Halloween is Hard for my Son with Autism, but We Still Celebrate It
Our son loves the idea of Halloween. He loves the decorations and all the gross Halloween bugs on the store shelves. He likes the idea of trick-or-treating and the idea of dressing up. But it's hard for him. Due to his autism and sensory issues, we realized early on that costumes made him unhappy and uncomfortable. From a lion to the Hulk, nothing ever seemed to work for him. I started choosing costumes that only needed a hat and lightweight outfits that felt just like clothe
Why I Chose Summer Camp
Around my wrist hangs a clear pink plastic bracelet. It holds a mix of glitter and tap water, a simple and unremarkable combination that, typically, would never have been something that I would remember or treasure. This bracelet, however, is different. It was given to me by a friend of mine, a friend with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes, a friend whose shirt is usually on backwards or inside out, a friend with a contagious laugh, a mischievous smile and a tendency to
Man with Autism Creates App for Emergency Communication
Winner of the HuffPost What's Working Honor Roll A Belgian man with autism has created an "Emergency Chat" app for communicating in situations where speech is not an option. Jeroen De Busser, a student in computer science at the University of Antwerp, came up with the idea after experiencing an anxiety attack during which he found himself unable to communicate verbally with friends. The app allows users who are unable to speak because of a medical or psychiatric condition to
ADHD Behavior Therapy: Promoting Discipline & Focus in Kids
If your child has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD, ADHD) chances are, your physician has discussed or prescribed ADD drugs. You may also have learned that behavioral therapy, also called behavior modification, may be helpful. As you try to figure out the best treatment for your child, bear in mind that these two therapies are not mutually exclusive options. In fact, they often work best together in solving ADHD behavior problems. This is clearly shown by t
The Job Offer Letter We Should Send All New Autism Parents
Dear Liz, Congratulations on your successful appointment to the position of "Autism Parent." We understand you may be confused by this appointment, as you never actually applied for the post in the first place. You may also be concerned that there are no contact details in this letter, so you cannot write, call or email us to turn the position down. Your concerns are to be expected and will lessen over time. However, we would like to make clear right away that being an autism
Dad of Kid with Autism Develops App so People with Disorder can Find, Rate Accommodating Places
A Pennsylvania father whose son has autism is creating an app that will help people with the disorder and their families. Topher Wurts is developing the "Autism Village" app which will allow people in the autism community to add, rate and review different restaurants, museums, parks, playgrounds, and other locations based on "autism friendliness" -- the level of comfort or accommodation a place is able to give a person with autism. The 48-year-old, who was inspired to take on