People with autism are lifelong learners


Posted by Michael Pelfini on March 11th, 2010

You probably know that guest blogger Laura Shumaker published a post here last week about our Easter Seals Bay Area Autism Community Forum. What you may not know is that Shumaker also wrote an article for the San Francisco Chronicle about the forum.

Laura Shumaker is the mother of a 23-year-old son living with autism and author …Read More » »

We love the ‘Dallas Moms’ Blog


Posted by Beth Finke on March 1st, 2010

Hats off to the Dallas Moms Blog for its post about the Easter Seals Autism Spokespersons Network (ASN) meeting in Dallas last month.

Easter Seals is the nation’s leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism and other disabilities, and the Dallas Moms Blog explains why it is so important that we get word out to those who …Read More » »

Autism Community Forum rocks the house


Posted by Michael Pelfini on February 18th, 2010

Read Michael Pelfini’s biography.

On Friday, February 5, over 325 people convened at the Autism Community Forum in Oakland to hear experts speak about how we can meet the incredible needs of individuals with autism. Educators, parents, researchers, community leaders, private and public practitioners — we were all there to discuss the challenges of autism.

The …Read More » »

Autism community forum in Oakland, CA


Posted by Matt McAlear on February 3rd, 2010

If you read Patricia Wright’s blog post last week, you know that we’re hosting an Autism Community Forum in Oakland this Friday. We are really looking forward to the event, which will highlight evidence-based practice treatment strategies for children with autism.

The response to our event has been overwhelmingly positive! For more information about the community forum visit the …Read More » »

Bay Area to host Autism Community Forum


Posted by Patricia Wright on January 29th, 2010

San Francisco, here I come!

Okay, really, I am going to be in Oakland. But that is so close! I lived in the Bay Area for almost ten years and, much like Tony Bennett, I left (at least a bit of) my heart there.

But next week I’ll be back. Easter Seals Bay Area is hosting a community autism event …Read More » »

Holiday tips from autism experts


Posted by Matt McAlear on December 15th, 2009

When a local freelance writer named Dana Young decided to write a story offering holiday tips and advice to parents of kids with autism and other disabilities, she knew one place she could come to find experts: right here at Easter Seals Bay Area! Her finished story is called Special Joys, Special Challenges, and it’s in …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 » »

A Wider World for kids with autism


Posted by Matt McAlear on September 2nd, 2009

Earlier this year Easter Seals Bay Area was contacted by the PBS show A Wider World. Roger McCarville, the show’s host, had heard about Easter Seals …Read More » »

Call me a dork, but I love autism conferences


Posted by Matt McAlear on September 22nd, 2008

Call me a dork, but one of the favorite parts of my work is going to trainings and conferences on autism treatment. We are very lucky to have really exciting research happening within our university system here in California — two conferences I’ve been to lately highlighted pioneering treatments in the field.

The first was through the U.C. Davis M.I.N.D. …Read More » »

Diagnosing autism before age 3


Posted by Matt McAlear on April 8th, 2008

Lisa Tate’s recent blog wondered about the myth that children can’t be diagnosed with autism before age three. In the past, doctors were hesitant to diagnose autism in children less than 2 years of age, mostly because of the relatively limited amount of research showing stability of such early diagnoses. Doctors were more likely to provide a Pervasive …Read More » »