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…
OAR is hosting two free webinar events in the coming months on the topics of self-determination and travel training. Those who attend the live events will receive a certificate of attendance. Self-Determination: Tips for Including Students in Their Education and Transition Planning Tuesday, April 28, 11 a.m. ET Presenter Deborah Hammer will introduce the fundamental…
“It feels like whenever my family and I are out in public, my autistic brother will have a full-blown meltdown. People always stare so I get really embarrassed, but I also worry about how angry he gets. What can I do about this?” This is one of the many challenges kids and teens grapple with…
My father died almost 40 years ago. Nonetheless, hardly a day goes by without something Dad taught me coming into play. Sometimes it’s a direct memory. Other times it’s a turn of phrase, a joke, or a pun. He loved the English language, the spoken word, and the gift of conversation. What would he be…
OAR is accepting applications for the 2020 OAR Scholarship Program through Monday, May 4, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applicants can apply to either the Schwallie Family Scholarship or the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship. Each offers $3,000 scholarships to students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria) pursuing full-time, post-secondary, undergraduate education in the United…
Join OAR for its second annual Active For Autism 5K on April 19 at the Potomac Yard Trail in Alexandria, Va., and bring your friends and family! The family-friendly event will feature a safe, flat, and fast out-and-back course, kids dash, and post-race party. Along with the fun and fitness, the 5K will help spread…
OAR is hosting two free webinars in April on crisis safety planning and self-determination. Seminar in Crisis Safety Planning for the ASD Population Thursday, April 9, 11 a.m., ET Presenter Scott Fowler will discuss wandering and elopement, working with first responders, seclusions and restraints, and bullying in the school environment. Both professionals and parents…
Our ongoing research at Towson University focuses on the transition to adulthood for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through interviews with 12 young adults with ASD, 35 parents, and 19 teachers, we have gained a sense of some of the issues that matter most. One thing that surprised us was how often people linked…
In this blog post, Eddie Grabill discusses his experience growing up with a brother on the spectrum and offers advice to the parents of other autism siblings. I was very fortunate to grow up with hardworking parents that made life great for both my little brother Tommy and myself. My family made a lot of…
