By Christa Holmans, Neurodiversity Rebel I’ve always been different. There were hints of these differences throughout my life. For many years the truth behind my differences lay hidden from me, a secret buried deep within the inner workings of my mind… Autism. I’m Autistic, but I didn’t know I…

Spoilers ahead for the Netflix original film Don’t Look Up. by Allison Wall What’s that in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? A planet-destroying comet? Oh. It’s ableism. One of Netflix’s original big movie hits over the 2021 winter holiday season was Don’t Look Up (directed and written by Adam McKay w…

During my years, I had been stuck in a cycle of isolation and of desire. I’d wanted things I couldn’t have. I was invariably failing to search for things I couldn’t attain. But now, I had a means to break free from this habit. The key to liberation was within me and the first step was to accept who …

Autistic children in the United Kingdom are increasingly being suspended or expelled from school because of ‘behavioral problems,’ official figures show. Some regions in the U.K. have seen a 100 percent increase in these types of exclusions since 2011. Research carried out by myself and …

Researchers have developed a new prosthetic leg that will allow amputees to swim without having to worry about switching to a waterproof prosthetic leg as they get in and out of a swimming pool. No other known prosthetic leg can seamlessly go from walking to swimming. The prosthetic leg, called the …

An experimental leukemia drug and a chemical in black pepper ease breathing and movement problems in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, according to a new study1. Rett syndrome is a rare brain condition related to autism, caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. Because the gene is located on the X chrom…

The X chromosome holds stronger-than-expected genetic sway over the structure of several brain regions, a new study finds. The X-linked genes that may underlie this oversized influence have ties to autism and intellectual disability. “There were already hints that the X chromosome was likely to be c…

Autistic children with sensory issues show more pronounced changes in heart rate in response to unpleasant sounds and brushing against rough surfaces than their non-autistic peers do, a new study shows. The result suggests that heart-rate variability may be a sensitive indicator of sensory issues in…

By Dr. Anton Shcherbakov, BCBA There are many reasons that kids can experience a delay in speech development. Sometimes it’s because of a neurodevelopment disorder, such as autism or intellectual disability. Other kids may have an oral-motor coordination or hearing problem. Regardless of the caus…

With the new school year in session, it’s especially important to regulate sleep in students. In this month’s ASAT feature, Lauren Schnell, MA, BCBA, offers insight on a variety of approaches parents can take to address sleep disturbances in their kids with autism. To learn more about AS…

Being a successful museum visitor is a skill to be learned, like riding a horse or climbing a mountain. By Julie Blair M.N.S. CCC-SLP Museums are designed to delight and inspire.  They are the repositories of our culture.  They present our past and our future.  They connect us with pa…

why I’m no longer employed By an anonymous female on the autism spectrum Sorry, I had to title my first AOA blog with my favorite saying from the King’s Quest video game series. In game VII a very ugly (to some) troll asks the beautiful Princess Rosella for a kiss. Upon rejection his rep…

Citing U.S. Congress’ failure to restore federal funding of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Alabama plans to drop 7,000 children from coverage on New Year’s Day, the first step to shutting down coverage for everyone, state officials said 18 December. Those children, who are up for th…

This article has been reposted with permission from Action Behavior Centers. In the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, ABA therapists perform techniques to help children with autism or other developmental disorders improve their social, communicative, and behavioral …