Three years ago our oldest son, Tristan, was diagnosed autism at the age of three. Since I have been working on a Vermont system of care for individuals with ASD and advocating in Vermont and in Washington D.C. for more funding and...
[more]
Three years ago our oldest son, Tristan, was diagnosed autism at the age of three. Since I have been working on a Vermont system of care for individuals with ASD and advocating in Vermont and in Washington D.C. for more funding and support for families and individuals with ASD. Through my work I have seen the lack of supports for people with ASD and their families have, so I have created a business, Parenting Autism, to step in and help. Parenting Autism produces DVDs and workbooks to help parents parent on the spectrum. In addition to our exercises and tips in our workbooks and DVDs, Parenting Autism gives all profits back to the autism community.
Children born more than three months premature, are at three times the risk for screening positive on the modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT). Children who screen positive on M-CHAT may be at greater risk for developing autism. Read Full Story
Much has been written in the popular press about the dramatic behavioral improvement in children with autism when they are put on a special diet. This diet, devoid of gluten and casein, two major proteins in the Western food supply, is touted as being a power weapon to reduce autism symptoms through diet. Scientific research has turned up conflicting data on the efficacy of the low-gluten, low-casein diet. Autistic children have abnormal intestinal motility and have a rate of nutrient... Read Full Story
People tend to turn to the Internet when looking for any kind of information. This holds true for parents and caregivers searching for usable information about autism. Suffice it to say there has been a lot written on the subject. A search on Google produces over 300 hits for "autism eBooks." Amazon.com lists about 50 books in hard back and paperback. For a disorder that is receiving more attention these days, there is a paucity of real information parents can use. Given the relative lack of... Read Full Story
I just posted an entry on my companion blog for adults with Asperger’s about managing small talk at the office and it got me thinking. Reading social signals is an issue for many people with Asperger’s, other autism spectrum disorders, and ADHD, whether a child, a teen or an adult. But a big problem is that the rules for social skills are so different for kids and adults. It’s important that adults keep this in mind when assessing their own children’s behaviors and the behaviors of the other... Read Full Story
ASAN, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, has begun to sponsor a new
Yahoo group for teens on the autism spectrum. Participants can be self
diagnosed, and they must be at least 13 years of age. This group is
being moderated by ASAN adult members. You can get more information on
this group from the Southwest Ohio chapter of ASAN's blog. Because
the group is for teens, I'm posting this notice on both my blogs, Coach
for Asperger's and Social Skills for Kids, since I have teenage readers
on... Read Full Story
The apology is one of the most basic of social skills. I was reminded of this when reading Seth Godin's blog. He doesn't write an autism blog, he writes about business and marketing. But he also really gets to the heart of the matter. In a post entitled "Easy To Type" he wrote: " 'You are right. I screwed up. I'm sorry.' It goes a long way." That's the entire post. This is a crucial idea for kids struggling with social skills. Often, kids on the autism spectrum and those with Asperger's are... Read Full Story
There is a growing concern among parents that, as their special needs children grow older, police and other officials may misinterpret their more unusual behaviors, putting the child at risk for misunderstandings, arrest or even injury. Please check out Dennis Debbaudt's Autism Risk and Safety Management : Information and Resources for Law Enforcement, First Responders, Parents, Educators and Care Providers. This website provides information for parents and individuals on how to manage... Read Full Story
Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "Parenting Autism". Here you can find fresh voices and respond in real time. Some members write articles about recent news and trends related to the wikizine's topic, others recount relevant personal stories or share their favorite pictures and video clips. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this wikizine? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own article... Read Full Story
