Dr. R. Layla Salek knows firsthand the financial strain that families experience when struggling to help a loved one with mental illness or autism. As the daughter of a mother diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Dr. Salek ās passion for working with...
MoreAutism-Friendly Shows Planned for Broadway
After an autism-friendly showing of The Lion King on Broadway last fall, the Theatre Development Fund received interest in other shows from approximately 1,500 people. Now The Fund has bought out the 1,797-seat New Amsterdam Theatre and...
More3 Anxiety-Busting Solutions for Autism
Here are three practical, simple solutions caregivers can use to help reduce anxiety and deal better every day with a child who has anxiety from autism. Autism spectrum disorders and anxiety go hand-and-hand like sneezing and a cold.
MoreConference Watch: Jed Baker Speaks Thursday, October 25th in West Nyack, NY
Because SpecialNeeds.com is based in California, some people think we tend to ignore the O.C. (That’s Other Coast, of course, not Orange County.) But that’s not so. Here’s an event we think is of interest, and it’s...
MoreKids with Autism Take Lead at Pretend City
Children on the autism spectrum need to be provided with innovative strategies that enable them to learn to negotiate effectively in the real world. This is so they will feel accepted and have the proper skills to become productive adults...
MoreImproving Social Interactions for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face significant challenges with social interaction. This stems from difficulty in reading social cues such as tone of voice and body language. Due to a tendency to commit “social errors,”...
MoreNew Definition of Autism Worries Some
One in 110 children in the U.S. are currently estimated to have autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the rate of diagnoses skyrocketing in recent years, some newly proposed changes to the definition of autism...
MoreParent Age Related to Childās Odds for Autism
In a new study of more than 9,500 children in Denmark who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, researchers found that children born to a parent over the age of 35 had a higher risk of developing autism. Interestingly, the data...
MoreHomeschooling and the Autism Spectrum Child
I began homeschooling my son soon after he was diagnosed with Aspergerās syndrome, at 6 years old and in his second year of schooling. I quickly realized that his school knew even less than I did about Aspergerās, and while I soon educated...
MoreProtecting Marriage When Your Child Has ASD
For years, parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have mistakenly passed along the erroneous statistic that 80% of marriages of such parents will end in divorce. This myth also has been perpetuated by professionals and the...
MoreVista Inspires Autism Community
For children and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorders in West Los Angeles, Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services has a whole lot of answers to the the question, “What can we do?” As CEO Dr. Elias Lefferman says, “You...
MoreCases of Autism on the Rise
It seems that with the rise of awareness of autism, the rate of diagnosis of the disorder is ever increasing. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported that nearly 1 in 150 children have autism; in 2009, the numbers rose to 1 in...
MoreThe Help Group Serves Children with Autism
Visitors to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores during the holiday season may notice a āDeck the Wallsā campaign while waiting for their orders. If they take a closer look, they will see that all proceeds from the purchase of stickers to put on the...
MoreGuardianship and Developmental Disabilities
Surrogate Decision Making for People with Developmental Disabilities
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