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Summer Break and Skills Development: The Heat Is On
You work hard to make sure your child is progressing toward his goals and to effectively manage an interdisciplinary team and your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) during the course of the year. That work requires significant resources (fiscal, emotional, and temporal), the...
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Planning Ahead to Maintain Skills During Summer Vacation
Summer is coming and it’s time to start preparations. We know most children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from a structured schedule and environment, so much so that they usually know their schedule better than the adults who care for them. But what happens come summer? Schedules...
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Health Care Directives: A Safeguard and a Support
It is essential for all adults to execute advance planning documents, especially those adults on the autism spectrum who have the capacity to do so. Chief among these estate planning documents is the health care directive. Often, parents make all health care decisions for their child for the first...
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The Road to Adulthood
Transition from school to the adult world is exhilarating for some, terrifying for others. Some families have described it “like falling off a cliff and never knowing when we will hit the bottom or climb back to the precipice.” This time is well-described by the hundreds of families who worry...
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Leaving School Behind – Next Stop, Adulthood
The prospect of adulthood is particularly complex for individuals affected by developmental disability, their families, and the people who care about them. Like their peers, they have accumulated two decades’ worth of experiences, their bodies have matured, and they are considered to be...
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How to Effectively Advocate for Your Child’s Transition with Your School District
Parents of children diagnosed on the autism spectrum are often concerned about their child’s transition from the structured environment of a school-based program to the post-secondary world and all of the hurdles that transition entails. A student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is the...
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Making the Most of the 18-21 Period – Advantages of a Dedicated Transition Center
Early adulthood is a critical period for young adults with ASD and their families. Although students have been preparing for transition for many years, the process takes on new urgency as adulthood is imminent. Families know that much is at stake in shaping the course of students’ futures. The...
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The Unique Legal Issues That Affect Children and Adults with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome
Over the last several years in our Special Needs Planning and Special Needs Advocacy practices, we have seen a significant increase in clients having a family member with high functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Although not exhaustive, this article is intended to provide an overview of...
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Emergencies Happen – You Must Plan Ahead
At the time of this article’s publication, many of us will have been affected by Hurricane Irene. In light of this weather emergency we can look at this event and learn some valuable lessons. For those of us raising children with autism, high functioning autism or Asperger’s the challenges...
