Our 32-year-old son, Matt, has what I call “classic” autism. With limited communication and social skills — and generally unaware of danger — he struggles to let us know when something isn’t quite right. Occasionally, he suffers from tonic-clonic seizures that are unpredictable and can result in a medical emergency. But Matt also has a…
OAR interviewed Samantha Harker, a 2020 Schwallie Family Scholarship recipient and member of OAR’s Scholars’ Society, to ask her how she made the transition from high school to college and what advice she has for autistic students pursuing postsecondary education. The Scholars’ Society offers long-term engagement and support for students who have received awards through…
In today’s interconnected world, no one is immune to social media’s portrayal of perfect parenthood, but reality is rarely seamless. This immaculate portrait of parenting is not only unattainable, it is discouraging and breeds guilt as we fall short of effectuating this model within our own families. Raising any child is extremely stressful. While parenting…
Two fathers, both members of OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM team, describe what is like to raise autistic children, from diagnosis to achievements to lessons learned and the bonds they have with their children. Opportunities The COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of challenges to navigate, but it also presented new opportunities. At the onset of the…
Autistic teens with intellectual disability are at risk for mental health disorders, particularly anxiety. In fact, anxiety occurs at higher rates in autistic teens/adults with intellectual disability (53%) compared to non-autistic individuals with intellectual disability (17%). Assessing anxiety can be particularly challenging given teen communication and behavioral differences. Caregivers are often required to identify and…
Students with autism make up one-fifth of students receiving special education services in the United States, and according to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than half of these students receive special education services in the general education classroom for part or all of the school day. These findings are promising, given the benefit…
“The world needs different kinds of minds to work together.” – Temple Grandin That’s right…I said it: Neurodiversity is a superpower. In this article, I explore the incredible strengths autistic and other neurodivergent* individuals bring to the workforce, why these strengths are important for employers, and what neurodivergent employees should look for in a potential…
The need for resources and support in higher education is paramount for autistic individuals who are interested in obtaining post-secondary education. Research suggests that students with disabilities, including autism, graduate with a bachelor’s degree at a rate of 38.8% compared to 60.4% of all college students (Newman et al., 2011). According to the College Autism…
Last month OAR celebrated its 21st anniversary. For any nonprofit, this would be a special occasion in and of itself, but for OAR this celebration was especially memorable. In December, Mike Maloney, OAR’s executive director, stepped down from the role he had held since OAR’s founding. Under Mike’s leadership, OAR went from a small nonprofit…
Transition teams are critical to building effective plans for youth who are preparing to embark on their adult lives after high school. These teams are tasked with creating and implementing plans that best align with young adults’ goals, strengths, and interests. The transition process is meant to answer questions such as: What does the youth…
