All the blog posts based on Maureen Bennie’s monthly blog for the Autism Calgary Association. News, research, events relating to autism and ASD
World Autism Awareness Day is on April 2nd this year. This year’s theme is Employment: The Autism Advantage. Jean Vanier was the winner of this year’s prestigious Templeton Prize. Help children to understand and manage their anxiety, and children and teens with autism can be particularly vulnerable to online dangers.
This month’s blog includes the results from the largest autism genome sequencing study on CBC. Most parents don’t like to think about what adult life will look like for their child with autism. New book series for girls under the name of Ellie helps with puberty. The difference between an autistic meltdown or temper tantrum.
This month in our blog: new study shows night time use of tech devices can cause sleep disturbances. Largest autism study using whole genome sequencing discovered no two persons with autism are the same even if they are siblings with the same diagnosis. Peniatricians may miss signs of autism because check-ups are too brief.Facebook can have a positive impact for parents of special needs children.
As we kick off the New Year, what will be the focus or trends in autism for 2015? Social media and the web will continue to offer people on the spectrum platforms for expressing their views. Two new studies published in September explored the link between autism and aggression. Regular exercise is essential to good health and can help a person with autism self-regulate and manage stress.Teaching safety skills could save a child’s life; however, these are complex skills that require a specific type teaching for people with autism. Why it’s important to give our children on the spectrum ample opportunities to try new things and have different experiences.
This month in our blog: parents of children with autism often worry about a younger sibling being affected as well. Baudouin Forgeot d’Arc published an excellent study on why people with autism have difficulty judging facial expressions. Police find it challenging to interact, interview and question witnesses and suspects with autism. For children with Autism, sitting on Santa’s knee is not always an option. Mental health issues in adults with ASD is still a neglected area of support and intervention. Not all children can sit at a desk in school; therefore, classrooms should offer alternative seating options.
In this month’s blog: new study shows parents tend to support their child better in a group training setting; communication is a struggle for those on the spectrum because they need extra processing time and often have difficulty reading body language, voice tone, and understanding context. Wandering or elopement is an all too common occurrence in schools for people with ASD. A dental visit can be a nightmare for a person with autism. Getting children on the spectrum to eat a variety of healthy foods can be challenging for many. Women and girls are continuing to be under-diagnosed with autism because they display different characteristics of the disorder.
In this month’s blog: Eliot Borenstein, father of a son with autism, debates the merits of inclusive education. What is the difference between an intellectual disability and a learning disability? A new study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that by the time infants turn one, infants who are later diagnosed with autism smile less often than those who do not develop the disorder. It’s hard for parents to address the topic of sexuality and personal safety with their child on the spectrum. Autism Daddy features the anonymous writings of a 44 year old father of a severely autistic son.
September is a very busy month and because of these changes and fresh starts, it can be the most challenging time of the year. This month’s blog looks at articles on how to ease the transition back to school including adjusting the sleep schedule etc…How to create and use a caregiver’s calendar; curriculum ideas, and tips on how to make a student with ASD have success in schools with a high student population, large building, and more than one teacher working with the student.
In this months blog: researchers have discovered a gene called CDH8 that is linked to autism in an estimated one half of one percent of patients. Is autism really as prevalent as the Centre for Disease Control says it is based on their study of 8 year-olds in multiple communities across the US? Vulnerable parents will often try treatments and products such as dietary supplements and biomedical therapies that claim to cure or improve signs of autism. Sleep disorders abound in the autism population. MindShift will help you learn how to relax, develop more helpful ways of thinking, and identify active steps that will help you take charge of your anxiety.
In this months blog: first study about parents of children with autism also having tendencies towards autistic traits; first shopping mall in the world to offer a quiet room for people with autism. Children with disruptive behaviour that appear defiant are often socially anxious. New games and activities for the summer. Self diagnosing for autism as an adult.
What strikes me most about the past 11 years is the development and increase of knowledge in the field of autism. There is a greater awareness about autism in the general public thanks to film, documentaries, blogs, websites, books and media coverage. I can remember when our bookstore started, we had 90 titles which was considered a a lot. Now, we have almost 700 titles and I add 5 new ones to the collection every month. The new additions to the literary scene have been wonderful, with books on education, speech development, communication, anxiety, challenging behaviour, medical management, personal accounts, and the growth of relationship literature because we are recognizing life partners who are on the spectrum.
In this months blog: researchers have found a way to predict autism at a younger age which could help with earlier intervention. May marks the annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR. A nerve called the C-tactile (CT), which is found only under hairy skin and carries information about our social interactions. There is new clinical research about the connection between the two neurological conditions of autism and epilepsy. A new study published in the journal Exceptional Children found that children with a low IQ are capable of learning to read. Coulter Video has just released a new DVD on puberty and sexuality for boys on the autism spectrum.
In this month’s blog: lack of support for families and reduced funding as a child ages are all too common a story across Canada. FIU Health in Florida is launching a new comprehensive health and behavior program for adults with autism called FIU EMBRACE. Short home movies may be sufficient to accurately spot children who have autism. Dogs can be beneficial for those with autism.
The month of April is an important one for autism because of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd. In this month’s blog: Jeff Moco from Chatham, ON wrote a thoughtful editorial piece about World Autism Awareness Day. He highlighted the waiting lists for services, frustration with government policies, never-ending appointments, and the bureaucracy parents face trying to get basic supports for their child. What parents of autistic children will never tell you. Resources for doing your taxes and disability benefits you might qualify for. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recently released the new statistic for autism rates. Hair and nail care can be challenging for those on the spectrum.
This month’s blog post includes: 2014 Federal Budget will see $26.4 million over four years to help expand two training programs connecting Canadians with intellectual disabilities and employers. Choosing the right therapy or program can be a daunting task. The SSRI medication debate continues. Early signs of Asperger Syndrome in preschool aged girls. new study is backing parent reports that sensory integration therapy really works for children with autism. Seven ways in which you can help a struggling family. Pivotal steps parents can take now to optimize learning and functioning for children ages 5 and younger.The Spark Program updated edition.