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Autism & Eating Challenges: You Are Not Alone!… is well intended, it can make you feel isolated when others can’t fathom your experience.  The importance of community support And when we feel there’s no one with whom we can discuss our own anxieties, our thoughts can start spinning inside … the feeding tool kit’s original Facebook post provided a wonderful forum for many of you. You’ve been offering each other support, suggestions and, sometimes, just a simple “I understand.”  Feeling part of a community, even if it is virtual, can … for Autism Speaks ” or through your region’s AS-ATN center . Perhaps you’ll even feel inspired to start your own support group using these and other ways to connect with other families. Creating a long-term plan Establishing a support group
Research to Practice: Expanding Opportunities for Employment… to their specific needs,” said Bridget A. Taylor, PsyD, BCBA-D, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Alpine Learning Group . “As the adult autism population continues to grow, employment opportunities are critical to foster independence, … as potential employers. Assessments from the Alpine Learning Group The Alpine Learning Group of Paramus, N.J., with the support through a grant from NEXT for AUTISM from the proceeds of Comedy Central’s  Night of Too Many Stars , developed two …
Help! Our Adult Son Has Severe Autism and Extremely Narrow Diet… “Our grown son - who's severely affected by autism and living in a group home - no longer eats anything but white-bread bologna sandwiches. We're really concerned about his health. What can … causing his new food selectivity. We also recommend that your son be seen by a registered dietician to discuss nutritional support. The Autism Speaks Resource Guide includes local contact information for dieticians and other specialists who work … the text link and click on your state. Once you have input from your son’s doctor and dietician, you can work with the group-home staff to develop a plan that gradually expands his eating choices. Developing a plan In developing a realistic …
Grade-schooler with Autism Nauseated by Food Smells… Kuschner, of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, a member of the  Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network . With the support of an Autism Speaks research grant , Dr. Kuschner is developing and testing a cognitive behavioral treatment … at a picture of the cafeteria together. Then plan small steps that build on your son’s progress. I recommend enlisting the support of a trusted adult in your son's school such as a counselor, psychologist or teacher. Your son will likely benefit … in a socially acceptable way. Instead of having a meltdown outside of the cafeteria at lunch, could he be part of a lunch group that eats somewhere other than the cafeteria? Perhaps you could talk with your son’s teachers and counselors about …
Finding Information on Autism-Related Genes … 15q duplication syndrome, copy number variation Pheland-McDermid syndrome and DiGeorge syndrome . A number of advocacy groups and organizations provide information, parent and child support, research funds and services for those affected by these specific genetic disorders. (See list below.) … aware of an organization that specifically addresses Xp22.31 deletions. There are, however, a few Yahoo and Facebook parent support groups for Xp22.31 deletions. The National Society for Genetic Counselors provides a platform for finding genetic …
Parents seek help for anxious teen … from Jeffrey Wood, PhD, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. Three Autism Speaks research grants support Dr. Wood’s work on adapting cognitive behavioral treatments for children and teens with autism. Editor’s note: The … therapy is a widely accepted psychological approach for breaking severe cycles of anxiety. Through extensive research, our group and others have shown that modified forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy can work particularly well with children and … you to work with the school system to evaluate your daughter’s needs and develop a comprehensive educational plan that supports her re-entry. What school placement, grade level and accommodations does she need? A qualified psychologist can …
Parent Worries: Adult Son with Autism Still Obsessed with Barney… 24 and is on the autism spectrum, diagnosed with PDD-NOS as a child. He works part-time at Home Depot and attends a social-support group called Community Connections twice a week. While he continues to get more involved with the adult world at his job, he … Peter Gerhardt. Dr. Gerhardt, who serves on Autism Speaks’ Family Services Committee, has more than 30 years of experience supporting teens and adults with autism in educational, residential, vocational and community settings. Thanks for your …
Auditory Processing Disorder… that her EEG cap is on.  These insights, we believe, are the first step to developing personalized interventions that can support communication and improve quality of life. I’m pursuing this work under the mentorship of Helen Tager-Flusberg, … need it most Around a third of children and adults with autism have severe language impairments, and we believe that this group is likely to be more affected by auditory processing disorders. But it can be challenging to study auditory processing …
Thriving at Home during the Pandemic: Authentic Tips for Resilience… tasks in blocks of time rather than longer sustained arcs. “Chunk” tasks like cleaning or responding to emails into groups to avoid exhaustion. This will leave longer blocks of time for recovery from tasks or demands. Adapt your interests … Being at home can actually be a plus when it comes to sensory needs. You can build or access your preferred sensory supports. The current situation may disrupt your meal preparation and personal hygiene routines. Tips: Frequent handwashing …
Autism and Eye Contact… Is he more likely to look up at you when you engage him on these subjects? This is a wonderful way to encourage him. Visual supports Of course, it may be that your son doesn’t make enough eye contact for you to be able to reinforce it on a regular basis. In that case, you might try some strategies to “catch his eye.” This can be as obvious as us using a visual support or touching the corner of your eye with a motion that starts within his range of sight and then reinforcing. … “ Visual Supports and Autism Spectrum Disorder .” Follow the link for free download. Behavioral therapy and social-skills groups If your son is already seeing a behavioral therapist, eye contact and attentiveness are wonderful skills for them to …