Autism Spectrum Disorders Health Center

Features Related to Autism

1. The Flutie Family Tackles Autism
   

   Doug Flutie Sr., 49, reaches his goals on the field and off. "For whatever reason, people have the feeling I can get things done," the Heisman Trophy winner says. Maybe they remember the former quarterback's famous heart-stopping, last-second Hail Mary pass in 1984 to win the Orange Bowl for Boston

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2. Developmental Planning: An Introduction for Parents
   

   There is so much to learn and carefully consider during the first years of having an exceptional child. The amount of information to digest and decisions to be made are often overwhelming. What parents need is a map that helps them put it all together. Having a big picture or general framework to he

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3. Considering Homeschooling Your Child on the Autism Spectrum?
   

   With the increase in the numbers of diagnosed children on the autism spectrum, schools are being challenged to provide proper educational services for these children. In Educating Children with Autism, the National Research Council (2002) recommended that educational programs for students with autis

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4. Safety First For Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
   

   All parents worry about their children’s health, happiness, and general well-being, but parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities must often make extraordinary efforts to ensure that their sons and daughters are safe both inside and outside the hom

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5. Put Sleep Difficulties to Bed: Advice for Parents of Children with Autism
   

   All parents intermittently deal with children who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. These temporary sleep difficulties are normal. However, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appear to have more ongoing sleep-related difficulties. The number of families affected varies from

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6. This Exit, No Return
   

   Advocacy begins with an assumption that if a number of community members are suffering, then there must be something wrong, not with the individual members, but with the community as a whole; therefore, the community must be changed to help alleviate that suffering (Kahn 1997, 109). Advocacy creates

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7. Parenting Adolescents with Autism
   

   Adolescents on the autism spectrum have unique challenges that are often hard for their parents, teachers, and peers to understand. While adolescence is a difficult time for most people, it is especially tough for teens who struggle to understand ever-changing social expectations. We all remember th

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8. Temple Grandin’s Story: A Remarkable Woman With Autism
   

   Temple Grandin, a new film biography about the best-selling author, renowned animal scientist, and perhaps America's most famous person with autism, debuts in February on HBO with a strong cast and a sensitive narrative starring Claire Danes. It depicts a woman who is uniquely talented (she imagines

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9. Actor Gary Cole Spotlights Autism
   

   When my daughter Mary was diagnosed with autism in 1995,” says actor Gary Cole, “all I had to go on was Rain  Man.” Today, an estimated one in 150 American children under age 8 are diagnosed with autism or related conditions such as Asperger’s syndrome -- all with symptoms such as an inability to re

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10. Raising a Child with Asperger’s Syndrome: Mary Walsh’s Story
    

    I began noticing something was different about my son, Matthew, when he was about two years old. He didn’t make good eye contact. Noise bothered him. He had trouble with some of his motor skills, such as using a spoon. He was also having a tough time at day care. He’d cry when I dropped him off. He

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