To develop an effective transition plan for their autistic young adults, parents need to do some “homework” of their own. This process starts before you begin the actual paperwork and planning with your young adult’s school and IEP team. By collaborating with and empowering your young adult to think about their future, you can lay…
I see it every year. Every April, scores of well-meaning booksellers, librarians, and other professionals compile lists of books about autism. They create “Autism Awareness” book displays and social media posts, and encourage everyone to read their recommendations to learn more about autism. Which is great! But many of those lists don’t include any autistic…
In late August, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) introduced a new version of its Think Autism mobile app. Formerly called Think Asperger’s, the app was developed for parents, educators, and medical professionals to use with children ages 8 to 13. Its main feature is the Social Challenges Screening Questionnaire, which parents and professionals…
Early identification and treatment can prevent challenging behavior from escalating and becoming firmly established in autistic children. Decades of collaborative research in the United States has shown that parent-implemented behavioral interventions can help to reduce that challenging behavior. However, in China, where more than 2 million children have autism, evidence-based practices have not been systematically…
Communicating how you do your best work is essential to employment success. By understanding their individual needs and communication styles, autistic job applicants and employees can advocate for the tools they require to do their best work. Parents and teachers can begin early to develop that understanding by modeling and teaching self-advocacy skills through understanding…
On a plane and road trip into Maryland, our family stopped in Annapolis, the state capital, and I wondered aloud where would be a good place to eat lunch. Noticeably excited, Ian, our eighteen-year-old autistic son, said, “I know.” So Ian pulled out from his luggage in the trunk a well-worn copy of the comfort…
How can parents and educators foster self-determination skills in autistic young adults and engage in student-centered transition planning? Student-centered planning, also called “person-centered planning,” is an approach to transition planning that prioritizes the interests and aspirations of the individual student. Specifically, the focus is on helping students develop the tools and skills necessary to design…
When I first entered the gates of Mercyhurst University in the spring of 2017, I was excited, but also scared. I was nervous at the prospect of having to navigate college life and make friends (something that has been very hard for me) as an autistic individual in a new environment. Mercyhurst was my college…
