Search
Notes for the school nurse: Common challenges related to autism… Like every other kid, students with autism and other developmental disabilities are likely to visit the nurse’s office with bumps and bruises, headaches and colds and … have a conversation at the beginning of every school year to discuss the student, review needs and establish lines of communication. Additionally, it can be helpful for the school nurse and an autistic student to get to know each other before a medical need, illness or emergency occurs. Scheduling a tour of the nurse’s office or planning some interactions between the nurse and the student early in the school year, can help the student become comfortable with the …
Autism Speaks announces new grant opportunity for autistic scientists… Scientists . Through this fellowship program, we hope to increase autistic representation in the field of autism research and empower a greater number of autistic scientists to pursue long-lasting research careers. The Predoctoral Fellowship … in low resource settings Pre-clinical studies aimed at reducing the most disabling challenges associated with autism Interactions with service systems that can inform systematic policy changes Research that benefits intersectional … Studies that focus on individuals who experience autism with intellectual disability, who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), or those for whom communication solutions are unavailable Letters of Intent are due on or before …
Tips for creating an autism-friendly Thanksgiving… crear un Día de Acción de Gracias respetuoso con el autismo While Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on your blessings and express gratitude for all the wonderful things in life, it can also be very stressful for people with autism and their … saying anything. Once someone starts yelling or acting aggressively, we are out of the boundaries of respect I demand in interactions. Setting up boundaries before I enter a situation gives me guidance on when to leave. Third, identify your … stressful for some people with autism, so it’s important that family members meet them where they are and respect their communication preferences. If the autistic person appears uncomfortable, don’t force them to stay in a certain room, engage …
Social skills and autism… Many children and adults on the autism spectrum need help in learning how to act in different types of social situations. They often have … to be part of the community. What are social skills? Social skills are the rules, customs, and abilities that guide our interactions with other people and the world around us. In general, people tend to “pick up” social skills in the same way … instruction and "teachable moments" with practice in realistic settings Focus on timing and attention Support for enhancing communication and sensory integration Learning behaviors that predict important social outcomes like friendship and …
Autism and eye contact… Today’s answer is by developmental pediatrician Amanda Bennett, behavior analyst Megan Carolan Tomkinson and psychologist Judith Miller. Dr. Bennett is the director of the … – particularly those on the autism spectrum and those who care about them. Using eye contact is an important nonverbal communication behavior that most of us use automatically in social interactions. However, as you describe, making eye contact with others can be very challenging for some people with autism – …
How does sensory processing affect communication in kids with autism?… Postdoctoral Research Fellow pursuing her fellowship project on autism-related sensory-processing challenges at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Dr. Baum uses a combination of neuropsychology, psychophysics and neuroimaging to discover the … children and adults on the autism spectrum. As many readers of this column know, autism involves difficulty with social communication combined with restricted interests and/or repetitive behaviors. Understandably, most autism research has … clues to understanding autism and helping individuals affected by the condition. The multisensory challenge of social interactions Think about almost any social interaction. We have to process so many sensory clues to understand each other. …
A hopeful future for an overlooked group of the autistic community… Dr. Nathan Call, a researcher at the Marcus Autism Center and member of Autism Speaks’ Autism Care Network (ACNet) , is dedicated to tackling some of the most complex and … the purpose the behavior serves for them. Our research has contributed to the mounting evidence that alternative means of communication can provide autistic people with new skills and coping strategies that help them better express their needs … to be alone for a moment. In response, we taught him to request privacy and helped him understand that sometimes brief interactions with others are necessary. As a result of the intervention, the time he chose to spend with others gradually …
Autism and gender identity… of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, chief of psychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and director of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Child Development Center. I suspect my child with autism may be … experiences. They expressed some unique challenges being transgender and having autism. For some, executive functioning, communication challenges and social challenges can make it harder for them to advocate for their needs. This can mean at … gender identity. But, the teens in this study pointed out some upsides. Some who said they typically have limited social interactions said this helped them feel more protected from negative attitudes about gender identity. Relating to other …
Teaching nonverbal autistic children to talk… by Autism Speaks's first chief science officer, Geri Dawson, who is now director of the Duke University Center for Autism and Brain Development; and clinical psychologist Lauren Elder. Researchers published the hopeful findings that, even after … that promote social interaction. Examples include singing, reciting nursery rhymes and gentle roughhousing. During your interactions, position yourself in front of your child and close to eye level – so it’s easier for your child to see and … you roll a car. If he or she crashes the car, you crash yours too. But don’t imitate throwing the car! Focus on nonverbal communication. Gestures and eye contact can build a foundation for language. Encourage your child by modeling and responding …
Joint attention and autism… with us, but we don’t know how. When I point to something, he pays no attention. He rarely points to show me something, and when he does point, he doesn’t look at me when he does it. Joint attention and autism This is a question I often hear in … The child might also make sounds or say a few words that show interest. So, what happens when a child lacks these social communication behaviors? Where do you start? Combining professional intervention and parent support The good news is that … joint attention. Share focus: Playing with a toy can be a starting point for you and your child to enjoy and share interactions. For example, while you and your son are playing with toy trucks, you can imitate how he pushes a truck back …