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The Autism Society of America Awards Desiree Kameka Galloway the 2024 Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Leader in Adult Autism Award
The Autism Society of America is pleased to announce that Desiree Kameka Galloway will be honored with The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Leader in Adult Autism Award for 2024. This award celebrates individuals and initiatives that allow Autistic adults to live fully. The Daniel Jordan...
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The Autistic Guide to Small Talk
Small talk is often declared the bane of existence to those on the spectrum everywhere. An inane social ritual where you’re expected to exchange obvious facts about the weather and be happier for it. But small talk is your foot in the door for communication. If you’re trying to branch out...
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Can Being Denied Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Cause Lifelong Trauma?
Complex trauma happens when someone feels they are trapped and alone in continuing threatening or unsafe circumstances, like child abuse, war, or racism (World Health Organization, 2019). In situations where a person experiences threats every day, changes occur to the part of the nervous system...
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Governor Hochul Announces New Ombuds Program to Help New Yorkers With Developmental Disabilities and Their Families
On December 13th, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the new Ombuds for the developmental disabilities’ service system, headed by Community Service Society of New York, is now open and ready to accept New Yorkers’ calls in need of assistance navigating services, resolving complaints,...
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Practical Tips for a Sensory-Friendly Christmas for Autistic Children
Christmas is just around the corner. Unlike the white, snow-covered wonderland that many associate with Christmas, the festive season can be very lively and noisy and filled with appointments and various stimuli. There is a well-known quote that I think puts into words the way autistic...
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The Problem with Calling Neurominorities “Neurodiverse”
Calling individuals neurodiverse spreads neurodiversity lite. Neurodiversity lite is the pathology paradigm in disguise. The pathology paradigm marginalizes/medicalizes neurominorities. Using the word “neurodiverse” to refer to individual people spreads neurodiversity lite...
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A Presumption of Competence: Empowering Disability Advocacy and Independent Living
On June 18, 2024, the White House hosted an Olmstead 25th Anniversary Observance to commemorate the Supreme Court decision (Olmstead v. L.C.) that ruled institutionalizing people with disabilities who were capable of community living was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). One...
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The Importance of Personalized Support and Care for Autistic Adults
People with autism have the potential for growth at every stage of life. When providing care for autistic adults, know that every moment and interaction can make a difference in their well-being and independence if you understand how they learn. Many of the people who receive support at The Summit...
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Empowering and Supporting Women with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Women with autism spectrum disorders present with a complex social and behavioral profile that can differ from men. It is important to understand some of the diagnostic differences between women and men so that we can help empower women with autism spectrum disorders not only to address their...
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A Maze of Red Tape: My Experience with Benefits and Bureaucracy
Though I was diagnosed as autistic in my infancy and can remember as far back as when I was four years old, I never realized I was different until the second grade, when I was shuffled between special and regular education, when I made the fateful decision to become fully integrated into the...
