Deaf or hard of hearing people in Vermont now have a new way of communicating with police officers when they are pulled over.  Hard of hearing Vermont residents will now be able to carry a 4 x 9 card with a very clear heading in bold stating “I am deaf or hard of hearing”.  Once handed, a po…

As parents, we want our kids to want to have good behavior. They should want to behave because it’s the right thing to do, right? Yeah right. This is why all parents should use token economies. Have you met a 3 year old with an innate desire to good for this world? It’s in there somewhere but at age…

Some autistic children don’t show traits of the condition until age 5 or later, new research suggests1. Others show a few mild features at age 3 but only later meet the criteria for diagnosis. The findings suggest that autism traits are not always apparent by 24 months, the typical age for screening…

If you think sign language is only for communicating with other human beings, think twice! Rebecca Malstrom, a gymnast and a student, became deaf at the age of 15. She has a dog, Molly, who is deaf too. Rebecca (Becca) has been teaching Molly some really neat tricks using ASL, and it’s really …

By Claudia Casser These tips are from five years’ personal experience as an Associate in a big Wall Street law firm, thirteen years as one of four hundred attorneys in one of the biggest corporations in the world, and five years as one of fewer than ten attorneys in the headquarters of a mid-size (a…

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…

Less than three years ago, two landmark publications in Science gave researchers a quick and easy recipe for tinkering with genes1,2. The papers described a new tool — a modified enzyme called CRISPR-CAS9 — that allows researchers to reach into the genome and snip, or substitute, DNA sequences with …

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…

This month’s ASAT feature comes to us from David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D and Pamela Feliciano, PhD. 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 …

Ian’s Reading Circle April is Autism Acceptance Month. I’m not sure what that means as I can’t imagine not accepting autism as a way of being, a way of experiencing the world. But I also know that many individuals need help along the way. Please take some time this month (and every…

By Nils Skudra During this holiday break, I had the opportunity to watch Love on the Spectrum, a Netflix miniseries which provides a unique examination of the lives of people on the autism spectrum searching for their soulmates. Through its profiling of several autistic individuals in different part…

Business: Artists With Autism, Inc. Mission: “Promoting Micro-enterprising, Providing Opportunities, Creating Independence” What is Artists With Autism? Artists With Autism is the only not for profit social enterprise of its kind providing a retail gallery as a platform for more than 50 artists, aut…

“To the parents of children on the Spectrum, I implore you to focus on nurturing and supporting your child’s passions (even if they seem unusual, you never know if they may lead to a career) and embracing their individuality and eccentricity, rather than opting to work with a psychiatrist.R…

Phil Schlangen, a resident of Minneapolis, has limited mobility in his legs and arms because of a bad diving accident right after high school. For his every day commute, he used to use a ramp to get in and out of his car but because of an accident – in which he fell backwards and hurt his head…