By Rachel Summers Many people see teaching autistic children as an extra challenge, as many of them don’t learn in conventional ways. However, teaching an autistic child simply requires you to look at teaching in a different way. Below are some methods educators can use when teaching a child, …

People with autism tend to be very detail-oriented but often miss the big picture. A recent study may have an explanation as to why this is the case.Source: The Autism Site

The ‘high school outcasts’ that transform into the Power Rangers are not only fighting evil – they are fighting for representation. The new Power Rangers movie addresses diversity. Not only do they have a ranger who is part of the LGBT community (Yellow Ranger is gay and Latina),…

Autistic Pride Day is June 18, 2017 Autistic Pride Day, an Aspies for Freedom initiative, is a celebration of the neurodiversity of people on the autism spectrum on June 18 each year.  Autistic pride recognizes the innate potential in all people, including those on the autism spectrum.&nbs…

Serving others produce a chemical reaction in your body that makes you feel a natural high and better about yourself. By Ron Sandison Recent research studies have shown that people with autism who drink or use legal drugs are more likely to become addicted to or otherwise abuse these substances then…

How an accidental brush by an autistic savant with a silent movie classic has changed one of the world’s most recognizable films into Hollywood’s first 3D motion picture. By Carl Hernz For those not familiar with the ways of children with autism, a toy in our hands can all too often serve its …

The first monkey with a mutation in SHANK3, a top autism gene, is nearly 3 years old1. It spends its days circling its cage rather than interacting with other monkeys. The monkey lacks SHANK3 in only some of its cells — and yet shows traits reminiscent of autism, including social disinterest and rep…

Monkeys missing SHANK3, a top autism gene, have too few neurons in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region involved in planning and social behavior, suggests a new study1. The work points to a previously unknown — and crucial — role for the gene in neurogenesis, the process by which neurons are formed…

Men with autism respond differently to human odors — and the social signals that they contain — than do their neurotypical peers, according to a new study1. The results suggest that men with autism misread social signals present in human odors — causing them to misinterpret others’ emotions. Human s…

Earlier posts: Ian goes to college – The plan for his education (November 17, 2014) Ian goes to college part 2 – His first day (August 26, 2014) Ian goes to college part 3 – Drama Class Results (February 6, 2015) We went in to this whole “Ian will take classes at the local junior college” with no id…

Are you comforted by squeeze or steady pressure?Readers of my book Look Me in the Eye will recall my chapter about sleeping in piles, where I talk about how it’s comforting to have the weight of another person or a pile of pillows on me when I rest.  My friend Temple Grandin has her squeeze mac…

“I want to see a world where people with disabilities achieving things is a norm rather than an exception. It isn’t a surprise when you see a person with autism practicing law or doing something amazing in the world.” By Ron Sandison This last June I met Haley Moss at the Milestone Autism Conferenc…

The Art of Autism is accepting letters and videos to your younger self (at any age). This is a letter by one of my favorite artists April Dawn Griffin to her 11-year old self. This is the second Art of Autism blog inspired by the youtube #Dear Me campaign. By April Dawn Griffin Hey Kid, Your turning…

Acknowledging Mastery at Autistry: Certification. We teach skills as an integral part of working with students at Autistry. If a student wants to make a pillow, they learn to sew. If a student wants a bookshelf, they learn woodworking. A model tank, they learn model building, painting, decaling, wea…