In this week’s blog, a mother tells how her never-ending belief in her son’s ability helped her find the right school system for him, which led him to find success in college. This blog was originally posted on The Mighty. We received the most amazing letter this week from our son’s university. It said, “On…
At age 67, Garret Mathews was diagnosed with Aspergers. In this post, he writes on the positive impact Asperger’s may have had on his career as a columnist. This post was originally published on Garret Matthews’ blog, An Aspie Comes Out of the Closet. Lost in some discussions on Asperger’s is dialogue about the plus…
This week, our blog post gives insight on motherhood and parenting while on the autism spectrum as Lana Grant writes on the lack of knowledge of this possibility among medical professionals. Lana Grant’s blog was originally published on Spectrum Women. I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in 2007 at the age of 38. I was already a mother…
The Alabama Senate has passed a bill (HB284) that will require many insurers to cover applied behavior analysis (ABA), the most common and scientifically supported treatment for autism. Currently, Alabama is one of five states that do not require insurance companies to cover behavioral autism therapy. After a 100-0 vote in favor of the bill…
The 16th annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) took place from May 10 to 13 in San Francisco, Calif. More than 1,000 attendees from over 40 countries, including several of OAR’s Scientific Council members, research grantees, and friends, convened to exchange and disseminate the latest findings in autism research. Among the attendees were two…
With the presentation of a check for $250,000 to OAR late last month, the Lankler Family Foundation fulfilled $1 million pledge it made two years ago. The first installment included vital funds earmarked for OAR’s Hire Autism adult employment initiative. Thanks to that gift, the Hire Autism website is live, fully operational, and in its…
On Monday, June 5, the bidding for wine and prizes during the annual Chairman’s Dinner was fast, furious, and nonstop. By the time the bidding stopped, the auction alone had brought in more than $80,000 and the proceeds for the evening totaled almost $160,000, setting a new high for this event. The Chairman’s Dinner is…
Problematic behavior, such as biting or hitting in response to unpleasant events, can emerge at different times in a child’s life, and is considered developmentally normal. The behavior often reduces to tolerable levels when caregivers express displeasure and redirect the child to respond more appropriately to the situation. However, in some children, the behavior can…
In October 2016, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for six new applied autism research studies in 2017. These new grants, totaling $178,866, bring OAR’s total research funding to over $3.6 million since 2002. This is the final of six previews featured in “The OARacle” this year. A quick Google search of “parental stress and…
As information consumers surfing the internet, we often find ourselves inundated with programs and treatments that claim to be effective, even when there is no scientific evidence behind the claims. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) on the other hand, are interventions that have been shown to be effective based on the scientific literature. So far, the National…
