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Genetics, Diagnosis, and the Male-Female Gender Gap in Autism
I hesitated to write this article. What business does a psychologist like me have writing about genetics and the gender gap in autism? I am not a geneticist. At most, genetics plays a small role in my professional life. But questions kept nagging at me. Some are specific to autism spectrum disorder...
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A Mother’s Journey Advocating for Her Child’s Autism Diagnosis and What Fellow Educators Can Learn
As a registered occupational therapist (OTR) and Director of Portfolio Management and Delivery at Pearson Clinical Assessment, I have extensive experience working with students who have been diagnosed with a variety of conditions. And as a mom of an autistic daughter, I understand on a personal...
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From Parent to Advocate: My Mission to Help Other Families
When my son Oliver was about nine months old, I noticed some milestone delays. I also realized that he had a tic. He would get very excited - wailing - when he saw something that caught his attention. It was also around that time that I knew I had to quickly become his advocate. Naturally, I...
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The Invisible Struggle: Autism Diagnosis in Immigrant Families
According to Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman elected to the New York State Senate in 1964, “something which we think is impossible now is not impossible in another decade.” About 11 years back when I was graduating as a Doctor of Social Work, I held similar thoughts for the...
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“It’s Special” Podcast with Tracey Spencer Walsh, Esq. and Cecelia McCarton, MD
Tracey Spencer Walsh is the Founder and Chief Litigation Strategist of Spencer Walsh Law, PLLC and is also the creator and host of the podcast, “It’s Special.” The “It’s Special” podcast takes a vast amount of information in the realm of special needs - sometimes too...
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A Tale of Two Diagnoses: Older Adults and School-Age Children
When I was first diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in late 2000 at 44 years, I was already a middle-aged adult. For most of my life, I had always felt that I was different from most people my age in a variety of ways, not to mention frequently reminded of such by others (usually in a very unpleasant...
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Sharing an Adult Autism Diagnosis with Family, Friends, and Community
The successful British author Matt Haig spent a lot of time in self-reflection at the height of the pandemic. During this time, at 46 years of age, he was newly diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) along with having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In light of being...
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Uncovering Neurodiversity in a Relationship
Neurodiversity in a partnership signifies that partners’ brains are wired differently from one another. When a couple learns that someone has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it can fundamentally shift the way they view their relationship. While there are inherent challenges that...
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Engaging and Supporting Parents of Children Recently Diagnosed with Autism
No parent wants to learn that their child is autistic. Hopes and dreams for a neurotypical child are mostly abandoned and replaced by fear, uncertainty and, often, despair. Thus, effective professional intervention must begin with active listening to grasp the parent perspective on their child’s...
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Breaking Down Barriers: A Guide to Autism Diagnosis with NODA Telehealth
If you are the parent or guardian of a child on the autism spectrum, you know firsthand how frustrating and time-consuming it can be to get a diagnostic assessment for your child. The process often involves long wait times, multiple in-person appointments, and a lot of uncertainty. Thanks to recent...