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Helping Autistic Students Stay Calm During School Lockdowns and Drills
Emergency drills, such as fire drills, lockdowns, and active shooter simulations, are an important part of school safety. But for students on the autism spectrum, these events can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. The sudden loud noise, sensory overload, and unexpected changes can cause...
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The Day I Learned That Stepping Away Isn’t Giving Up – It’s How Autistic Brains Navigate Change
Whenever I have had a big change coming, I tell myself "I can handle this." I have always been good at problem-solving, at figuring things out methodically. Moving away from home for the first time to live at a program for young adults with autism? No problem – I was prepared to learn everything...
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Navigating Autistic Shutdown and Burnout Through a Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach
(Note: This article is written in neurodiversity-affirming language, including identity-first language) Autistic shutdown is a widely recognized but poorly understood neurological response to overwhelming stress. Despite its significance, research on shutdown remains scarce, with most scholarly...
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How to Overcome Dental Health Challenges for Children with Autism
Dental visits can be difficult, if not impossible, for children and teens with autism and developmental disabilities. These challenges can preclude important preventative care that impacts underlying health issues. In these situations, dental care also becomes a quality-of-life issue - not only...
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11 Compassionate Parenting Tips for Families with Autistic Children
Few people realize the challenges of being a parent, until they become one. Now, imagine the added challenges of parenting an autistic child which is becoming more common as the number of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) increases. According to the Centers for Disease...
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Autism Spectrum Disorder and Comorbidity: A Systematic Approach to Treatment
Comorbidity refers to the presence of one or more mental or physical conditions that coincide with a primary mental or physical condition (Al-Beltagi, 2021). Research has shown that 70% of autistic children meet the criteria for one comorbid disorder and 40% meet the criteria for two or more...
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Navigating Sensory Processing Disorder
As someone who not only is earning their doctorate in the field of literacy education but was diagnosed at the tender age of two with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a category found among autism spectrum disorders (ASD) along with a list of additional sub-diagnoses, it’s safe to say that...
