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…

Autism is usually identified by doctors during childhood, but a growing number of people are now being diagnosed with the condition in adulthood. A later diagnosis can be challenging because many intellectually able adults have developed ‘compensatory’ psychological strategies for coping with their …

We [artists} impart soul and well as DNA into every single heart/felt work. By Kimberly Gerry-Tucker I’m presently reading these two books concurrently and as is often the case, my blog writing is inspired by what I read: In Love With The World (A Monk’s Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dyin…

Illustration by Rebecca Burgess Emma Dalmayne heads up the not-for-profit organization Autistic Inclusive Meets where she uses her experience raising her five autistic kids and her own knowledge of being autistic to create a community where autistic people feel supported. There, she promotes the …

5th in the ‘Happy Sawyer’ series By Nikki Mann In the 6-week break before Sawyer was due to start reception class, I was anxious about how he would cope and whether he would be able to fit in with his peers. Uniform and books started to arrive, along with the stark realisation that I was about to r…

“There is this myth that children with autism don’t have empathy. I’ve found the exact opposite to be true: children with autism are instead the most highly sensitive individuals I have ever had the privilege to know,” Elaine Hall When traditional therapies didn’t help my son Neal, who …

“Empowering your young person is the key to giving them the skills they need to live an independent life. If you do things for them that they could learn or even do for themselves by themselves, then you are DISEMPOWERING your young person,” Tom Iland By Debra Muzikar What is your first…

By Ron Sandison When I was diagnosed with autism in 1982 only one in every 10,000 children in the United States had an autism diagnosis. As a teenager, I felt different, much like an endangered species. I was often excluded from social activities due to my outbursts and meltdowns. The neurodiversit…

A new technique can stimulate and record activity across broad swaths of the monkey brain. The tool, described 2 March in Neuron, could shed light on brain circuits that underlie complex behaviors, such as social communication1. The method involves the use of lasers to activate light-sensitive prote…

“Therapists and educators have traditionally tried to suppress or modulate a child’s special interest, or use it as a tool for behavior modification: Keep your hands still and stop flapping, and you will get to watch a Star Wars clip; complete your homework or no Harry Potter. But what if thes…

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…

The Art of Autism ends Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month with a message from Samantha Craft. By Samantha Craft If you are a voice for a marginalized minority of autistic people, who has faced continual discrimination, bullying, and isolation, spread kindness, acceptance, and tolerance. Be patient. …

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…

Adults who have characteristics of autism are about three times as likely as their peers to not identify themselves as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, according to a new study1. The study is based on surveys of more than 47,000 adults in Sweden. It shows that about one out of five individuals …