When Connections Are Made
One of the most perplexing characteristics of Autism that manifests in my son is his lack of ability to put together cause-and-effect connections. Because he is so ridiculously brilliant and advanced...
View ArticleSiblings in the Shadows
“It’s not fair! Everything you say is always about Autism, Autism, Autism! You always write about him and put his pictures everywhere!” My firstborn gets a little sensitive about my website and the...
View ArticleDemystifying Alternative Therapies for Children with Autism
Reposted with permission from Healthism. For parents of children on the Autism Spectrum figuring out treatment can be tough. The spectrum is vast and children have different symptoms and triggers that...
View ArticleSome Mornings Feel Like 17 Levels of…
The other morning, before I even had a chance to hit snooze at 4:35, I woke up to this: Click to hear (speakers DOWN!) It proceeded for four and a half hours, until I left for work. Trying to get out...
View ArticlePuberty, Autism and Emotional Shutdowns
“The universe hates me!” My son came stomping out of his room and collapsed onto the floor, heaving a huge sigh of frustration. Unfortunately, this is not a new scene in my house, as I also have a...
View ArticleSpirit of Autism Web TV Episode 2 – Improv for Autism
What’s a fun way for people on the Autism spectrum to learn vital life skills and mind flexibility in a safe and unique environment? Find out on the second episode of Spirit of Autism Web TV , where I...
View ArticleCraptastrophes and Holiday Travel
And so it begins. The holiday season is landing in our laps, but that’s not always exciting when it comes to family members on the spectrum. Ever since an unnamed airline asked us NEVER to return when...
View ArticleHolidays and Autism: Help Your Child Stress Less
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale As beautiful an image as this conjures up, this isn’t always the same Christmas...
View ArticleHow My Son Leveled Up in New York
Happy New Year! A week ago we successfully and smoothly returned from a week in New York and New Jersey. Somehow we survived the 15-hour drive (no stops other than to gas up and stretch) each way with...
View ArticleWeekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: If I Need Help
My boy is a wanderer. After having a girl first, one that was nearly always attached to my side, I was not prepared for the terror of repeatedly having a child go missing in the blink of an eye. Now...
View ArticleWeekly Autism Tips for Emergency Responders: Co-existing Conditions
Children with an autism diagnosis often have more concurrent medical and psychological or mental health conditions than their non-autistic counterparts. Because of this, they are also more likely to...
View ArticleAutism Tips for Emergency Responders: Temperature Regulation
It often takes an Act of Congress to get my son to wear a coat in the winter. I used to think it was stubbornness or laziness that drove him to his refusal. Eventually I started to realize that he...
View ArticleAutism Tips for Emergency Responders: Autism and Violence
My extended family doesn’t know a great deal about autism. My children and I don’t live near my mother or stepmother, and autism wasn’t even on my radar when my father passed away in 2001. The majority...
View ArticleEmergency Responders: Why Address Sensory Issues First?
Sensory Processing issues play a bigger role in the daily lives of those with Autism and Asperger’s than most people realize. No matter what behavior I’m addressing with my son or what I encounter on a...
View ArticleAutism and the Criminal Justice System
During the introduction of my Autism Training for Emergency Responders class I talk about how special needs individuals are seven times more likely to interact with first responders, usually due to...
View ArticleUsing Redirection to Avert Harmful Stimming
Repetitive behaviors such as spinning objects, opening and closing things repeatedly, rocking, arm-flapping, squealing, making loud noises or even hitting are common in those on the autism spectrum....
View ArticleAutism Tips for Emergency Responders: Pain Perception
Identifying sensory issues have always played a large role in autism. In fact, it’s what finally led my son to a correct diagnosis. I spend nearly one-third of my autism training class talking about...
View Article1 in 45 Children Now Diagnosed with Autism: Should We Be Worried?
It’s time to update my website, brochures and training materials again… according to the latest numbers released from the CDC this past Friday (the 13th!), 1 in 45 children in the United States has an...
View ArticleAutism and Sleep Deprivation
As an autism parent, I’m no stranger to sleep deprivation. When my son was a toddler it used to take HOURS to get him to sleep. If (not when) I was successful, he would wake up around 1 am, just as I...
View ArticleAutism Tips for Emergency Responders: Autism vs. Asperger Syndrome
I often get asked, “What’s the difference between autism and Asperger’s? Are they both considered autism? Are they the same thing? And what the heck is PDD-NOS?” Just when I had a handle on everything,...
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