Keeping our children safe is a top priority and it is even a greater concern when a child has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some people with ASD are prone to wander away from their caregivers, which can make keeping them safe even more difficult. A 2011 national survey done by Dr.…
For this month’s Profile, OAR asked Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy who leads the Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), to answer some questions about the office and how it can help people with autism spectrum disorders who are seeking employment. Q: What is your office’s vision for…
When someone says “summer road trip,” it’s likely you don’t imagine spending two months traveling the country talking to the siblings of people with disabilities, to find out what it felt like to grow up in those families, lessons learned, and what they wanted others to know. But that’s exactly the road trip that three…
Have you even been thrown or pushed into a pool with no warning? You come up spluttering, wet, and unsure about exactly what just happened or what you are supposed to do next. For individuals with autism, that’s what transitions can feel like. Difficult. Bewildering. Even painful. Thanks to an unusual week-long summer program on…
“It was a long time before I accepted the fact that my son had autism,” admits James Harlan. “I want other fathers to accept the diagnosis so they can become better fathers.” He recalls battling shame as he and wife, Debra Vines, were raising their son, Jason, 26. As his friends noted traditional milestones like…
For the many mothers out there like Lori Smith, the ones who work tirelessly on behalf of their children, one day of recognition and honor doesn’t seem like enough. Maybe we need a Mother’s Year or a Mother’s Decade, because that’s the kind of effort Smith and so many like her put in to giving…
