Posts Tagged ‘mental health’

Autism and Comorbid Mental Health Issues: Challenges and Issues for School Teams

Children and youth with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) represent a variable and growing population in the K-12 school system who may be served under IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: 2004). ASD is, according to the DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,...

Autism and Bipolar Disorder

In individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, establishing an additional diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder can be very challenging. In the article below, Dr. Jessica Hellings and Dr. Andrea Witwer of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (www.autismspeaks.org/atn) discuss a study they conducted...

Video Games and Kids – How Much is Too Much?

Although video games have been a part of American culture for over 40 years, their influence in the lives of youth has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly for those on the Autism Spectrum. The Kaiser Family Survey found that, between 2000 and 2010, the average amount of time that 8-18...

Teaching the Teachers: Creating New Opportunities and Outcomes in Educating Students with Special Needs

Educating students with special needs is an inherently challenging task due to the individualized and shifting needs of each student. Different schools of thought emerge when contemplating this issue: inclusion, a variety of special education services, modifications/accommodations, community based...

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...