OAR is hosting a free webinar on the topic of social skills for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on March 28, 2019, at 2 p.m. ET, featuring Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA-D. Register now to attend “Social Skills for Adolescents and Adults with ASD: Finding Relevant Targets for Instruction, Using Instructional Strategies…
OAR is pleased to share the newly redesigned Operation Autism website in support of military families affected by autism. OAR is committed to supporting military families impacted by autism by providing this updated resource that addresses the many challenges they face: extended family separation, moves, varied access to specialized health care, and more. According to…
In October, OAR’s Board of Directors authorized funding for eight new applied autism research studies in 2019. These new grants, totaling $228,036, bring OAR’s total research funding to over $3.7 million since 2002. This is the third of eight previews to be featured in The OARacle this year. As many as 84 percent of children…
Orders and transfers to new duty stations are part of everyday life in the military. Rarely do military families establish roots anywhere before the next set of orders has them planning, packing, and executing a move to another duty station. While moving can be a difficult transition for anyone, it can be especially challenging for…
Change. Every military family will experience it at some point in time when they choose to serve. In fact, it seems to be the only thing a military family can count on as the service member changes positions and moves to another installation. When I sense the edginess and anxiety in the faces of our…
As a father with a child with autism, Rob Gorski emphasizes the importance of juggling tasks or “plates” and filtering out judgment by others. This blog post was originally posted on The Autism Dad and is re-posted here with permission. The other day, I was talking about judgment on Twitter and it became a discussion with numerous…
This piece was originally posted on The Mighty and is re-posted here with permission. As I look to the fresh start a new year brings in, I find myself taking a moment to consider how I, as a parent blessed with a child with disabilities, can better ensure a year of growth and productivity for…
“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 siblings grapple with when they…
Two independent studies published in “Pediatrics” and “JAMA Pediatrics” estimate that one in 40 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both studies drew data from the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health. The studies looked at more than 43,000 children between ages 3 to 17. Survey respondents participated online or by mail, indicating whether a…
During the normal course of development, children are expected to reach certain milestones by a specific age, such as uttering their first words, taking their first steps, or engaging in joint pretend play. For children with autism, this developmental trajectory may be delayed or even regress over time. Parents who suspect their children of having…
