For many parents of children with autism, even the most straightforward safety concerns can be overwhelming, often lasting into the child’s adulthood. There are questions that other parents don’t have to worry about in the same way, like, “Will my nonverbal child with autism know how to ask for help when he gets lost?” or…
Imagine standing at a podium and delivering a speech to a large audience, getting to page four only to find that the remaining pages are blank. It almost seems cruel – you have worked hard to get to that podium, with great accomplishments to show for it, and you have prepared intensely for this very…
OAR’s new guide for parents offers advice on how to help siblings of children with autism overcome the challenges they face. One of the biggest challenges these children and teenagers face is when their outside world, like school and friends, collides with their home life. Bringing friends over for a playdate or having peers ask,…
At my last reading for my book, Next Stop, a teenager came up to me for some advice. “I really love my little brother,” she said, tears springing to her eyes, “but his autism takes all of my parents’ attention. I know it sounds selfish, but what about me?” There it was again, one of autism’s…
It’s always exciting news when OAR expands its collection of informational materials for members of the autism community. Today’s announcement is even more meaningful because we’re shining the spotlight on an important but often overlooked demographic: brothers and sisters of individuals with autism. To kick off its “Autism Sibling Support” initiative, OAR is releasing a…
Have you even been thrown or pushed into a pool with no warning? You come up spluttering, wet, and unsure about exactly what just happened or what you are supposed to do next. For individuals with autism, that’s what transitions can feel like. Difficult. Bewildering. Even painful. Thanks to an unusual week-long summer program on…
“It was a long time before I accepted the fact that my son had autism,” admits James Harlan. “I want other fathers to accept the diagnosis so they can become better fathers.” He recalls battling shame as he and wife, Debra Vines, were raising their son, Jason, 26. As his friends noted traditional milestones like…
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…
