Parents know the challenges that come with advocating for their children with autism. One of the most important ways to support them is for parents to communicate regularly and clearly with school administrators to ensure that their child’s academic and social needs are being met to the fullest extent possible in the least restrictive environment.…
Research has long shown that parents of children with disabilities have additional stressors that can cause both physical and psychological tolls (Neece, et. al., 2012; Murphy, et. al., 2006; Kronenberger and Thompson, 1992). Parents of children with autism specifically often show similar declines of physical and psychological health while caring for their children (Miodrag &…
With her years of teaching experience, writer Amanda Ronan explores how the two distinct therapeutic approaches of art therapy and support dogs seem to have some interesting overlaps in the results produced with kids on the spectrum. This post was originally published on The Art of Autism. In my first years of teaching in the…
Wandering, or “running away” from a caregiver, is a common problem in children with autism. Crystal Sanford explains this phenomenon and what families can do to prevent this behavior. This blog was originally posted on Sanford Autism Consulting. Wondering what “elopement” and autism have in common? Do individuals with autism often secretly run away to get married? Alas,…
OAR is already on its way to meeting our goals for our annual National Autism Awareness Month Campaign: Educate youth about their peers with autism. Empower the autism community with information resources. Support autism siblings with resources for kids, teens, and parents. Support adults in the autism community through OAR’s Hire Autism Initiative. Raise money…
OAR is proud to announce that it will be offering its first free webinar featuring Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D., executive director of the EPIC School in Paramus, N.J., on April 3 at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar, Identifying Critical Skills to Promote More Positive Outcomes in the Transition to Adulthood for Young Adults with ASD, will…
Autism Awareness Month is a perfect time to foster peer acceptance and inclusion in schools. Widespread misunderstanding of autism is a common issue in schools across the country, which can in turn lead to a host of larger discriminatory issues like social isolation and even bullying. Last April, OAR released the interactive learning program, Autism…
Remember when tolerance was thought to be social progress, even though it emanated a clear subtext of “Oh, wellllllll, if I haaaave to…”? At the time, we thought the concept of racial tolerance or religious tolerance was revolutionary. And before “acceptance” we had “awareness,” which too often could imply that “we wanted to make you…
This is the second part to Kat Albee’s blog post Finding Resources. In the conclusion of her blog series, Kat includes additional guidance for how those in the autism community can continue to advocate for themselves. Using The Internet If you are reading this, then you have an advantage unique in all of human history. No, it’s…
Self-advocate Kat Albee highlights ways in which those on the spectrum can be resourceful and hold onto a positive outlook in a variety of real-world situations. This is Part One of her post. Part Two will be featured in next week’s blog. Changing Your Mindset I recently read a memoir called Growing Up Yanomamo. It’s about…
