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

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

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

Many Are Replacing Disability Checks With Paychecks

Heard on All Things Considered Scott Horsley Main Photo: Dani Izzie at her home in rural Virginia. More than a decade ago, she slipped in the bathroom and suffered a spinal cord injury that has left her unable to walk. She works as a social media manager for Spinergy, a company that makes high-performance wheels for wheelchairs. Greg Kahn for NPR During and after the Great Recession, people turned to disability rolls in large numbers […]