Nearly every person I know with autism wants to hold a tangible object in their hands to keep them connected to the familiar, especially when they must leave the comfort of their own home. For children, these comfort objects are often small blankets or stuffed animals, both of which can just wear down to shreds, [...]
Although we do not intend to be impatient, most parents, teachers, therapists, and others interested in the wellbeing of individuals with autism are guilty of ignoring the SNAIL RULE i.e. slow, irregular progress is a reality in the world of autism.
Vacations and family trips can turn into emotional nightmares if the style of the vacation runs contrary to the personality of a family member with autism. A more relaxing, enjoyable time can be had by all if care is taken to decide in advance if a person with autism would do better with a structured, [...]
We were surprised at the reaction of a group of teens and pre-teens with autism at our star party one summer night. Even individuals with limited communication skills and youngsters who do not typically focus on or respond to visual cues seemed to be fascinated with the darkness, the unpredictable flash of meteors, and the [...]
Lots of folks are searching for ways to encourage individuals with autism to eat more fruits and veggies every day. The heat of summer has hit this corner of the world, so the idea of frozen fruits has really caught on with some of my friends with autism – even those who are resistant to [...]
How can you stop someone with autism from sneaking in and eating a gallon of ice cream in the middle of the night? How about a youngster with lots of food allergies who raids the kitchen for forbidden potato chips or oreos? Do we need to padlock our frig or kitchen? Do we sleep with [...]
A mom was in a large store with her 8-year-old son with autism when he had a full-blown meltdown. After some time, she was able to help him calm down, but in the interim, she received many stares and overheard comments about her lack of parenting skills. How does a parent or teacher or a [...]
What do you do during a Montana winter if you can’t tolerate boots or shoes because of sensory issues related to autism? What do you do if your youngster with autism insists on wearing shoes to bed?
Moms often dread the need to use public restrooms with their young adult sons with autism who need some assistance with toileting. Diaper changes for adults are even more challenging. The problem is magnified ten-fold with a dad who needs to help his teenage or adult daughter with every aspect of toileting and personal care. [...]