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…

This is my last day at the Melbourne Writer's Festival.  I'll be doing my last program at 4PM, and then it's off the University of Western Australia in Perth.  Thanks to the organizers and sponsors for bringing me down here, and also to Antonia Hayes at Random House for setting everything …

Who are the people from the disability community making the world better for all of us? That’s what the inclusion team at San Francisco Bay Area libraries wanted to know. They reached out to the public for their opinions and were enthusiastically overwhelmed with responses. As a result, 54 individua…

By Travis Breeding What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time I was beginning a journey of transformation. Part of having autism meant that I had this intense fixation and obsession of a getting a girlfriend. This could have been considered a special interest. My special interest fixatio…

Go is a 3D printed wheelchair. Customized to user’s body dimensions for comfort, safety, and flexibility. Allows users to participate in design process. Customer gets it in 3 weeks.  Just like crutches, wheelchairs haven’t seen much of a design overhaul over a long period of time. Many …

This is a thorough and appropriate response to those who think autism looks the same across the board.Source: The Autism Site

“I know of nobody who is purely autistic, or purely neurotypical. Even God has some autistic moments, which is why the planets spin,” Jerry Newport, author of Your Life is Not a Label By Ron Sandison Every person experiences fear and anxiety. It’s part what makes us human. Sensory issues…

By Morgan Salisbury Two days ago, I received my official autism diagnosis at the age of 38. I am mum to a 7 year- old with autism and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). I am trying to spread awareness of meltdowns and make it okay to talk about them. From the information that is currently out there,…

Since the inception of voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home, a lot more products have voice assistants built in now – be it smartphones, headphones, various devices around the house, and even vehicles. It is estimated that by 2023 there will be 8 billion voice assistants in use! …

By Nils Skudra As a fan of the Harry Potter franchise, I always enjoy watching scenes from the films or reading excerpts from the books. One character I am especially intrigued by is Hermione Granger, Harry’s academically gifted and fiery best friend whose intellectual skills prove vital in the succ…

We asked autism researchers to enter the Spectrum science image contest. From sensational stem-cell snapshots to a ‘furry’ close-up of the hippocampus, these are the 10 top pics. The post 2017 in pictures: Spectrum’s picks for best images appeared first on Spectrum | Autism Research News. Source: Sp…

This month’s ASAT feature is from Marcia Questel, MSEd, BCBA. To learn more about ASAT, please visit their website at www.asatonline.org. You can also sign up for ASAT’s free newsletter, Science in Autism Treatment, and like them on Facebook! My daughter’s school is closed du…

People with autism who avoid social interactions or have troubles with daily living skills — from using a toilet to preparing meals — are at increased risk of an early death, a new study suggests1. Autistic people are more than twice as likely as those in the general population to die prematurely. T…

In a fraction of a second, we experience sensations, form thoughts and interact with our ever-changing world. This speed is critical, as responding too slowly to an attacking lion, a speeding vehicle or a baseball pitcher’s fastball could have catastrophic consequences. Sluggish brain signaling may …