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The Vital Need for Support and “Me Time” for Parents of a Child with Autism
Raising a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is a journey. It requires a lot of support. There will be challenges but many wonderful rewards. It can be a difficult process but when you have the right people around you, it is a road well-travelled. As I write this article, I feel a...
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Understanding the Father Factor While Raising Children with ASD
Fathers of children with autism tend to be either very involved or withdrawn and virtually absent from interactions with professionals—with the majority seemingly uninvolved. From this observation, many professionals assume that fathers do not wish to be involved. Is this really the case, or do...
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Why I Wasn’t Afraid to Label My Son
Dear Jack, When you were about year old, we saw a bunch of doctors and specialists to try and figure out why you didn’t talk or point or look at us. And at that time, many people told us not to rush to give you a label. “Be careful with a label, because it will be on all of his forms and...
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A Boy and His Dog
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Wolfie. I am half Bichon and half Shih-Tzu, also known as a Teddy Bear Dog or a Zuchon. I am sixteen and a half pounds and I barely stand a foot off the floor, but do not let my size fool you. I may be small, but I am mighty. I’ve been with my family...
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Just Friends: A Father’s View of His Son’s Relationships
Social service agencies have a good read on my 16-year-old son Alex. Somewhere in the photocopied, crooked lines of one of his service plans, for instance, is the line, “Alex Stimpson doesn’t have a best friend.” Alex does make connections. He does ask for his little brother Ned, for his...
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Someone I’m With Has Autism
“Hey Carrie, it’s me, Sandy. Listen, I had an idea for you—” Sandy is a dog trainer. We started to work with her after we got our puppy, Wolfie, because we have no idea what we’re doing. “Oh, I’m so glad you called! I’m kind of worried he doesn’t like his food. He isn’t...
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Video Games and Kids – How Much is Too Much?
Although video games have been a part of American culture for over 40 years, their influence in the lives of youth has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly for those on the Autism Spectrum. The Kaiser Family Survey found that, between 2000 and 2010, the average amount of time that 8-18...
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When Your Grandchild Has Autism
I’m always struck at the number of grandparents who turn up at the public reading I have been doing since publishing my book. During the discussion afterwards they usually ask similar questions; “I have a granddaughter with autism. What should I do when she flaps her hands?” or, “Why do...
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The Costs of Raising a Teenage Son with Autism
Researchers at the Children’s Institute, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with the University of Rochester, NY, studied the connection between autism and the hemorrhage of cash a family endures when one of their own has the condition. “It’s a disorder that seems to have an impact on...
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Understanding Unintentional Injury for Children with ASD
Summer is a time for relaxation and fun, however certain skills acquired during the school year can be lost if they are not practiced consistently over the course of the entire year. One of the first things parents should identify, are IEP goals targeted by school staff to be maintained over...
