Inspired by families living with autism

Posted by Bob Glowacki on November 20th, 2009

A lot of people left comments to a New York Times article called Going to Battle Against Autism, and I found myself touched by what those comments said about the dedication of families with autism. I was especially moved by the stories of two parents who were not only stretched physically and emotionally, but also facing an uncertain future …Read More » »

Accessing autism services: why a label matters

Posted by Patricia Wright on November 16th, 2009

Describing someone as having autism tells you a bit about that person. But really … what can you tell from that label? Some people with autism require significant support throughout their lives. Others with ASD move through their daily lives independently.

Currently there are three categorical labels used in diagnostics:Autistic DisorderAsperger SyndromePervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

The diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome …Read More » »

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 » »

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 » »

High hopes for Sotomayor

Posted by Beth Finke on August 11th, 2009

Remember the post I wrote about the Autism Society of America endorsing Sonia Sotomayor?

The Autism Society of America, along with dozens of other disability groups, signed a letter supporting Sotomayor’s confirmation. The letter was sent to Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL).

I’m sure ASA members enjoyed seeing Judge Sotomayor sworn in as Associate Justice of the Supreme …Read More » »

Congratulations to high school grad with autism

Posted by Beth Finke on June 30th, 2009

Yesterday’s New York Times featured a terrific story about a high school graduate who has autism. Dan Mulvaney’s story starts like so many others about kids diagnosed with autism:

Dan seemed on a normal developmental track for his first three and a half years until things went haywire. His speech suddenly stopped. He sat in a corner gnawing on …Read More » »

Autism in Obama’s stimulus plan

Posted by Beth Finke on February 5th, 2009

Wondering how the proposed stimulus plan might affect your child with autism? An article in last week’s New York Times called Stimulus Plan Would Provide Flood of Aid to Education says that some of the money would go towards special education for children with autism and other disabilities. The story reported that President Obama’s Stimulus Plan allocates …Read More » »

Vacationing with autism: bypassing the roadblocks

Posted by Beth Finke on September 19th, 2008

Our family went on some pretty great vacations with Gus when he was little. Other vacations, not so great. Take the time we drove 150 miles to go to a Prince concert. We all loved the concert, but Gus was so stimulated by the music that he couldn’t settle down afterwards in our hotel room. Gus screamed. And screamed. …Read More » »

Campaigning with a child who has special needs

Posted by Katy Beh Neas on September 8th, 2008

I’ve been part of some interesting conversations about Senator John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for vice president and the fact that she has an infant with a disability. I guess I’m not alone — a story in today’s New York Times says the country is buzzing about Sarah Palin and her infant son Trig.
No one has ever tried …Read More » »

Maybe Michael Savage has “compassion deficit disorder”

Posted by Beth Finke on August 12th, 2008

Last week, New York Times reporter Judith Warner published a blog post called Compassion Deficit Disorder.

In the post, Warner compares Michael Savage’s accusation that autism is a fraud to comments by Senator John McCain’s campaign manager that Barack Obama had “played the race card.” From there, Warner talks of how her niece’s schoolmates at a Midwestern suburban …Read More » »