Are autism service dogs smart?

Posted by Beth Finke on November 12th, 2009

A story in last Sunday’s New York Times ponders whether service dogs help humans because they are smart, or simply because the rigorous training they go through makes them want to please the person on the other end of the leash.

The matter of what exactly goes on in the mind of a dog is a tricky one, and until Read More » »

Safeway and Easter Seals working together

Posted by Beth Finke on November 4th, 2009

An article in Reuters last week touts Safeway Inc. for the generous grants it gives to Easter Seals to empower children and adults with autism and other disabilities.

Safeway executives unveiled the 2009 Safeway Foundation’s Empowerment Grant award winners during Easter Seals’ annual convention in Washington, D.C., granting $1 million to expand programs across the country that measurably improve Read More » »

A special interest in weaving

Posted by Beth Finke on October 26th, 2009

This month Patricia Wright, Easter Seals National Director of Autism Services, wrote two posts about careers for adults who have autism. The first one was about an IT firm that goes out of its way to hire individuals with autism who have a special interest in internet technology. The second post was about a business professor with autism Read More » »

“The Story” on Disability Employment Awareness Month

Posted by Beth Finke on October 13th, 2009

It’s Disability Employment Awareness Month, and An NPR show called The Story contacted me last week to record an interview. If you’ve never heard The Story, here’s a description of the show from their Web site:

At a time when “celebrity rules” and the only “ordinary” people we see are faces in the crowd, The Story reminds listeners that their Read More » »

Study could prove whether human-animal interactions help with autism

Posted by Beth Finke on October 9th, 2009

A New York Times article this week reports that the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development will study the health benefits animals can provide to children. The article opens with a description of a yellow Labrador retriever who has been paired-up with an 11-year-old boy who has autism.

“Within, I would say, a week, Read More » »

Book Review: Clarissa Willis’ My Child Has Autism

Posted by Beth Finke on September 30th, 2009

Hearing a child has autism can be devastating for parents. After a child is diagnosed with autism, the parents are left facing something entirely new and unknown, which can be awfully scary. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Book Review: Clarissa Willis’ My Child Has Autism", url: "http://autismblog.easterseals.com/book-review-clarissa-willis%e2%80%99-my-child-has-autism/" });

Is clumsiness a sign of autism?

Posted by Beth Finke on September 29th, 2009

Patricia Wright’s post about surfing star Clay Marzo Included a quote from an Outside Magazine article that really caught my eye.

While many children with Asperger’s are marked by their lack of coordination — “motor clumsiness” is a very common trait — Clay moves in the water with an uncommon grace.

I’m reluctant to admit this, being the Easter Seals Read More » »

In memory of Roger McCarville

Posted by Beth Finke on September 18th, 2009

Easter Seals is mourning the death of Roger McCarville, who died of pneumonia on September 7. You might recognize Roger’s name — Matt McAlear published a post here about Roger McCarville’s A Wider World show Read More » »

School fights family over autism assistance dog

Posted by Beth Finke on September 17th, 2009

The Associated Press reports that an Illinois family wants their 6-year-old son, who has autism, to be able to bring his dog along to school this year. The family said the dog would help with the transition to a new place and would also help keep him safe from traffic and other dangers. Service dogs are allowed in the Read More » »

Spread the word: free technology for people with autism

Posted by Beth Finke on September 10th, 2009

Technology can provide exhilarating possibilities to the 54 million of us in America who have disabilities. But a study commissioned by the California Endowment and conducted by the Alliance for Technology Access found that fewer than 25% of us who could be helped by assistive technology are using it to our advantage. The study said most Read More » »