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Healthy Weight Management for Youth on the Autism Spectrum: What We Know and How to Help
With obesity a growing epidemic in the United States, much attention has been placed on weight loss and healthy weight management. Unfortunately, research has shown that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk of struggling to maintain a healthy weight (Tyler,...
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Facilitating Plugged In: Helping Teens with ASD Navigate Life with Technology
Technology use is ubiquitous among today’s youth (Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts, 2010). This probably does not come as a surprise because it seems that kids and their gadgets are everywhere. The current generation of youth has even been referred to as the iGeneration or the app generation. From...
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Not as Scary as it May Sound: Getting an Early Start to Sexuality Education for Young Children with ASD
After reading the title of this article, you may have taken pause – if so, you are not alone. The idea of providing sexuality education for very young children with ASD is likely to raise questions and may generate uncomfortable feelings; this can be a challenging topic. Despite the difficult...
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The Ins and Outs of Technologically-Savvy Psychotherapy
When the parents of a bright, 7-year-old girl were informed that their daughter’s delays in social and emotional development were likely indicative of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they responded in a manner similar to many other parents who have received such news. They began seeking medical...
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It Starts with Feelings: Supporting Emotion Regulation and Mental Health in Young Children with ASDs
As part of comprehensive ASD treatment, the overarching goal that must be kept in sight for all learners is a healthy quality of life. This approach to intervention begins at the moment of diagnosis or before, and continues far into late adulthood, the frontiers of which we currently know little...
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Social Coping and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Power Combination of Psychology and Speech Language Interventions
Throughout our years working with the ASD population, parents often inquire about whether their child should be receiving speech-language or psychological services. The answer is frequently “both.” Research demonstrates that individuals with ASDs are at great risk for developing significant...
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Sexuality, the “Double Vulnerability,” and Youth with ASDs
The social deficits of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) place them at an increased risk of experiencing physical or sexual abuse, neglect or exploitation (Gabriels, 2007). However, these same social impairments can also increase their vulnerability to engaging in inappropriate behavior...
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Co-Occurring Mental Health Issues in ASDs
We are frequently reminded that often we do not in fact treat “autism,” but rather the co-occurring mental health and behavioral issues associated with ASDs. Youth and adults with ASDs have social and emotional difficulties which, if not addressed as part of a comprehensive intervention...
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Supporting Parents in Their Search for the Whole Picture – A Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Assessments for Individuals with ASD
For many families and caregivers, entry into the world of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) first begins as part of their search for an accurate diagnosis – the answer that can help explain their child’s behavior, strengths, and weaknesses. This “assessment process,” which for some families...
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Fostering Successful Social Skill Development in Young Adulthood
A parent recently came to us to ask whether it is important to include social skills goals as part of her son’s high school Individualized Education Plan (IEP). He is a bright young man who has one friend who shares similar interests. He would like to go to college, pursue a professional career,...
