While it takes a village to raise a child, you may feel like you need an entire country to raise a super hero. My husband and I do. We have established an entire team of doctors, professionals, teachers, and advisors to help us with tough decisions when it comes to dealing with Jake and his…
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new prevalence data indicating that 1 in every 68 American children is living with autism – a 30% increase from the 2012 estimate. They also noted that the numbers varied from state to state regarding the number of individuals diagnosed: the prevalence rate is…
Prior to takeoff of any passenger flight, flight attendants provide instruction that if the air pressure drops and oxygen masks fall, each person’s priority should be to put on their own mask before assisting anyone else, including their child. What remains unsaid is that if you are unable to breathe, you are not able to…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the results of a new study in which 2 percent of nationally surveyed parents of children ages 6-17 reported that their child had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (prevalence rate of 1 in 50, and 1 in 31 for boys). This is an increase from…
Linda Reilly is a proud Army wife and part of OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM team. She has run several races with OAR, including the Philadelphia Marathon. Her husband, Major Shane Reilly, and their two children, Charlotte, 8, and Alexander, 5, have also participated in the RUN FOR AUTISM. Alexander is on the autism spectrum. The…
Melissa Archer is a former English teacher, the wife of a police officer, and the mother of five daughters ranging in age from 11 to 35. She recently quit teaching to homeschool her daughter, Jasmynn, 11, who has autism. Our daughter, Jasmynn, 11, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2. She has…
The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) recently released a report, Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Publication Analysis: The Global Landscape of Autism Research, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Thomson Reuters. The report, which will help guide future planning policy considerations, seeks to answer several key questions about the state of autism research in…
Stephen Anderson, Ph.D., is the chief executive officer of Summit Educational Resources, which provides educational and therapeutic services to children with autism in Buffalo, New York. A child psychologist, Dr. Anderson is a national expert in the education and treatment of children with autism and related developmental disabilities. He has worked in the field of…
Lisa Savo is a school social worker currently serving in Pinellas County Schools, where she has worked for the past eight years. As the social work department’s autism spectrum disorders (ASD) specialist, she works directly with the ASD Student Support & Interventions School Team (ASSIST) providing trainings and professional development to teachers, social workers, and…
After-school activities and programs benefit the academic performance of children without disabilities. While research studies on benefits of after-school programs have not included individuals with autism, it is easy to see how beneficial after-school programs could be for not only increasing academic skills but also generalizing social skills learned in the classroom. After-school care is…
