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Expert Q&A: Supporting siblings of autistic children with aggressive behaviors … for the other child and have long term effects if unaddressed.  It's important for parents and caregivers to know how to support their children through these challenges by acknowledging their feelings, keeping lines of communication open and teaching healthy coping strategies. Support groups can be a valuable tool, giving both siblings and parents a safe space to share their experiences and learn new …

The Hatching Hope Foundation brings advocacy and support to Dallas-Fort Worth families… triplets, was diagnosed with autism in 2012 at age 2.5, she struggled to find much-needed information, services and social supports in her area. This struggle motivated Sabrina to commit her life to helping underserved families in Ft. Worth, Texas … she founded the Hatching Hope Foundation, an organization that provides parent training about autism, individual and family support services, and special education advocacy. In 2019, Keshawn tragically passed away from Osteosarcoma, a rare form of … someone who really understands what it’s like to be a parent living with a child with severe autism. Our Facebook support group, Autism Mocha Moms , has been another great way to connect with parents in the community. The group was created to …

CST information for professionals… with lack of access to quality care and interventions. In response to this need, the World Health Organization (WHO), with support from Autism Speaks, developed the Caregiver Skills Training (CST) for Families of Children with Developmental Delays … and teachers to deliver parent training with supervision from skilled trainers. Consisting of 12 sessions, including nine group training sessions and three home visits, the CST program aims to help parents and caregivers of children with autism …

Meet Kim M. … seventeen months old, she felt alone, overwhelmed, and terrified.  When the autism diagnosis came, she gave her son all the support she could to give him the best chance at an independent life.  By the age of 6, Kim says, “his father and I knew … his own. Despite all his progress, he would need 24/7 supervision until the day he died.”   She wanted to create a loving, supportive, safe forever home for her boy. “It has become the driving force of my life,” she says.   Throughout the years within this community, she has made many friends with parents who also have profoundly autistic kids. Within this group, the idea for HomeLife21 was born.   The friends' group came up with the idea to create their version of a group home …

Challenges of COVID-19 disruptions: Guidance for autism service providers… lockdowns have been in place for a month or more. We hope this guidance will help you to continue your important work supporting people with autism and their families. Prepare before lockdown/during minimally restricted movement : Set up a … and prioritize the immediate needs for each family, including basic needs (food, medication, shelter) as well as caregiving support. If your health system has a patient portal or other way to communicate through the electronic health record, now is … tools, digital downloads, videos and other specific needs that families may request. Try to set up a caregiver support group via an online platform, such as Facebook groups or other technology such as WeChat, where parents and caregivers can …

Family Advisors:  The power and importance of connection… MPA. For many families who care for a loved one with autism spectrum disorder, access to knowledge and resources to support autism is critical. The right supports can enhance a life that is meaningful and productive. For me and my colleague, Liza Krassner, we understand how … of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network /Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (ATN/AIR-P). This group of 12 sites across the U.S. and Canada represent a wide array of autism services, research and clinical programs, …

Spanish resources help bilingual families in the autism community overcome language barriers … appointment, Berlina Felipe did her research. She had a year during that wait, reading about what to expect and how to plan supports for her son, Alex. “When he did get diagnosed at age 4, even though I was already prepared, it was still hard,” … Both of Jair’s grandmothers, who took care of him when he was young, attended the Spanish classes as well to learn how to support him. “Years later, my mom told us she is so glad that we got all the early intervention,” Gaby said. “And that we … their classes and resources in Spanish. Based on participant feedback, they also sometimes separate dads and moms into two groups to encourage each group to talk more openly. Alex’s family made sure to learn from his providers and school contacts …