In summer school this year, I assisted a student teacher with a classroom full of first-graders. It was her first time teaching, and one of her and my most challenging experiences, as we had several students with ADHD, and a number of students with behavior issues. One of the students with behavior problems was 7-year-old …
Summer is here and many of our children are home from school, or will be soon once summer school ends. The transition from school to home can be difficult for autistic children. One of the things that can help is to create a visual summer schedule and calendar, and plan ahead with things your child …
Welcome to my new Autism Is…? Newsletter. Many of you are hearing from me after a long period of silence, while others are receiving this newsletter for the first time. In either case, I am so glad to be in touch, and I hope that the content will be helpful to you. The topic this time …
It finally made sense “I have been talking and writing about sensory problems for over 20 years, and am still perplexed by many people who do not acknowledge sensory issues and the pain and discomfort they can cause. A person doesn’t have to be on the autism spectrum to be affected by sensory issues.” –Dr. …
The school year is almost over, and summer vacation is about to start. This is a big change for any child, but for an autistic child this big variation from his daily routine can be especially upsetting. It can also be a challenge for us, parents and caregivers, as we will have to come up …
When browsing the news one day, my heart shortly stopped when I saw the headline, “The Dangers of Wandering Kids: Autism Community Mourns Three Drowning Deaths in One Week.” After describing these heartbreaking incidents, the article called for more attention and research into what causes children with autism to wander or elope. I agree with …
The importance of good communication between parents and educators While picking up my grandson from his after-school social skills program the other day, I struck up a conversation with a mom of a young boy I know from another program he attended. I asked her how he was doing, and if he liked his new …
At the end of the year, I wrote in my year-end review that I believed a non-verbal, 7-year-old student I work with would acquire verbal skills in the coming year. Just recently, after practicing the “m” sound with him for over a year, he suddenly mastered it. Building on the sounds he already makes, I had pointed out …
My grandson has been very fortunate in attending an excellent after-school program, which focuses specifically on social skills. Still, putting what he learns into practice with his peers and friends does not come naturally to him. One day, after a particularly rough day, he asked me if I could please write another book for him. …
April 2 is Worldwide Autism Awareness Day, and the start of Autism Awareness Month! Many in the autism community look forward to this month as a time to create greater awareness and acceptance. I love the fact that it provides many opportunities to speak about autism, and the challenges those affected by autism—along with their …
