“Take time to mourn” That is what the pediatric specialist said to me directly after she told me my son, Connor, was profoundly autistic. The word “mourn” immediately felt misplaced. The first thought in my head being, “what the heck am I mourning”? With a million thoughts and feelings going on inside me, absolutely none…
What better way to celebrate the RUN FOR AUTISM’s 20th birthday than by joining the RUN team at the Marine Corps Marathon? The marathon is annually ranked “Best Marathon in the Mid-Atlantic,” “Best for Families,” and “Best for Beginners.” All runners will receive a 20th anniversary OAR finisher medal to celebrate our long partnership with…
Military duty often requires service member to be away from home for extended deployments for training or combat operations. Depending on your child, the immediate impact of such absences may vary from near-calamitous to barely noticeable. Nevertheless, there are some things you can do to help mitigate the effect, including: Create a “countdown calendar” with…
For me, it was very apparent at an early age that there was something different about the way our son Fynn was developing. Fynn didn’t speak more than three words, he didn’t attempt to pull up or walk, and he didn’t interact with the people around him. All these delays signaled to me that he needed…
All children with special needs who succeed in school have at least one thing in common: parents who are passionate and effective advocates. As parents, we have the ability to advocate for our children by asking questions and speaking up for them. At times, this can be uncomfortable or even difficult to do; however, no…
While many civilian families move to new cities, states, or countries, moving is a fact of life for military families. Moving can be a difficult transition for anyone, but it’s especially challenging for autistic children, as it entails significant and sudden environmental changes. Whether you’re a military family PCSing or a civilian family moving for…
Traveling can be complicated for neurodivergent travelers. That’s why airlines are working to make air travel more comfortable.
During this time of year, it’s easy for us to get caught up in making multiple trips to retail stores and spending hours online shopping, stressing over finding the perfect gifts for everyone on our list. There is a popular quote from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas: “It came without ribbons! It came without…
Unpublished findings from a 2004 survey of 969 caregivers of people with autism suggest that about 1 in 5 moved to get higher quality services, according to David Mandell, associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
This spring, with little notice, the Defense Health Agency made a policy change that led to TRICARE, the military’s health insurance provider, significantly cutting coverage for the Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration program over the objections of autism and medical specialists.
