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Empowering Eye Exams: Strategies for Supporting Autistic Patients
Eye exam. Two words that can cause a lot of anxiety in families of autistic patients. Questions may arise about how your child will tolerate the exam and what to do if they need glasses. If your child has communication limitations or sensory sensitivities, you might wonder if they’ll be able to...
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The Critical Role of a Caregiver in Navigating Systems of Care
No one knows your child better than you. When it comes to understanding their unique needs – you are the expert. This is critical for parents and caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive differences. Whether you are navigating systems of care, identifying areas of concern,...
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Autism Gets an Update: A National Autism Strategy for Canadians
Note: While there are many areas of inequity, this article will focus on diagnosis and support services as seen by the Autistic writer living in Ontario, Canada. Autism in Canada One in 66 Canadians is autistic. Collectively, we face numerous challenges to accessing services and supports,...
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Filling the Gaps in Healthcare: The Vital Role of Information Sharing for Individuals with Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Wading through the complex landscape of healthcare for individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their caregivers can be frustrating, often hindered by a variety of barriers unique to this population. While systematic and overwhelming, these challenges are...
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Self-Advocacy in Healthcare: Empowering Autistic Adults to Take Control of Their Well-Being
Navigating the American healthcare system is a challenging task for neurotypical (NT) and neurodiverse (ND) communities alike; however, there are substantially greater barriers to effective care and risk factors identified within the ND community. Research has shown that there are higher mortality...
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Facilitating Health Care Visits: How Can We Prepare for a Therapeutic Visit?
Health care visits can be challenging for individuals with autism and the delivering providers. It is critical that we prepare both the individual and the provider to increase the integrity of the visit and ensure a successful outcome. When I took on my role as Senior Director of Healthcare...
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Autistic Health: Embracing a Holistic Approach
Human beings may seem similar because we all go through common developmental stages. However, in reality, human beings are remarkably diverse. Shaped by genetics and life experiences, we develop a wide range of personalities, temperaments, skills, capabilities, preferences, perspectives, and ways...
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What Is Health Equity and Why It Matters to Those with Disabilities
According to the 2022 summary of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau's National Survey of Children's Health, more than 14 million children had special healthcare needs. These children, in particular, are more likely to experience chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or...
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The Dental Disparity Dilemma
While the movement toward autism acceptance is certainly something to smile about, there remain many injustices for this population that must be addressed. Among them, disparities in dental care. Data gathered from a survey by the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities...
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Navigating Medical Decision-Making and Insurance for Autistic Children in Divorced Families
Managing the care and needs of a child on the autism spectrum can be a full-time job. In addition to addressing the day-to-day care, educational, and behavioral needs of an autistic child, managing the therapeutic and medical visits can be quite involved, including such challenges as scheduling and...
