FAQautismFAQautismFAQautism features concise, practical tips that can implemented immediately to make a lasting impact on the quality of life of individuals with autism. Articles
Easter Egg Hunts
2008-03-14 06:01:00 Parents and teachers have asked for some ideas for helping youngsters with autism enjoy the annual tradition of easter egg hunts. ?My child just stands there with her basket,? said one dad. ?She doesn?t seem to care about picking up eggs, but she laughs and claps her hands at the sight of the other kids ... More About: Easter , Easter Egg
Personal Privacy
2008-03-13 06:01:00 Issues related to personal privacy multiply as children with autism grow into pre-teens and teens and adults. We cannot assume these youngsters will be able to successfully dress out for gym class or that a young lady will know how to handle personal hygiene issues unique to girls. Other issues related to personal privacy arise ... More About: Personal , Communication , Privacy
Let Go or Hang Tough
2008-03-12 06:01:00 Some parents, teachers, and therapists are very intense, spending a great deal of time and energy to help smooth the path for individuals with autism. Other parents and professionals appear to show very little concern for people with autism, letting many opportunities slip by with no apparent effort to help people maximize their potential. Most ... More About: Quality of Life , Tough , Hang
Miraculous Breakthroughs
2008-03-11 06:01:00 Sometimes we hear of incredible breakthroughs for people with autism Television often features individuals who have been ?cured? of autism or who have excelled in music, art, sports, or academics. We might read of a non-verbal person who suddenly begins talking. Or an extremely withdrawn student in our child?s classroom may suddenly start interacting with ... More About: Communication , Quality of Life
Green Day
2008-03-10 06:01:00 Holidays give us opportunities to insert a bit of variety in the lives of our friends with autism, especially those who are very resistant to changing routines and very resistant to tasting new foods. Saint Patrick?s Day is one of those special occasions custom-made for introducing some tasty tidbits to picky eaters and possibly expanding ... More About: Green , Quality of Life , Green Day
Favorite Clothes
2008-03-07 06:01:00 At what point do favorite clothes become an obsession rather than a preference. A high-school friend who functions on the spectrum of autism reports that she only wears t-shirts featuring her favorite television star. She said, “I don’t know if it is an obsession, but I just feel like I can’t wear any other shirts to school.” Every Thursday, I visit with one of my friends with autism whose clothing preference might be considered obsessive. Although she has a closet full of clothes, she has worn the same outfit every single Thursday, no matter the weather, for over ten years. The outfit is getting rather tattered. Some parents have discovered that they only make matters worse when they try to get rid of favorite clothing. The issue can become serious when sweatshirts deteriorate into shreds or shoes no longer fit. Listen Now: or (more…) More About: Clothes , Favorite
Talk or Not
2008-03-06 06:01:00 During their school years, many non-verbal students with autism are encouraged to communicate using verbal responses paired with gestures, sign language, symbols, photos, and assistive communication devices. When one of my non-verbal friends with autism graduated from high school, she moved into a very supportive residential setting. But the loud, repetitive jabbering sounds she made to greet people or to express her opinion were rather irritating to people in her new home. So, should she be encouraged to talk, or not? Listen Now: or (more…) More About: Talk
Babysitters
2008-03-05 06:01:00 As cute little kids with autism grow into teens and adults, the issue of babysitters gets more and more challenging. Let?s face it ? our youngsters tend to prefer predictable routines and familiar faces, so they usually don?t usually give strangers a warm welcome. In fact, the very phrase, ?I?ll call the babysitter? can be ...
Shoes
2008-03-04 06:01:00 Sensory issues can effect every aspect of life for individuals with autism. Fortunately, the growing selection of shoe styles is providing more options for people who have tactile sensitivities in their feet. Listen Now: or More About: Shoes
Insults
2008-03-03 06:01:00 How do we respond when someone insults a family member or friend with autism? What can we say when an acquaintance or a stranger criticizes our parenting or teaching after observing a behavior outburst? What recourse do we have when we realize the public or the press has spoken about autism in negative or insulting terms? Listen Now: or (more…) More About: Insults
Be Quiet
2008-02-29 06:01:00 What exactly do we mean when we tell someone to be quiet? Do we mean that they must be totally silent, making not a tiny sound? When we say, ?be quiet,? do we mean to talk softly so they don?t interrupt a conversation? Or do we say ?be quiet? just when we get irritated or ... More About: Quiet
Patience Pays Off
2008-02-28 06:01:00 Sometimes our patience can be pushed to the limit, tempting us to give up on a strategy that doesn?t seem to be bearing any fruit. For example, a youngster functioning on the spectrum of autism may not seem to be noticing his peers or the words of his teachers or any of the activity swirling ... More About: Communication , Patience , Quality of Life , Pays
Constructive Criticism
2008-02-27 06:01:00 Although often well-meaning, comments intended as ?constructive? recommendations are often construed as critical and hurtful. For example, a high school student with autism wrote about her reaction to ?constructive criticism? by family members. In a similar vein, parents of a youngster with autism commented on their reaction to ?constructive criticism? offered in a planning meeting ... More About: Communication , Quality of Life , Criticism
Underwear
2008-02-26 06:01:00 Several young adults diagnosed with autism have drummed up the courage to submit comments about a taboo topic: underwear. Individuals with marked sensory issue often struggle to find clothing, socks, and shoes that are comfortable. Underwear is, of course, an important consideration for people with tactile sensitivities. Listen Now: or
Processing Delay
2008-02-25 06:01:00 Sometimes youngsters with autism are slow to follow directions, even when told to do something they enjoy. We can certainly expect nearly every kid to respond reluctantly when we ask them to finish an unpopular chore or to go to bed early. But, some of our friends with autism are very slow to respond even ... More About: Communication
Tyler?s Conversation
2008-02-22 06:01:00 As you listen to the recording of Tyler ?s conversation about visiting the emergency room and seeing a helicopter, you are hearing the fruits of diligent work by patient teachers, family members, and therapists who helped Tyler move gradually from a non-verbal three-year-old to a teenager who can express his thought fairly clearly. Let us look ... More About: Communication , Conversation
Listen to Tyler Talk
2008-02-21 06:01:00 Today?s podcast is a recording of a recent conversation I had with my friend Tyler , a seventeen year old with autism. He made a visit to the emergency room several days prior to our talk because he became dehydrated due to the flu. From his perspective, it was a great adventure because he had a ... More About: Communication , Talk , Listen
Emerging Language
2008-02-20 06:01:00 When he was three years old, my friend Tyler communicated his dissatisfaction with life in general by making loud sounds and throwing items. Over the next fourteen years, he moved through the phases of language development, sometimes getting stuck in one phase for four or five years. Although the process has been very slow, his ... More About: Communication , Quality of Life , Language
Understanding Words
2008-02-19 06:01:00 A teacher commented that several of her elementary-aged students diagnosed on the spectrum of autism seemed to have good language skills. She said, ?They can spell, read, and spout math facts. They even speak to people politely and answer questions appropriately. But, although these youngsters are very sharp, they often misunderstand what I am saying.? ... More About: Communication , Words , Understanding
Ignoring Directions
2008-02-18 06:01:00 A dad commented that his 12-year-old son didn?t seem to pay attention when given a direction. ?He just seems to tune us out at home, and he acts the same with teachers, his soccer coach, his speech therapist, and his sister. He seems to understand language ok, so we?re not sure if he just doesn?t ... More About: Communication , Directions
Good Night
2008-02-15 06:01:00 Family members frequently bring up the issue of problems at bedtime with their youngsters diagnosed with autism. ?All my kids resist going to bed,? commented one mom. ?But my son with autism explodes every evening, and doesn?t calm down until after midnight. Our whole family is suffering.? Other parents mention resistance to bedtime, ranging from ... More About: Night , Good , Good Night
Building Tolerance
2008-02-14 06:01:00 Some individuals with autism are extremely resistant to change. Meltdowns often occur when they encounter a change in routine or food or clothing or other aspects of their daily lives. Although we might be bored with the same, predictable routine every minute of every day, we need to acknowledge that resistance to change is a ... More About: Building , Tolerance
Practical Numbers
2008-02-13 06:01:00 It is awe-inspiring to see a person with autism solve a complex math problem without the help of a calculator or calculate the day of a remote date in a previous century. Although we can certainly applaud their talents, we also need to take time to help our friends develop practical skills with numbers so ... More About: Communication , Quality of Life , Numbers
Number Magic
2008-02-12 06:01:00 Because this is our 200th podcast for FAQautism.com, we thought it would be appropriate to address an issue brought up by numerous parents and teachers ? that of an incredible gift of numbers and sequences displayed by some individuals diagnosed with autism. This discussion revolves around the unimaginable scope of this phenomenon as well as ... More About: Magic , Number
Adult Blankies
2008-02-11 06:01:00 As their youngsters with autism graduate from high school, parents look for ways to help them transition into the world of adulthood. Among other things, they look for appropriate security objects. One of my friends calls these items ?adult blankies? in reference to the tattered baby blanket her son carried around until it literally shredded ... More About: Adult
Intriguing Books
2008-02-08 06:01:00 One of the most universally popular items for individuals with autism is pop-up books and books with moveable parts. People of all ages and with a wide variety of interests and personalities are drawn to these intriguing books, even in this age of electronic gadgets and computerize animation. Listen Now: or More About: Books
Complexities of Autism
2008-02-07 06:01:00 Several friends have recently received the news that their children or grandchildren have been diagnosed with autism. They are puzzled with the diagnosis because their youngsters don?t have some of the commonly-known characteristics of autism. For example, one of the kids is very bright and talkative and another loves to interact with other people. Because ... More About: Autism
Urgency for Normalcy
2008-02-06 06:01:00 A friend diagnosed with autism commented that her family is concerned about the fact that she likes to hang around the ?special education? kids in her high school. Her thoughts give some perspective to the urgency for normalcy that we can feel for individuals with autism. Listen Now: or More About: Quality of Life
Selecting a Piano
2008-02-05 06:01:00 An elementary teacher commented that several youngsters diagnosed with autism in her classroom seemed to be very interested in music, especially the piano. ?I would like to have an electronic piano in my classroom,? said the teacher. Now that electronic pianos are less expensive and more readily accessible, more people are interested in having keyboards ... More About: Piano
Waiting Patiently
More articles from this author:2008-02-04 06:01:00 As a mom and I were talking in the grocery store, her 10-year-old son diagnosed with autism started rocking, putting cans of soup in and out of the grocery basket, and making repetitive sounds. His mom said, ?Oh, this is so frustrating. I wish he could just learn to wait patiently.? Red flags were flying ... More About: Waiting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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