This blog post has been adapted from Chapter 5 of OAR’s resource “A Parent’s Guide to Research”. Research studies can be very good sources of information about autism, but they can also be difficult to read and interpret. However, most professional journals that publish research studies use a standard format for reporting research which consists…
Amidst all of the challenges that being in a pandemic brings, trying to replicate the routines that have been lost remains the top hurdle that many autism parents face. And it’s even more essential for your child, who may face additional challenges such as not keeping a mask on or having trouble staying motivated to…
This blog post has been adapted from “Chapter Two: Individualized Education Programs” of OAR’s resource “Navigating the Special Education System”. If you have a child with autism who is currently in school, they might have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP provides a description and action plan for the services and supports necessary for…
This column first ran in the July 2016 issue of The OARacle. We invite you to read its evergreen message and apply the writers’ suggestions to your situation. There are few virtues more important than independence. Universally, nations and their citizens strive for independence. Teenagers seek independence from their parents. Small children tell their parents,…
The summer camp diving board was the perfect opportunity to work on taking turns. The counselors eagerly stood beside the pool and watched Jason waiting in line at the diving board. Jason had been working on taking turns all year long at school, but it had not been easy. He began to bounce impatiently as…
The new constraints to daily routines as a result of COVID-19 have certainly affected everyone, but for children, teens, and young adults on the Autism Spectrum, making adjustments can be particularly challenging. People on the spectrum often rely on predictability and routine to bring about a sense of certainty and safety in their environment. Without…
COVID-19 has caused all of us to adapt to a new normal. People are coping as best they can to the need to stay at home and keep a safe social distance. This new normal can be particularly difficult for families that include children with autism who are uniquely vulnerable to the disruptions caused by…
My younger daughter and I were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the same day; she was 2 and I was 39. I didn’t suspect that she was autistic until she started having intense crying fits around 18 months old. I knew that these fits, often lasting 45 minutes, were not simply toddler tantrums.…
In November, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for seven new applied autism research studies in 2020. These new grants, totaling $275,000, bring OAR’s total research funding to more than $4 million since 2002. This is the fifth of seven previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. Early access to evidence-based intervention leads…
“Self-care” is one of those buzzwords that moms hear a lot. The hashtag, #selfcare, has 26.1 million posts on Instagram. But how do we actually make the time for self-care if we care for a child with special needs, are a single parent, work outside the home, have a deployed spouse, or any combination of…
