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How My Autism Diagnosis Helped Me Accept Myself and Lead a Happier Life
Throughout my life, I have faced significant challenges. These were most notable as a child, particularly in terms of social and sensory issues. My sensory issues used to be extreme. I couldn’t bear to be in a room where any cupboard doors were open, the sight of certain fruits caused me strong...
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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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Why Didn’t My Pre-Diagnosis Clinicians Bring Up the Possibility of Autism?
So much was lost as a result of not knowing for so long. Lost happiness, because of having to contend with unanswered questions as to why I faced such daunting challenges which none of my peers seemed to be facing. Lost time, during which I lived without a complete picture of who I truly am, during...
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Challenges in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Older Autistic Women
Autism has a unique neurological structure with a wide variety of expressions. This diversity of strengths, challenges, and experiences is why autism is considered a spectrum disorder. It’s also what makes it challenging to diagnose and treat because the myriad of symptoms manifested in any given...
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Screening and Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children
Given the complex nature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), its diagnosis can be challenging. Unlike conditions where biomarkers such as those found with a blood test can provide a definitive diagnosis, diagnosing ASD requires clinical observation and interpretation of a child’s behavior and...
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Parents and Caregivers: What to Do if You Think Your Child is Autistic
My child has big emotional reactions and seems so sensitive to everything. I am always having to reassure my daughter when we go to new places or meet new people. My son wants to make friends so bad, but he has such a hard time knowing how to play with others. My daughter gets upset every time I...
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Virtual Reality: A Tool for Making Healthcare More Accessible to Patients with Autism
For patients with autism, getting healthcare is often a struggle. My views in healthcare were heavily influenced by watching my brother, who was non-verbal and autistic, and my mother navigate the healthcare system with much difficulty. He, like many patients with autism, struggled with doctor...
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Rates of Autism Increase, But Numbers Don’t Paint the Full Picture
Headlines over the past 20 years have signaled ever-increasing recognition of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Now, in a new article published in Autism, our team describes our own estimates of how many children across Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Primary Care Network have been...
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An Overview of the Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger. By age...
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Parent Education Program for Families of Children with Newly Diagnosed Autism
The proliferation of misinformation related to autism spectrum disorder has been an issue for decades and one that capitalizes on the vulnerabilities of the population at which it is targeted (Capuano & Killu, 2020). The most infamous example of the harm that misinformation in the autism...
