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…
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…
Have you ever experienced challenging behavior like a meltdown, hostility, anger, or aggression when supporting a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Did the incident seem to come out of the blue? More than likely, there was a trigger that you didn’t notice or something that was building for a period of time. That “something” could be anger rumination. What…
I am starting to see more mental health reporting in the news over the effects of social distancing and isolating at home. The current COVID-19 circumstances effect the autism community in ways that are unique in comparison with the rest of the population. I’ve been writing weekly on various aspects of life at home during COVID-19 for parents, educators and…
Parents are in a constant quest for services, no matter what the age of their child with ASD. The need for services changes with both age and circumstances. What services for people on the autism spectrum are out there and how are they accessed?
Recently Diagnosed
If you are a parent who has recently received a diagnosis, finding services can seem like a maze. A good place to start is to visit your provincial government website and look under Child and Family Services. This will be called different things in different provinces, but most governments use a similar title. The government will list how to obtain funding, what programs are offered or subsidized, and what government policy is on assisting families with a disability.
Parenting in North America is an isolating experience. Most families do not have extended family living with them or near by to help with childcare. We live in communities where we barely know our next door neighbors let alone the people three doors down.