Category: Featured Topics

Autism advocacy and research misses the mark if autistic people are left out

Autism, Education, Featured Topics 07/09/2019 admin

By Liz Pellicano Autistic people have been routinely misunderstood, ignored, and excluded for decades – including from campaigns designed to promote awareness of autism itself. But this is beginning to change. Autistic self-advocacy organisations and autistic activists have long criticised autism awareness initiatives. The criticism is they too often emphasise the “deficits”, or difficulties of autism, rather than the profound possibilities of autistic lives. In part, this is because those campaigns are designed by non-autistic […]

Getting Your Child with Aspergers or ADHD Involved in Social Events

ADHA, Autism, eParent Connect, Featured Topics, Parenting 07/08/201907/10/2019 admin

Adolescence is a critical time for social development. Not all teens develop social skills at the same pace. Those with Asperger’s Syndrome or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may have deficits that need to be addressed in order to enjoy the normal experiences of adolescence. One-way parents can help their teens develop important social skills is by encouraging them to participate in social events at school and in the community. Structured events allow teens with […]

Comparing the Economic and Social Prevalence Among Special Needs Children who received health insurance through Medicaid/CHIP

ADHA, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, Featured Topics, Healthcare, Intellectual Disability, Muscular Dystrophy 07/05/201907/05/2019 admin

The Kaiser Family Foundation has released an issue brief (below) with an in-depth analysis comparing the economic and social prevalence among special needs children who received health insurance through Medicaid/CHIP, private insurance, a combination of Medicaid/CHIP and private insurance, or who are uninsured. The analysis from Kaiser shows that children with special needs who benefit from Medicaid/CHIP have increased health access and their families experience lower financial burden in comparison to their counterparts. In addition, financial […]

Strategies for July 4th for Special Needs Kids

Featured Topics, What's Happening 07/02/201907/02/2019 admin

The 4th of July is an exciting holiday, but for special needs kids it can all be a bit too much. Think about it: fireworks are basically EXPLOSIONS! Things blowing up can be challenging for someone who is sensitive to loud noises. Also, fireworks can’t happen until nightfall, which may mean staying up late. For typical kids that may be a treat, but some special needs kids find a disruption in daily routine very upsetting. […]

Kids with Special Needs Can Celebrate Independence This 4th of July

Autism, eParent Connect, Featured Topics 07/01/2019 admin

July 4th tends to be a quiet holiday in our house. Because of my son Liam, a non-verbal 7-year-old with autism, has many sensory issues, we avoid crowds, loud noises, parades, and festivals. He hasn’t seen fireworks since he was a baby because of his strict bedtime routine, and his compulsion to taste most everything he encounters makes me hesitate to give him a sparkler, lit or otherwise. Instead of all these traditional activities, we […]