The transition from adolescence to young adulthood can create both anxiety and excitement for young people. For students with autism, anxiety may outweigh excitement as they may face greater challenges than their typical peers in attending college, navigating social situations, or figuring out a potential career path. To help reduce the stress and anxiety that…
“Transitions are not about what is probable but about what is possible.” This quote, slightly tweaked, comes from OAR’s Guide for Transition to Adulthood. It perfectly suits this August Perspective in which a small group of Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship winners and their parents describe how the post-secondary programs they attended are preparing them for…
Healthy dating relationships are an important part of development. However, a significant number of high school students say that they have experienced dating violence. While there are not national statistics on how many young people with autism have had similar experiences, the fact that many people with autism have trouble with social skills is a…
Congratulations! Your autistic child just secured their first job. You’re probably feeling a lot of emotions right now. Trust me when I tell you that your child is too. You both may be excited, proud, overwhelmed, and more. Work will bring some familiar and certainly a few new challenges. Here are some tips for supporting…
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…
OAR has expanded its commitment to peer education by awarding grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects that promote autism awareness and acceptance. When children understand autism, they develop better relationships with their peers with the disorder. OAR has helped educate more than 135,000 children through the Kit for Kids Peer Education Program since 2012…
People with autism are significantly more likely to interact with law enforcement officials than those without disabilities. These encounters can become tense, even dangerous, when the police officers on the scene fail to recognize the signs of autism and mishandle the situation. It happens more often than you might think. When a police officer encountered…
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,…
