Autism Speaks has estimated that over 50,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) turn 18 each year. This is more than double the numbers from 15 to 20 years ago. Navigating the complex maze of the service delivery system after young people with ASD graduate is a daunting task for those young people and their…
Problematic behavior, such as biting or hitting in response to unpleasant events, can emerge at different times in a child’s life, and is considered developmentally normal. The behavior often reduces to tolerable levels when caregivers express displeasure and redirect the child to respond more appropriately to the situation. However, in some children, the behavior can…
We all teach our kids certain life lessons as they grow. They are usually prioritized by parents or caretakers and taught slowly and repetitively. For those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it can take years to finally grasp and make lessons a habit. When fear is involved, however, all of us, including people with autism,…
This column is reprinted with permission from Emma’s Hope Book, a blog written by a teenager with autism and, occasionally, her parents. What would you do if the whimper in your heart could not find the right words to speak? What if you couldn’t control the things you felt compelled to say, even if you…
I am a 42-year-old woman with a diagnosis of autism and atypical schizophrenia. I am an author, blogger, radio show host, mentor, advocate, public speaker, and ambassador for many autism organizations in Australia. Last month I celebrated 10 years in a professional role in government administration. When I applied for my job, many people —…
One afternoon I got a phone call from a woman living in another state hundreds of miles away from her childhood home, where her elderly mother and brother still lived. Her mom had just passed away, and she did not know what was going to happen to her brother, who was 60 years old and…
When my brother and I summited Mount Quandary, a 14,000-foot peak in Colorado, I was afraid the other hikers would think I had forced him into finishing the climb. He was fresh to Colorado from sea level. He was breathing in deep, heavy gasps and was dressed only in shorts and a T-shirt for the…
Sexuality is a central component of socialization for all people and can play a major role in an individual’s overall self-identity and quality of life. Unfortunately, the discussion and promotion of this area of adaptive and social functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often avoided. A number of myths regarding sexuality and…
I am not the perfect parent, but as the mother of a child with autism, there are things I’ve learned along the way. I’d say the biggest lesson I can take away from raising a child on the autism spectrum is to always stay positive and patient. I’m not saying I can do it all…
At the annual meeting of OAR’s Scientific Council in Columbus, Ohio, last month, we conducted the final review of research proposals submitted through our annual Applied Research Competition. Starting with a record 148 proposals back in April, we ended up with 27 to consider at our meeting. After almost a full day of examination, discussion,…
