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Empowering Caregivers Through an Innovative Peer Navigator Program
After a child receives an autism diagnosis, caregivers begin to look for appropriate services and supports. This journey requires them to navigate a very complicated service system. Caregivers are usually tasked with coordinating their children’s medical, educational, and community-based services...
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Listening is Key to Supporting Families and Caregivers and Leads to Better Outcomes
Supporting families and caregivers is a lifelong learning process as children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) typically undergo many changes. When providing workshops to families about accessing services, I began to consider the question of how we can support them further, as...
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Stronger Than We Think: The Advantages of Neurodiversity in the Face of Adversity
COVID-19 presents huge challenges and added layers of vulnerability for children and adults with autism and other special needs and their families. Some experience more adversity than others because of race and social class. However, it is my belief that neurodiversity has some built-in advantages...
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A Practice Run for Air Travel
Britney Lopez would not let go of her tablet before going through security at Newark Liberty International Airport as part of AHRC New York City’s Wings for All® event. Maria Aviles, Britney’s mother, expected this would be as far as her daughter would go during a dress rehearsal for air...
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Steps to Empower Families to Access Early Intervention
In my six years as Autism Resource Specialist in the Center for Children with Special Needs at Floating Hospital for Children in Tufts Medical Center in Boston, I have met with hundreds of families in the moments after their young child receives an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Although...
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Autism Speaks Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Tool Kit
In March 2010, Autism Speaks, North America's largest autism science and advocacy organization, launched the Autism Speaks Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Tool Kit (AS/HFA Tool Kit). The AS/HFA Tool Kit was created specifically to assist families in getting the critical information...
