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The Transition into Adulthood: Guiding Families Toward Successful Outcomes
One of the favorite things in my role as Director of Admissions and Family Services at Melmark is talking with parents about their children and helping families maneuver the complicated web of supports available to them. One of the most challenging parts, however, is helping families understand how...
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Jack’s Birthday
Every year I write each of my children a letter on their birthday and keep it in a small journal. These letters describe the person they are at that particular age; their likes and dislikes, favorite activities, and overall temperament. This letter is to my autistic son, Jack, as he celebrates his...
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Assessment and Understanding of Fear in Children with an ASD
Intense fears and phobias have been reported in up to 64% of children with an ASD (Muris Steerneman, Merckelbach, Holdrinet, & Meesters, 1998). In comparison, only 5% of typically developing children present with intense fears (Ollendick, King, & Muris, 2002). Children with an ASD also have...
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Support for Parents in Teaching Emotional Regulation Skills
In addition to the defining features of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) also have difficulty with both awareness of their own emotions and their ability to regulate emotional expression. They may overreact in a...
