When asked by a playmate, “What is wrong with you?” my daughter simply replied: “There is nothing wrong with me… I am autistic.” As her mother, I see part of my job as helping to ensure that Kitty is a part of the class (not only in elementary school but throughout her life). Although there…
The autism field is filled with articles, websites, books, and testimonials about the potential benefits of various treatments or intervention strategies. From diets to dolphin therapy to discrete trial training, the sheer volume of options along with their purported evidence can be overwhelming. These resources and tips can help families and practitioners navigate those claims…
Surviving the Holidays In November 2003, Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D., wrote a holiday survival guide for OARacle readers. Dr. Willey is a speaker and writer on Asperger Syndrome and a researcher who specializes in the fields of psycholinguistics and learning style differences. Her tips included these: Mitigate sensory overload by: Finding out when shopping malls…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination of individuals with disabilities. It requires employers to make modifications (which are called reasonable accommodations) that enable a person to participate in the interviewing process or to perform his or her work. In my coaching practice, I have seen many cases where…
As an autistic self-advocate, I consider myself fairly lucky to have been relatively unaffected by bullying for most of my life. However, it is an unfortunate fact that many other autistics are very likely to be affected by bullying at some point in their lives. We have trouble making friends; we have interests that might…
My son, Kurt, will be entering his second year at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) this fall. Kurt is a student in the SUCCEED Program, a two-year residential, non-degree program that offers a chancellor’s certificate upon completion. This program has been such a blessing to our family, and my son has surpassed all of…
Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder or other cognitive disability could potentially face any number of emergency situations in which they will come in contact with police, EMTs, firefighters, or other first responders. Many of them have not had any training in the signs, symptoms, and special handling of these individuals. As such, parents need…
Autism isn’t something that only affects a family. With prevalence rates on the rise, it affects an entire community. The success of the person with autism depends on the support of others in their community, from educators and therapists to community members. As part of my job with an Education Service Center in Texas, I…
In my coaching practice, I work with clients who are bright, skilled, and college educated. Yet many struggle to find and maintain employment. Some individuals have no idea of what kind of job to pursue. Others have an inaccurate picture of what certain occupations involve and/or their abilities. Still others find themselves with college degrees…
“Mom,” said the phone message, “this is your son Matthew speaking. I have some seriously good news to tell you about women. Call me back.” Matthew, who is 28 and has autism, has wanted a girlfriend in the worst way for a very long time. In the beginning, the girlfriend of his choice had to…
