You have just been told the final word: “your child has autism”.  Now all the doubts have vanished, suspicions are confirmed, and confusion took over to rule your mind. You are probably shocked, mad, you have tens of questions chasing you, you are simply feeling lost. Now sadness, depression, and anxiety will follow in line.

Raising children off the autism children is already a challenge. Let alone raising a child with autism or special needs in general. Life is tough for every member in the family, mom, dad, siblings, and even grandparents cannot always agree on what to do regarding certain issues with your child with autism. The mother may

When was the last time you had to turn in a handwritten assignment at school, college or at work, or even a personal letter? I don’t recall where else do we use a pen other than to write a greeting card or a birthday card? People walk around with their mobile phones, mini tablets, and

Parents and educators, there are many goals you wish you could achieve all at once, as you raise or educate a child with autism. This is a forceful positive attitude! I am not asking you to abandon your dreams and wishes. All I am saying is, prioritize your dreams and wishes. Most importantly, know that

In order to enjoy a peaceful and productive summer, find below some helpful resources. You can now take the time to explore and find what would help your child progress while having fun. For parents 1- Read some books about autism. In my book you will find a long list of very helpful titles. Also,

We cannot plan for the summer break without considering summer school. This is an option that some kids are eligible for upon parents’ request. It is usually a half day four-week period shortly after summer break starts. Depending on the school staff, it is a mix of academic work and fun activities, almost 50-50. In

As discussed in Have You Planned For Your Child’s Summer Break Yet? Part 1, having a daily schedule is pivotal to maintain a balanced life for your child and yourself. The only difference now is, that you are privileged to be the master and designer of this schedule. Tips By now, your child has come

In the two posts Home-Schooling and A Special Interest Is Power I talked about the importance of encouraging individuals with autism, and special needs in general, to practice and develop their special interests and talents. The summer break, in particular, is a great time to do so. First, it is the longest break of the

There are some important factors to be considered in order to assure a successful summer vaction for the entire family. Sensory integration issues can probably cause the most serious inconvenience. A sensory overload can needlessly ruin the vacation. Noises, smells/odors, incessent objects and people in motion, high temperature, brightness, lack of personal space, major change

This is a new research showing how the presence of animals eases the anxiety of kids with ASD in a social interaction context. Kids with autism have shown a drop in their anxiety level during social interactions in the presence of guinea pigs, compared to social interactions while playing with toys, or silent reading, or