Many children with autism have a lot of anxiety as well as extreme sensitivities to light and sound. A new study suggests that fear of the unknown drives both of these features, and hints that helping children who have autism cope with uncertainty could ease some of their symptoms1. The findings sup…

In the past, we have seen quite a few instances where people have been able to control their prosthetics with just their thoughts. Recently, a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins used the Myo armband on an amputee to help him control his prosthetic arm with his mind. The Myo armband is a $199 band …

Helen Wallace-Iles explains different types of empathy and dispels myths about autism and empathy. By Helen Wallace-Iles So many of the general public believe that autistic people don’t feel empathy towards others, so this post is designed to help set the record straight. First of all, what is empat…

Joshua Margolis is a clay sculptor who loves to make monsters and robots out of clay. And recently he’s become a children’s book author featuring “Melvin” his sad(ish) robot. He wanted to think more deeply about one of his creations and what he was trying to convey with his work. That was when he st…

Ask A BCBA is a new series where we take your questions to our favorite ABA professionals. Do you have a question for a BCBA? Email us at info@difflearn.com and you could be featured in a future post! Congratulations on passing your BACB exam!  Not only did you pass this notoriously difficu…

My name is Zach Stehle. I am 22 and I have autism. In the past month, I have also received over 15 million views on TikTok! It all started one day in the beginning of July 2022. I was sitting in my room, minding my own business, reading a comic book and stroking my cat, Piper. All of a sudden, I hea…

This week, Different Roads is proud to share some tips from Nancy Hammill and Understood on the dos and don’ts of fidgets, both in the classroom and at home! Fidgets, like squeeze balls and key chains, are self-regulation tools that promote movement and tactile input. They can be great for ki…

Do you want work-life balance? Good luck. It's a mythical beast based on one hugely erroneous assumption - that you have control over the world.  The reality (and you probably don't need me to tell you this) is that you DON'T have control over the world. You don't even have real control over your li…

Art of Autism board member Tom Iland will test his knowledge on Wheel of Fortune this Tuesday. Tom has been hooked on the show for 30 years since he was a toddler. “It was quite a shock when Tom put down his Legos, stood in front of the TV and solved the Wheel of Fortune bonus round puzzle, &#…

The Art of Autism prefers Autism Acceptance Month The month of April is Autism Awareness Month. April 2 has been designated by the United Nations as World Autism Awareness Day. This year their focus is on “assistive technologies, active participation.” Here are some suggestions for incre…

The rescue mentality, the resistance to innovation, and the self-serving “we know what’s best” is ultimately preventing people with disabilities from more individualized supports that could lead to more inclusive lives in our communities. By Dale DiLeo If you are unfamiliar with the term “ableism”,…

I have studied autism for almost 50 years now. My focus on the condition was not planned. Rather, it was a product of being in the presence of extraordinary researchers, clinicians and trainees who challenged me to keep evolving as our understanding of autism evolved. The most important factor in my…

By Katherine Valdoria I have always had a hard time “owning” labels. You know when you’re taking a class or participating in a workshop and they sit you in a circle and ask you to say your name and “something interesting” about yourself, to break the ice? I hate that. I get overwhelmed with…

Tal Anderson plays the character Sid on the Netflix original series Atypical. By Ron Sandison My favorite Netflix original series is Atypical. I love watching Keir Gilchrist portray Sam Gardner, a young adult with Asperger’s. I was excited to interview Tal Anderson, a young adult actress with autism…