Social Stories are proven to be an excellent tool for helping children on the spectrum deal with new or unfamiliar social events. Developed by Carol Gray in 1991, they have greatly improved social skills in children with autism. Read more

Headbanging is an alarming issue for families with children on the spectrum. Caregivers and parents should get help before addressing headbanging and autism. Autism does not need to be synonymous with self-harm. Read more for tips and strategies to help your child reduce self-injurious behavior.

If you have a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), playtime is also incredibly important, but how children on the spectrum play may look a little different. ASD may affect a child’s ability to copy the actions of others, explore their environment, and imagine the thoughts and feelings of others. Children with ASD can learn those skills needed to play …

Birthday parties are usually a source of disdain when it comes to my autistic child. She hasn’t attended many, aside from parties for family members, and to be perfectly honest; I’ve never really gone out of my way to host a birthday party for her. Or at least not in the sense of: theme, inviting classmates, planning kids party activities, …

Most children with autism have a tough time fitting in with their peers. In fact, because autism’s core symptoms include difficulty with social communication, social problems are almost inevitable. But while your child with autism may not ever become the homecoming king or queen (though nothing is impossible), there are some concrete steps you can take as a parent to …

Play is one of the easiest ways for a child to learn about their surroundings and develop fundamental life skills. Sensory play is any activity that stimulates a child’s senses such as touch, sound, taste, sight, and smell. Allowing your child the opportunity to freely explore with sensory activities helps to facilitate understanding and creativity. Sensory play can be helpful …

As if parenting in general isn’t challenging enough, parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) must make every decision with extra care. When it comes to building a playroom, that means each design choice can enhance the many strengths of a child on the spectrum. Whether you are moving to a new home or simply looking to renovate your …

­ A 2012 study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that about 46% of children with autism in middle and high school reported instances of having been bullied. It’s 10% for kids without—that’s a big difference!  This call for action is an opportunity for you as the parent along with your child to strengthen the campaign against …

Autism awareness and acceptance are good things. The more the average person knows about autism, the better it will be for the community — especially our autistic members. Yet, the average person can’t easily define autism. Quite frankly, our experts in autism don’t do such a great job of defining it either. It isn’t a simple concept, because it isn’t …