: therapized; gerund or present participle: therapizing...

If having Autism didn’t make it hard enough for people on the spectrum, being judged, mis-understood and invalidated makes the impact of the condition even harder. This is especially true when the source of the judgement is a professional. Because people with Autism...

My mother used to say “…the proof is in the pudding.” She meant that actions speak louder than words. When talking about autism, this is often true. Recognizing Gifts & Talents As amazing as it seems to me, there are still so many people that don’t have a...

Our first responders are some of the most compassionate, brave, well trained and needed individuals on the planet. Gratitude for First Responders Most of us – especially those of us with kids on the spectrum - have a huge appreciation for the job they are doing!...

As the mother of two tough-to-raise kids, I can’t tell you how much relief the school bus was some days! When I could just get through the morning routine and get my kids successfully off to school, the day was already a success! Teachers Have a Hard Job I am sure I...

While autism is part of an individual, it is not the entire person. It does not define their personality or what they are capable of accomplishing in life. Should Autism be Obliterated? Many people on the autism spectrum take issue with talking about autism like it is...