The fragrance of jasmine can have a powerful impact on your health.Source: The Autism Site

Disability empowerment … can bend the moral arc of a neurotypical universe into one which supports the idea that initiative and hard work is valuable in and of itself, in whichever way it chooses to manifest. By Nils Skudra A little prefatory material is perhaps in order before I engage in a bit of …

By Matteo Musso Hi, I am a 15 year old guy with autism. I have been silent most of my life, at least regarding using spoken language as a primary way of communicating. I was introduced to the letter board when I was 11½ years old. To live in this society without the use of spoken language is so cha…

Autistic people, diagnosed or not, are not here to prove themselves to you, me or anyone else by virtue of “how autistic they are.” By Jocelyn Eastman CN: A Teensy Bit of Vulgarity and Bad Language for effect I’m truly a lucky woman. I don’t have any diagnosed children who would have compelled…

Jude Morrow has always loved books. When he was younger, he couldn’t speak or converse very well so he found his solitude and peace in reading. He still does! He works as a social worker who specializes in the care of older people. After a long day at work, he loves to unwind with a book. And now, J…

“What people forget is that autism is a developmental disability. It’s not a learning disability. We’re not all nerdy guys who are good at math like Sheldon on the ‘Big Bang Theory.’ We come in all shapes and sizes. I want to create a paradigm shift to view students with autism as the bright…

As he begins his second semester of community college, I want to catch everyone up on Ian’s college career to date. Last semester, Ian and I attended College of Marin’s beginning acting class. While we originally discussed transitioning towards independence last semester, we never made the jum…

How Autistic people experience the world is still not well understood by many mental health clinicians. As many Autistic adults – and particularly women – are undiagnosed, mental health clinicians may assume they communicate and behave like a non-Autistic person would in the same situati…

By Julia Ballantyne  “What happens to my child when I am gone?” It is question no parent wants to think about, but is especially important when that child has special needs or developmental disabilities, and requires a team of support for his or her entire life.  Carefully planning for retirement is…

By Megan Amodeo Television networks and streaming services have made big bank on seemingly obvious or blatantly literal autistic “characters”. Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor are just a few of the more popular sitcoms and dramas revolving around autism. Are all autistics like those main characte…

Peruse our picks (above) for the best science photos published on Spectrum this year. We’ve showcased two videos below, too. Vascular view: A new technique provides a three-dimensional picture of blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord of a rat.   Sneak peek: This video speeds through a …

Natasha Moulton-Levy and her son Julian English sent me their book, No Limits: No Boundaries! My Journey Through the ABC’s to review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day. I wanted to read a book that was both culturally diverse and featured characters on the autism spectrum. Their book was so much …

Robbie shares his passion for My Little Pony By Robbie Ierubino My name is Robbie Ierubino, and I am a 20-year-old artist with autism, who is studying Graphic Design at Staffordshire University in England. Earlier this year, the Art of Autism interviewed me about my art of “Shapism” . I have another…

Autism, in these ancient wise cultures, is often called “The Shaman’s disease.” By Gonzalo Bénard Being autistic and shaman, I always found that they actually help and complement each other. In fact, in several ancient cultures, autistic people were seen as sacred and/or shamans … the sp…