Autism and Gender Identity
We know autism exists on a spectrum. Gender does as well. And now research is demonstrating that these two spectrums strongly intersect. In the 1990's, a growing number of children sought care for gender identity concerns and medical…
Church and Children on the Autism Spectrum
America's leading religious periodical, Christianity Today, found that US religious communities are failing children with autism, learning disabilities, depression and conduct disorders. And according to their 2018 Survey of Children’s…
‘Nothing About Us Without Us:’ The Rise of Neurodivergent Researchers Studying Autism
James Charlton is an American disability rights activist who traced the slogan "Nothing about us without us" to South African disability rights advocates in the 1980’s. Eastern European labor organizers used it before them and in the…
Coping With an Autism Meltdown
We read so many news articles about autistic children having a meltdown in school and ending up shackled by police and taken to the station. Often beleaguered family members at home call for help, not knowing the respondents could cause…
Respite Care Crisis for Autism Families
Underlying the horrific story out of Salt Lake City, Utah in which a thirteen year boy was shot by police when his mother called them to de-escalate her autistic son is another story -- a lack of respite care for those who need it most. The…
Another Tragic Police Encounter Involving Autism
The news grabbing headline of a police encounter last Friday that resulted in a thirteen-year-old boy with autism being shot multiple times by Salt Lake City police rocks our world. The boy’s mother, Golda Barton, called 911 seeking a…
Neurodiverse IT Company Auticon Finds Autism an Asset During Coronavirus Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the workforce landscape. Overnight companies have had to switch from bustling office spaces to remote work. IT companies that employ individuals on the spectrum are finding that their neurodiverse…
Mobile Alabama Police Equipped with Autism Sensory Kits
Great news out of Mobile, Alabama! Understanding the importance of being able to quickly recognize the signs of autism and respond effectively, officers are now equipped with both the knowledge and the tools to approach a person on the…
Armani Williams: The First Autistic NASCAR Driver
Twenty-year-old Michigan native Armani Williams was diagnosed with autism when he was two and considered non-verbal at the time. He recounts the pain and struggle of not being able to connect with other children and how after his parents…
Back from the Brink: An Autism Eating Disorder Recovery Story
Individuals on the autism spectrum are disproportionately affected by eating disorders which cause the highest mortality rates of any form of mental illness. Eating disorders tend to be more severe and prolonged in the autistic population…