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Navigating the Later Stages of Life with Autism and Aging
Something that we as a community have yet to fully turn our attention to is the question of “how do we help our autistic elders thrive and live in dignity as they age?” As a late-diagnosed autistic woman, I am a pretty good example of what growing up and growing old without any...
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Navigating Sex as an Autistic Adult
It has long been thought that autistic adults desire sex at a lower rate than the general population, and recent research has shown this to be an incorrect assumption seeded with infantilization (Weir et al., 2021). Although autistic adults often need accommodations to be made regarding sensory...
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Real Boys Cry: Gus Walz, Neurodiversity, and the Fight for Disability Rights
It was a heartwarming viral moment that many will never forget. As the father of Tariq, my adult son with autism who is nonspeaking, it struck a deep chord in me. Most men have grown up with the maxim that “Big Boys Don’t Cry.” Breaking that traditional masculine model with exuberant cheers...
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Exploring Autism Traits Among Jeopardy Contestants
The popular television quiz show Jeopardy requires contestants to have broad trivia knowledge. As rote memorization is a common strength among individuals with High-Functioning Autism (HFA), it is of interest as to whether Jeopardy contestants have higher symptomology of HFA than the general...
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The Critical Role of a Caregiver in Navigating Systems of Care
No one knows your child better than you. When it comes to understanding their unique needs – you are the expert. This is critical for parents and caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive differences. Whether you are navigating systems of care, identifying areas of concern,...
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Autistic Health: Embracing a Holistic Approach
Human beings may seem similar because we all go through common developmental stages. However, in reality, human beings are remarkably diverse. Shaped by genetics and life experiences, we develop a wide range of personalities, temperaments, skills, capabilities, preferences, perspectives, and ways...
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We Are All on the Same Side: Unite the Spectrum
We are writing to explain why we do not need more labels to describe autism. We, the authors, became acquainted with each other in 1996 through a common mentor, Stanley Klein, the editor of Exceptional Parent Magazine, when we each published our first books: Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences...
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What I’d Like to See Change in the Disability World Over the Next 50 Years – Part 1: Let’s Change How We Define “Disability”
Note: Autism Spectrum News has allowed me to herein adapt an old piece of mine into a three-part series. I jumped at the chance as the piece needed an update. Frequent readers of mine know the following statement: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature….Life is...
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From Stigma to Acceptance: Insights from a Concerned Autistic Self-Advocate
My imagination often transports me into the thick of relatively grandiose situations. These episodes provide needed opportunities for release. In my mind, I sometimes have it out with my opponent during a presidential debate and winning, giving my acceptance speech after having won some...
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The Role of Mental Health Support in Autism Care: Breaking Free of the Patterns of This World
As a mental health professional, I have had the incredible privilege of counseling individuals with Autism for over a decade. I have had the opportunity to witness and be a part of the beautiful journey that occurs when someone who received a diagnostic label of Autism Spectrum Disorder learns to...
