Back-to-school season brings the excitement of new beginnings. For parents who have a child entering special education or whose child is starting a new year in special education, it can be stressful as well as exciting. Many teachers, administrators, and school support staff lack the background and training to meet the unique needs of autistic…
“Your child has autism.” These words mark the beginning of a complex and often overwhelming journey for many parents. For me, they were not only a call to understand my son Josiah’s unique needs but also a call to navigate the intricate world of special education (SPED) law. As both a parent of an autistic…
Your child’s individualized education program (IEP) comes with a team of school-based experts, including a special education teacher, school representative (often termed the local educational agency or LEA representative), and in many cases, related service providers, such as speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Importantly, your child’s IEP team also includes you, the child’s…
In 2020, Sreenidi Bala, a teenager from Farmington, Connecticut, started a passion project that would change the lives of hundreds of autistic students. Four years later, Bala was named the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Employees’ Choice Award winner for her Code for All Minds initiative. The award came with $10,000 she can use to expand her…
With summer heat waves upon us and fall marathons on the horizon, RUN FOR AUTISM’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon team members have some tips for beating the heat while logging miles. Runners agree on two main pieces of advice: start early and hydrate. Aaron Siegel, NYC Marathon runner,…
Siblings of autistic individuals often face similar challenges and stressors, from childhood to adult roles as advocate and potentially caretaker. OAR’s autism sibling support resources provide information that can help. These resources are available online for free and two copies of each can be mailed free as well. Autism, My Sibling, and Me Tailored towards…
Being an older brother to someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a journey filled with unique challenges and profound rewards. To provide insight into our family and the perspective from which I write, I am the older brother of James, the younger brother of Jacob, and the son of Sherly and Tom. The middle…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight applied autism research studies in 2024. These new grants, totaling $297,569, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $5 million since 2002. This article is sixth of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. Autistic children are reported to be five…
Siblings of autistic individuals experience both benefits and challenges related to their sibling relationships. Benefits often include greater empathy, compassion, and resilience. Challenges can include parentification (i.e., acting in a parental role in childhood), struggling to plan for future caregiving, and responding to challenging behaviors. Parents often report worrying about the experiences and well-being of…
I had never considered raising money through my running. After all, I love to run. Why should anyone pay me to do it? I (mostly) don’t think of running as suffering, but as an activity that brings me joy, connection and satisfaction. The only reason I decided to fundraise is that I wanted to run…
