Perkins School for the Blind Transition Center

Archive for the ‘Summer 2014 Issue’ Category

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...

Remember the Kayak

Carrie Cariello and her husband, Joe, live in New Hampshire. The have five children; four boys and one girl. Their second son, Jack, has autism. (No, their daughter, Rose, is not the youngest. The youngest is Henry, a child born nine months after the urologist canceled Joe’s...

Bringing Autism Insurance Mandates into Compliance with the Affordable Care Act

When care isn’t taken, grave problems can arise when a state’s autism insurance mandate is brought into compliance with the ACA. Starting in 2014, “dollar value” limits for essential health benefits are not allowed per the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more frequently called...

Autism Treatment: Addressing the Changes and Challenges

This past March, it became clearer than ever that the scope of autism is changing. With new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifying that 1 in 68 children in the U.S. are now affected by autism, a nationwide conversation ignited on how to address the...

Autism Science Foundation Hosts Autism Community’s First TED-Style Talks

On April 10, 2014, the Autism Science Foundation celebrated its fifth anniversary by hosting a Day of Learning and an Evening of Celebration at the Yale Club of New York City. For the Day of Learning, ASF presented the autism community’s first TED-Style Talks, which were given by nine experts in...

Autism Science Foundation Announces 2014 Grant Recipients

The Autism Science Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding autism research, has announced the recipients of its 2014 annual pre and post-doctoral fellowships as well as the recipients of its first undergraduate summer research grants. Pre and Postdoctoral Research...

Autism Paradox and the Broken (Special) Education System

YouTube and the Internet have provided a boost for my 14-year-old autistic son, where his public school has failed to educate him. Technology has empowered Fridrik to explore his curiosity, while expands his intelligence. Using the 1990s cartoon series Dexter’s Laboratory and its 78 episodes...

Autism and Comorbid Mental Health Issues: Challenges and Issues for School Teams

Children and youth with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) represent a variable and growing population in the K-12 school system who may be served under IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: 2004). ASD is, according to the DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,...

Autism and Bipolar Disorder

In individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, establishing an additional diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder can be very challenging. In the article below, Dr. Jessica Hellings and Dr. Andrea Witwer of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (www.autismspeaks.org/atn) discuss a study they conducted...

Anger and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Clinician’s Perspective

Psychology defines anger as a complex psychological phenomenon, a syndrome consisting of emotions, related thoughts, physiological reactions, and behavioral scripts or action tendencies that define the way in which the person acts when angry (e.g. Berkowitz & Harmon-Jones, 2004; Deffenbacher,...