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Autism Laws and Policies: How Legal Protections Can Prevent Stigmatization and Support Advocacy Efforts
Over the past 50 years, autism laws and policies have supported the needs and rights of individuals living with autism spectrum disorder. They have protected access to healthcare, education, employment, housing, and community integration. The lives of people with autism have been improved; their...
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More Than Work: Autism, Stigma, and the Power of Belonging
What could karaoke possibly have to do with autism and workplace stigma? We’ll get to that, but first, allow us to explain what we do for a living. We are both privileged to work in the Employment Program at an agency called Job Path, where we match people with autism and other disabilities...
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Unmasking the Mask: Breaking Free from Stigma to Embrace Authentic Autistic Identity
This article explores masking in autism, defined as the practice of suppressing autistic traits to conform to societal expectations. Specifically, it examines how stigma reinforces masking, oftentimes leading to emotional exhaustion and complex mental health struggles. To challenge stigma, this...
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Autism and Speech Therapy: Evolving Perspectives
My training as a speech-language therapist tells me that my job is to treat communication deficits in autistic people. I tell them, “Point to the triangle and then the circle.” I verbally model the phrase “I want,” and wait for a response. I read them social stories, encourage them to...
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Reframing Pathological Demand Avoidance: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Perspective
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is an unnecessary and dehumanizing label. It has become frequently mentioned in the autism community as a new diagnostic label often driven by anxiety and a need for control describing adamant refusal of everyday demands, often driven by anxiety and/or need for...
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Breaking the Silence: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Autistic Children
Imagine your child has thoughts, feelings, and ideas but struggles to say them out loud. For many parents of children on the autism spectrum, this is a daily experience. This is where Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can help. What is AAC? Augmentative and Alternative...
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Empowering Resilience: How Occupational Therapy Supports Autistic Adolescents with Depression
Adolescence can be a challenging time for anyone, but for Autistic teens, the journey can come with unique emotional, social, and sensory hurdles. Depression is more common among Autistic youth than their neurotypical peers, often going undiagnosed or misunderstood. Research shows Autistic...
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How Digital Health Ecosystems Are Shaping the Future of I/DD Support
The disability service sector finds itself at a crossroads. The current federal administration is working with Congress to reduce the size of government and overall spending levels. It is likely that this will affect Medicaid Long Term Service and Supports in many states, creating concern within...
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Co-Mentorship: A Catalyst for Fighting Stigma and Career Success
Autistic professionals bring critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and unique insight to the workforce. Yet many face persistent stigma and misunderstanding that hinder their full participation in professional spaces. Misconceptions about communication styles, social behavior, and sensory...
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Elderly Autistic Adults Face Increased Risk of Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease — Postmortem Brain Research May Reveal Why
What is the evidence that autistic individuals are more likely to get an age-related disease? A 2021 study published in Autism Research (1) based on an analysis of Medicaid records in the United States found that autistic individuals were 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with early-onset...
