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Social Skills and Autism… by the idea of new experiences. Building up social skills with practice can help enhance participation in the community and support outcomes like happiness and friendships. We have compiled social skills tips and information from experts, teachers, … school, and in the community. A special education teacher, speech pathologist, or other clinician may lead a “social skills group” that combines direct, explicit instruction with opportunities to practice and generalize these skills in more natural …
Caring for the Caregiver… in his or her life. To make it happen, you need to take care of yourself. Take a moment to ask yourself: Where does my support and strength come from? How am I really doing? Do I need to cry? Complain? Scream? Would I like some help but don’t … a great source of strength. If you can’t get out of the house, use the phone to call a friend. Consider joining a support group. It may be helpful to listen or talk to people who have been or are going through a similar experience. Support groups …
WHO Caregiver Skills Training shows promising results in Italy… through a public outpatient child neuropsychiatry facility. Consisting of 12 sessions, including three home visits and nine group training sessions, the CST program aims to help parents and caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop the day-to-day skills they need to better engage with their children. Through modeling, coaching and group discussions, caregivers were taught to play, communicate, establish and maintain shared routines, and embrace positive … the training resulted in several improvements to parent-child interactions. Parents significantly improved their ability to support interactions with their children by “scaffolding” (or guiding) their children’s behavior, maintaining a shared focus …
Idaho becomes the 47th state to require autism insurance coverage!… families with children who have autism, health advocates, and state officials to celebrate increased acceptance and support for individuals with autism. The ceremony began with Lt. Governor Brad Little's proclamation signing in recognition … for individuals with autism. The bulletin issued by the Idaho Department of Insurance requires all individual, small group and large group insurance plans to cover evidence-based treatment for autism, including Applied Behavior Analysis. In Cameron’s …
Meet Chade` K.… provided her with an overwhelming sense of relief. With the help of her neurotypical husband, Oliver, and various other support systems she discovered through her work as an avid self-advocate, Chade` is thriving in all facets of her life: She … with autism and helps to build relationships between constituents and legislators at the federal level.  This diverse group of advocates includes nearly 345 volunteers from 46 states and the District of Columbia .  Learn more about Chade` in … awareness?   To bring people on the spectrum out of shadows and make representatives of their state aware of the need to support autism. In my city, representatives were not aware of the need for the autism community. Through this program, we …
Should I pursue an autism diagnosis as an adult?… you to go through the effort of pursuing a diagnosis. However, you describe a number of important challenges that warrant support. You can get help for some of these issues without an autism diagnosis. For example, a psychologist may be able to … at this time. What a diagnosis can bring At the same time, a diagnosis of autism may help you access additional therapy and support programs. The availability and quality of such programs vary from state to state and from one educational … provides. In addition, many colleges have supportive programs and services for students with a diagnosis of autism. Support groups You may or may not need an autism diagnosis to join an adult support group or social skills training group in your …
Tips to create inclusive sports and recreation activities… shared interests. One option is through high-quality adaptive programs – those designed for people with disabilities in a supportive environment, from the Special Olympics to local therapeutic horseback riding lessons to school LEGO clubs. Since … individuals with and without disabilities participate together. Some activities and programs are already designed with the support needs of people with disabilities in mind. (Think: online video gaming.) But what happens when they are not? Here we … online within your county or state can open doors. One of the wonderful things about technology is there are virtual groups based on shared interest open to people across the world. These can be ideal if you feel burned out in general or if …
Social skills classes produce lasting benefits for adults with autism… or other caregivers received training on how to coach the participants outside of class. Conversation, humor and more The group classes focused on conversational skills, appropriate use of humor and electronic communication, identifying sources … in the study, the researchers propose. “Our study offers encouraging findings that, through an evidence-based, caregiver-supported intervention, adults with autism can improve in ways that may help them be more successful in these aspects of … exist for young adults on the spectrum. “It’s exciting to see a community-based treatment model using caregiver support to help improve social skills,” comments Kara Reagon, Autism Speaks associate director of dissemination science. …
Life on Campus… to become familiar with the school’s disability-related resources so that you can be sure to advocate for the services and supports to which you are entitled. While you are deciding which postsecondary path is the best fit for you, you may also … also a great idea to work on any skills you think will enable you to make your experience as successful as possible. Campus Supports for Students with Disabilities If a college or university does not offer ASD-specific programming, your family … to consider: Does the counseling center have professionals who are trained in supporting individuals with autism? Are group counseling options available on campus? How long may a student receive counseling support on campus? If sessions are …
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 …