Autism News - Blog

Maureen Bennie’s blog on a wide variety of subjects pertaining to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maureen is a mother of a son and a daughter ages 24 and 22 with autism. She has managed an at-home Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program for eight years for her children. She has written hundreds of articles and book reviews that have appeared in publications and on websites throughout North America and the UK. Maureen also gives presentations both live and online across Canada on various topics about autism, available books and resources and how to use them.

Supporting Learning, Interaction, and Interests through Reading

The ability to read can foster greater independence, support mental health, and lead to positive outcomes in adulthood because reading is connected to employment opportunities, which in turn is connected to income and housing. Reading improves self-confidence, increases vocabulary for both internal thought and communication, allows for greater participation in society and the workplace, expands interests, and supports understanding in…

How do I know if my baby or young child is autistic?

Every week, I get emails from concerned parents who are worried that their baby or young child may be showing signs of autism. Parents send me a list of things they see and wonder if these are early indicators of autism. Every child is an individual and will not develop in the same way, hitting each milestone at the same…

Successful Adulthood Starts in Childhood – Part 2

This blog post is the second part of Successful Adulthood Starts in Childhood– Part 1. It is a continuation on the theme of what we do now to support children can lead to positive outcomes in adulthood. Sensory Issues Sensory processing involves seven systems: Tactile (touch) Vestibular (balance) Proprioception (body awareness) Visual (sight) Auditory (hearing) Gustatory (taste) Olfactory (smell) Difficulties…

Successful Adulthood Starts in Childhood – Part 1

When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents begin to worry about the child’s future. Will their child be independent? What will happen to them once school ends? Will there be jobs or further educational opportunities? Teachers and therapists also work to provide the skills foundation that will lead to future success and meet the goals of the parent and…

Caregivers and Increased Demands During the Pandemic

The pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives. Caregivers have had increasing demands and responsibilities placed on them because of lockdowns, program cancellations, difficulty retaining staff, illness and quarantines, new protocols and school closures. Community organizations have closed their doors to in-person meetings and have switched to online and phone support for their clients and members. Increased isolation has…

How to Support Individuals on the Autism Spectrum Through Grief and Loss

Death and loss are a natural part of life. All of us will have this experience at different times in our lives. Because of the pandemic, families may be experiencing more loss and changes at this time. There have been so many challenging situations – death of a loved one, long term illness, job loss, unavailability of favorite activities, shut…

Socially Connecting, Learning, and Meeting While Physically Apart – Ideas for the ASD Community

Meeting and connecting virtually was a part of our world before the pandemic started, but it is now a part of life more than ever. At the moment, it is the only way to socialize safely in larger groups. In some areas of the world, schooling remains online rather than in person. There are advantages and disadvantages to being online.…

Successful Transitions from One Activity to Another for Autistic Individuals

Transitioning from one activity to another is a part of life at home, work, school and in the community. Transitions involve stopping one activity and starting another or moving from one location to another one to begin something new. Studies have shown that up to 25% of the school day may be spent in transition activities such as changing classrooms,…

Unscheduled – The Benefits of Free Time in a COVID-19 World

Restrictions and lockdowns, now a regular occurrence in our pandemic world, have had both drawbacks and positive effects. There is something to be said for unscheduled days. Free time provides the chance for contemplation, exploration, creativity, and reflection. Moving at a slower pace allows for more practice time to build critical mass, a chance to learn a new skill without…

A Different Kind of Christmas

This Christmas will be a holiday like no other we’ve had before. The pandemic has set new boundaries and protocols that must be followed to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Even with these changes, you can still create memories and enjoy this special time of year. Here are some ideas to make the holidays bright. Take a Drive Having a…

How the Pandemic is Affecting Sleep

I am seeing a spike in questions in around sleep difficulties since the pandemic started. Some of these problems are new or some are a return to past sleeping difficulties. Rebecca Robillard, director of clinical sleep research at the Royal Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, published a new study on sleep changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Robillard collected…

How do I know if I am in an abusive relationship? What is different about family violence in the ASD community?

November is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Canada. COVID-19 has caused a spike in domestic violence and abuse worldwide. The pandemic has disproportionately affected women. It has also affected the autism community in different ways due to loss of supports, suspension of some services and in-person visits, loss of income, additional health issues, and changes to how we live…

Understanding Why Individuals and Families with ASD Experience Crisis Situations

Crisis situations have escalated since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The questions and requests for help from families in crisis prompted me to do some research on this topic. I came across an excellent paper that was written for Autism Nova Scotia entitled In Crisis with Autism Spectrum Disorder – A Review of the Evidence. I would like to share some…

Addressing Challenging Behavior and ASD – Going Beyond What We See

Every week, I receive detailed e-mails describing various aspects of challenging behavior. The person has made a list of everything the child has broken, what they said, and the advice and strategies they have tried to help the child. When talking about challenging behavior, we have to go deeper and look beyond the behavior itself. Think of the behavior you…

The Importance of Play for Autistic Children

Play is an important part of a child’s development. It builds fine and gross motor skills, social skills, communication skills, language, thinking and problem solving skills. In autistic children, play can be very limited. For example, a child may want to play alone, engage in repetitive play like lining up toys or moving from them from point A to point…