Recently, I added a new job to my professional autism experience: Stepparent of Carmen, a young adult on the spectrum. Although I have always tried to think of autism practically, helping to parent Carmen has helped me to take this practicality to a different level. For example, Carmen’s father and I recently discussed the goals…
Being the mom of a very anxious tween with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I know that days off school, unexpected storms that wipe out power, and holiday breaks can breed anxiety and stress that’ s painfully present! We spent many years with holiday horrors and vacation disasters before we locked down a routine and…
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…
