Interview with Alyssa Milano by Conner Cummings Photograph by Gracie Withers Photography Conner Cummings, Zoom Autism Ambassador and Photographer, and Sharon Cummings, Editor-At-Large, met actress and activist Alyssa Milano at a woman’s rights event. Alyssa’s activism supports all women’s rights for…

Autistry Studios builds independent adults. Becoming independent is not a passive process. It takes courage and an inner fortitude to challenge oneself to learn a new skill, break an old habit, or create a dream.   Autistry is a therapeutic/educational Maker Space celebrating its 10th year prov…

Due to autism with its speech delays, sensory processing issues, and deficit in ability to decode social norms—life was not always easy—especially with regards to gainful employment. By Ron Sandison As I reflect upon this past year and all the blessings in my life; March 20, having my first child,…

New treatments, such as art therapy, are emerging to meet the pervasive challenges autism presents. Many parents look to art to help their child with sensory processing disorder (SPD) issues.. by Kate Lacour, ATR-BC In recent years, autism has been featured frequently in the news, and it seems that …

October is Bullying Prevention Month.  It is a fact that autistic people are bullied at greater than average rates and are often goaded into meltdowns or other behaviors so that bullies can make fun of them. A report from the Interactive Autism Network showed that 67 percent of autistic childre…

“You can conquer anything with Asperger’s and be your own boss to a healthy well balanced life,” Jeremy Samson, creator of Time to Train By Ron Sandison Research studies indicates that involvement in athletics and social activities can help children with behavioral issues decrease by 20-25% an…

“The “sand” reference came from a statement Noah made before his diagnosis – a clue that the texture of the strawberry jelly in his sandwich bothered him. But over time, it became a metaphor for the messy, inconvenient, uncomfortable things God had permitted in our lives,” Sarah Parshall…

While data collection is a cornerstone of ABA, and essential for providing effective interventions, there are many obstacles to collecting accurate data. My colleague Val Demiri and I have focused a lot of time and attention to addressing these obstacles and working to make the data collection proce…

Autistic children in the United States tend to prefer bland, neutral-colored foods much more than neurotypical children or those with other developmental conditions do. And for a few autistic children, the list of things they eat contains unusual items: crayons, soap, paper. In a new study, research…

How to Contribute to a Non-Event Event:   Step 1: Look at your wardrobe for appropriately formal yet professional Gala wear     Step 2: Franticly search for someone to watch your kids/cats/parents Step 3: Relax! Forget about the first 2 steps, you don’t actually need to go anywhere…

One of the greatest divisions in the autism community is between seekers of a cure, and opponents.  Someone new to the autism community could easily be forgiven for asking how this might be.  Autism is, after all, a disability.  Why would anyone be opposed to curing it?Autism is not a…

It is you who has taught me genuine, profound, compassionate love that knows no boundaries; an unconditional love that envelopes, accepts, hopes, and perseveres through unpredictable challenges. By Lora Charles My heart is breaking, aching, falling into pieces, cascading downward, landing softly, i…

Update 12/24/2017 I’m collecting favorite quotes about autism from some of my favorite people. Please share your own in the comments and if I like it, I may add it to the list. 1. “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism,” Dr. Stephen Sho…

March is Women’s History Month, March 8 is International Women’s Day, and the week of March 6 is Women’s Week. Over the next few days The Art of Autism will be honoring 21 autistic women who are making a difference. Read Part 2 here. Read Part 3 here. According to a 2016 Scientific…