Autism Spectrum Disorders
The autism spectrum is a broad and constantly redefined place, a frontier of the mind that's still mostly wilderness - Zack Smith
image by: Bruce Cummins
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Looking Into the Future for a Child With Autism
How do you write about the happy life you hope for your child to have when you have a hard time picturing it yourself?
For 18 years, I’ve dreaded the yearly ritual of writing a “vision statement” for an Individualized Education Plan, or I.E.P., for our son, Ethan. He has autism and, as any parent of a child with significant special needs knows, the yearly team meeting to develop the I.E.P. can be emotional and fraught. For us it has felt, at times, like an annual adjustment of expectations downward. In theory, the vision statement is a lovely idea — an opportunity for parents to articulate the optimistic future they envision for their child…
Resources
Fake autism treatments show the lengths parents will go to “cure” their kids
It’s not just dangerous. It’s insulting to autistic people like me.
Embracing Mechanical Love
A robot designed to assist children with autism is a glimmer of the best possible future for social A.I.
I’m autistic. I just turned 36 — the average age when people like me die
On March 21, 2017, CNN published an article on a new study from the American Journal of Public Health that found the average life span of an autistic person is 36 years. I wasn’t shocked by this news. I know how dire things can be for so many of us on the spectrum, but that number struck me for a very specific reason. I had just turned 35 the previous month.
On Autism, Shifting U.S. Standards Cloud the Number of Cases
This isn’t the first time autism has been affected by changing definitions.
What My Son With Autism Taught Me About Managing People
I like to think I was a considerate colleague when I worked in an office. I paid attention to cultural and gender differences. I made an effort to run inclusive meetings and write inclusive articles. But for all my attention to diversity, I didn’t pay attention to one crucial form of difference: the way people think.
I was 35 when I discovered I'm on the autism spectrum. Here's how it changed my life.
My story isn't typical. The autism spectrum is a broad and constantly redefined place, a frontier of the mind that's still mostly wilderness. The revised definitions of it in the DSM-5 just a few years ago are still controversial — it's both easier to diagnose aspects of the spectrum in people and more difficult to determine if a formal diagnosis is necessary, if it's even a "problem."
All the Colors on the Spectrum
The diagnosis of autism has risen markedly in recent years, climbing from a rate of 4 to 5 cases per 10,000 people in 1966 to approximately 1 per 100 today.
An Entrepreneur With Autism Finds His Own Path
For Chris Tidmarsh, the key is building a support network to help execute his vision.
An Oscar-Nominated Film Inspires a New Approach to Autism
The obsessive interests that consume many kids on the spectrum may turn out to be pathways to growth.
Autism - You're Not Alone
One of the most common disorders afflicting children today is autism. So we figured out some of the best resources. We hope it helps!
Autism—It's Different in Girls
New research suggests the disorder often looks different in females, many of whom are being misdiagnosed and missing out on the support they need.
How Autistic People Helped Shape the Modern World
One way to understand it is to think of human operating systems. Just because a computer is not running Windows does not mean it's broken. It's doing things in different ways. Autistic people are bad at reading social signals but good at detecting flaws in visual patterns. They have a hard time coping with surprise, but they're good at pursuing a personal interest with great focus and intensity. So instead of diseases and cures and causations, we should think of autism as a different way of being that deserves respect and accommodation in society.
Is There Really an Autism Epidemic?
A closer look at the statistics suggests something more than a simple rise in incidence.
New Technology Is Helping Transform The Lives Of People With Autism
Companies like enterprise software leader SAP have integrated recruiting and HR programs aimed at attracting and hiring people with autism for technical jobs. People on the autism spectrum possess brains that can process like computers. Yet, we cannot forget that they are human beings with feelings and a desire to belong.
On the Brink of Breakthroughs in Diagnosing and Treating Autism
Science is taking a more personalized approach to treating the disorder and to understanding its diverse causes.
Potty Training a Child with Autism using ABA
Potty training a child with autism can be daunting for parents and caregivers because of the unique challenges the child faces, and it can be difficult to find potty training resources that cover this specific topic. For this reason, traditional approaches to toilet training may not always be effective. This is where applied behavioral analysis (ABA) comes into your potty training program.
Seeing the Spectrum
The world has always been unpredictable and disorderly, and some people have always found its ways unbearable. But there hasn’t always been autism—or its related categories, Asperger’s syndrome and (the current official term) autism-spectrum disorder.
Should We Screen All 2-Year-Olds for Autism?
It’s actually not too early to assess them, and doing so might help close important socioeconomic and racial gaps around services and treatment.
The Joys and Challenges of Being a Parent With Autism
A generation of parents are revealing some advantages of the condition, even when their children don’t share the diagnosis.
We've called autism a disease for decades. We were wrong
Most people think of autism as a disease, a major impediment of which an increasing number of children are "victims." But over the past two decades, a growing number of adults on the autism spectrum, myself included, have rejected this frame and called for non-autistic "neurotypicals" to respect and accommodate "neurodiversity." We believe that autism is a natural and in many ways desirable variation in how people think, not a great evil to be stamped out.
What It's Like on the Autism Spectrum
Intense stories of family with autism spectrum disorder, as submitted by Atlantic readers.
Why Does Autism Impact Boys More Often Than Girls?
According to the CDC, autism prevalence continues to climb with 8 year old boys afflicted 4.5 times more often than girls. What makes matters worse is the fact that many boys with autism are also diagnosed with ADHD. These disorders severely impact the learning process in the classroom environment and lead to a lifelong economic burden both for the afflicted individual and society.
Looking Into the Future for a Child With Autism
As my son’s limitations became clearer, I found it harder every year to write a vision statement for his I.E.P. Then he showed us how.
Spectrum
The leading source of news and expert opinion on autism research.
Thinking Autism
Thinking Autism exists to help people with autism and their families reach their potential and live life free of discomfort, anxiety and pain.
ACEing Autism
Our mission is to make the sport of tennis available to children with autism and to use tennis as a means to enhance health and fitness, hand-eye coordination and motor development and improve the social skills for children with autism.... And, of course, to make sure kids have fun in the process!
Age of Autism
We are published to give voice to those who believe autism is an environmentally induced illness, that it is treatable, and that children can recover. For the most part, the major media in the United States aren't interested in that point of view, they won't investigate the causes and possible biomedical treatments of autism independently, and they don't listen to the most important people — the parents, many of whom have witnessed autistic regression and medical illness after vaccinations. We do all those things, and more.
Autisable
Autisable provides an open platform where anything Autism related can be shared and discussed.
Autism Inspiration
On our site you will find more than 900 content items including lesson plans, games, group activities, sensory integration ideas, motor skills activities, social stories, and visuals with more to come in the weeks and months ahead.
Autism One
Autism One is a nonprofit, charity organization 501(c)(3) started by a small group of parents of children with autism. Parents are and must remain the driving force of our community, the stakes are too high and the issues too sacred to delegate to outside interests.
Autism Parenting Magazine
Autism Parenting Magazine is the leading magazine for parents of autistic children as well as professionals seeking to work with children on the spectrum. Established in 2012, our focus remains on objectively publishing autism-related topics, events, developments, treatments and news stories.
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks has grown into the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We are proud of what we've been able to accomplish and look forward to continued successes in the years ahead.
Autism Spectrum News
Thanks to their help and guidance we have found a new voice for bringing you a new and trusted source of news, information, education, research, advocacy, and resources about the promising and ever-changing world of autism spectrum disorders.
Autism Together
In 1968 a group of parents established The Wirral Society for Autistic Children, which was the forerunner for our organisation today. Autism Together has grown from providing support to people with autism, to providing a wide range of living options, day services and community support to people from all over the UK.
AutismToday.com
Autism Today is the largest autism resource online and one of the leading autism and Aspergers resource distributor in the world.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which Autistic people enjoy the same access, rights, and opportunities as all other citizens.
Awe in Autism
Through original works of art, music, literature, poetry, photography and video, as well as many other resources, Awe in Autism seeks to provide inspiration and encouragement to those affected by autism.
Drive Mom Crazy
This site will hopefully give you a glimpse into my world. A world which is also part of the Asperger World.
First Signs
First Signs is dedicated to the early identification and intervention of children with developmental delays and disorders.
Global Autism Project
Founded in 2003, the Global Autism Project is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the global gap in the resources and understanding of autism. We are committed to empowering communities worldwide to address the needs of individuals affected by autism through education, outreach, training, and the promotion of acceptance and compassion.
Healthier Me
Welcome to Healthier Me, a Kohl’s Autism Awareness app from the experts at Children’s Specialized Hospital. Healthier Me reinforces the healthier choices and habits of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and turns tracking day-to-day activities into something rewarding and educational.
iCareforAutism
ICare4Autism serves as the lead global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the life of children and adults who live with autism.
Integrate
Helping organizations identify, recruit, and retain qualified professionals on the autism spectrum.
Interactive Autism Network
The Interactive Autism Network is an innovative online project bringing together tens of thousands of people nationwide affected by autism spectrum disorders and hundreds of researchers in a search for answers.
LearningSpring School
A place for children on the autistic spectrum to learn, to grow and to belong.
Life on the Spectrum
Life on the Spectrum is a UK-based charitable (non-profit) organisation, dedicated to raising awareness of autism, and providing information for autistic people themselves, particularly late-diagnosed adults who find little support elsewhere.
McCarton
The McCarton Foundation is dedicated to increasing the educational opportunities for children with autism and making a better life for them and their families.
Research Autism
Research Autism is the only UK charity exclusively dedicated to research into interventions in autism. Established in 2003 as the Autism Intervention Research Trust, we carry out high quality, independent research into new and existing health, education, social and other interventions.
SafeMinds
The Coalition for SafeMinds (Sensible Action For Ending Mercury-Induced Neurological Disorders) is a private nonprofit organization founded to investigate and raise awareness of the risks to infants and children of exposure to mercury from medical products, including thimerosal in vaccines.
Schafer Autism Report
We monitor all the major news sources, websites and the latest research for important and practical news and developments with a balanced, no-spin presentation...
SOS
Raising awareness about autism spectrum disorders by raising our voices. We seek to alarm, connect and inspire. To make an abstract disorder real. To make autism a problem of "us" instead of "them." So listen. Learn. And share. Proceeds go to nonprofit autism service providers.
TACA
Talk About Curing Autism provides information, resources, and support to families affected by autism. For families who have just received the autism diagnosis, TACA aims to speed up the cycle time from the autism diagnosis to effective treatments.
WrongPlanet
Wrong Planet is a web community designed for individuals, or parents and professionals who know someone with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences.
American Autism Association
We believe everyone deserves access to quality therapeutic resources. Together, we can create a future where all individuals with autism have the opportunity to succeed.
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
Our mission is to share accurate, scientifically sound information about autism and treatments for autism because we believe individuals with autism and their families deserve nothing less.
Autism Canada
Autism Society Canada works across the country to reduce the impact of ASDs on individuals and their families. We support universally accessible ASD treatment and services, as well as the implementation of national surveillance, and better funding for ASD research.
Autism National Committee
This is the only autism advocacy organization dedicated to "Social Justice for All Citizens with Autism" through a shared vision and a commitment to positive approaches.
Autism Program at Yale
The Autism Program at Yale is an interdisciplinary group of clinicians and scholars dedicated to providing comprehensive clinical services to children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
Autism Research Institute
The Autism Research Institute, a non-profit organization, was established in 1967. For more than 40 years, ARI has devoted its work to conducting research, and to disseminating the results of research.
Autism Science Foundation
The Autism Science Foundation’s mission is to support autism research by providing funding and other assistance to scientists and organizations conducting, facilitating, publicizing and disseminating autism research. The organization also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism.
Autism Society
The Autism Society is the nation's leading grassroots autism organization.
Autism Speaks Canada
At Autism Speaks Canada, we are dedicated to finding the missing pieces of the puzzle and to bringing hope to those living with autism every day.
Autism-Help.org
Autism, Asperger's syndrome and PPD-NOS can dramatically affect a child's life, as well as that of their families, schools, friends and the wider community. This site provides help with over 350 fact sheets of autism-related information, with an emphasis on practical strategies, as many families cannot afford the more expensive interventions, or may be geographically isolated and cannot access autism support services.
National Autism Association
The mission of the National Autism Association is to educate and empower families affected by autism and other neurological disorders, while advocating on behalf of those who cannot fight for their own rights.
National Autistic Society
We champion the rights and interests of all people with autism and aim to provide individuals with autism and their families with help, support and services that they can access, trust and rely upon and which can make a positive difference to their lives.
Bright Tots
Resources, articles and information on autism including Asperger's syndrome, assessing autism, autism and tantrums, autism in childhood, autism therapies, characteristics of autism, discipline strategies, early signs of autism, echolalia, fragile x, hyperlexia / dyslexia, immunization worries, oral care and autism, pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), Rett syndrome, savant syndrome, and more.
March of Dimes
Information and resources for autism from the March of Dimes.
Medical News Today
The latest Autism News articles published daily. Includes news on Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Rett Syndrome, Child Disintegrative Disorder, and Asperger's Syndrome. Information is also provided about social interaction problems, lack of communication skills and emotional interpretation difficulties - causes and how to overcome them.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders
This fact sheet discusses the common signs of autism, its causes and diagnosis, treatment, and more.
National Intitute of Child Health and Human Development
The NICHD is one of many federal agencies and NIH Institutes working to understand ASD. The NICHD supports and conducts research on what causes autism, how best to detect signs of autism, how best to intervene or treat autism, and other topics.
Wrightslaw
On the Autism, PDD & Asperger Syndrome page, you will find FAQs, articles, legal resources, recommended books, free publications, and a short list of information and support groups.
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