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Person-Centered Early Intervention Program: A Whole Family Approach
The prevalence of autism is at an all-time high. Today, we all seem to know a parent of a child who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to estimates from the CDC, the rate of autism has more than tripled over the span of two decades: from one in 150 in 2000, to one in...
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Making Space for Mourning: A Grief Support Session
As the Coordinator of Family and Wellness in the Developmental Disabilities Division at Services for the UnderServed (S:US) and a social worker with extensive experience in providing grief support, I am often requested to administer grief support to people with intellectual/developmental...
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Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Home: How to Thrive as a Family Unit
Various research studies have shown that early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is important for providing the tools and strategies needed for long term success in areas such as education, career, and life in general (McEachin, Smith, & Lovaas, 1993). It is...
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The Impact of COVID-19 on Families
COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, has impacted us in many ways. Financially; there are millions of people unemployed due to the impact of this virus. Mentally and emotionally; individuals have isolated themselves due to stay-at-home orders, only going out for the essentials to places such as...
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Periods and Pads and Pain, Oh My! Promoting Independence During Self-Care – Skills for Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder
As a parent, our biggest concerns for our children involve teaching them to be successful individuals who can advocate for themselves, providing them with an education to help them grow into successful adults, and keeping them safe. A common goal amongst all parents is to raise their children to be...
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Early Start: Preparing Adolescents for the Transition Years
The transition years prepare adolescents for life as an adult, including living as independently as possible, securing and maintaining employment and effectively interacting in the community. Children with autism spectrum disorders approaching adolescence and their families are faced with great...
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21st Century Sexuality Teaching Resources for Youth with Autism
The twenty first century brought a long-awaited focus to sexuality and ASD. Although a paucity of data still exists regarding sexuality education and ASD (Loftin & Hartlage, 2015), most publications do provide recommendations for the who, what and when components of teaching about sexuality....
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Tips to Promote Caregiver Emotional and Physical Health
Autism is oftentimes confusing, unpredictable and hard to manage. As parents and caregivers you are required to traverse the highs and lows of the autism diagnosis. From the outset of parental/caregiver concern to the day your loved one receives the diagnoses on the autism spectrum and everyday...
