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How Do I Know If It’s Autism or Something Else?
You’re aware that your child has some differences, but you’re not sure what to make of them. Perhaps you’ve noticed a speech delay, an unexpected way of playing with toys, or a predictable pattern of meltdowns when routines are upset. These can all be signs of autism spectrum disorder, but they don’t in themselves warrant such a diagnosis. Other Conditions That May Look Like Autism Autism spectrum disorder is such a broad diagnostic category that there is no single way to identify a child as being on the autism spectrum. Many of the behaviors and strengths associated with autism may also indicate other unrelated conditions. Some conditions that share traits…
- Awareness, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Love, Movies, Parenting, Plan, Play, Relationships, Slideshow, Special Needs Parenting, Spotlight, Wellness
Netflix’s ATYPICAL original series shows the humanness in all of us
Atypical is a coming of age story that follows Sam (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum as he searches for love and independence. While Sam is on his funny yet emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives as they all struggle with the central theme: what does it really mean to be normal? Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as his mother, Elsa, who is on her own journey of self-discovery. Michael Rapaport plays his father, Doug. Brigette Lundy-Paine (Margot vs Lily, The Glass Castle) plays Sam’s sister Casey and Amy Okuda (How to Get Away with Murder)…
- Awareness, Culture, Inspirational Moms, Love, Parenting, Relationships, Slideshow, Special Needs Parenting, Wellness
Inspirational Mom: Holly Robinson Peete, Hollywood’s Autism Advocate
I’m not someone who’s starstruck. Sure I appreciate talent and I am an avid movie goer. Sure, I’d have a hard time giving up my favorite television shows or Netflix account, but I don’t look to movie and television stars as my heroes or role models. That is until I met Holly Robinson Peete. She’s an actress, author, talk show host, philanthropist, and—where I find inspiration the most—mom to four children, one with autism. In 1997, Holly and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, formed the HollyRod Foundation, to help with Parkinson’s disease. (Her father, the original “Gordon,” on Sesame Street, had Parkinson’s.) Then in 2005, inspired by their…
- Awareness, Creativity, Culture, Love, Parenting, Play, Relationships, Slideshow, Special Needs Parenting, Spotlight
One Mom’s One-Story-At-A-Time Mission
I’m on a mission to profoundly change the way the world views autism…one story at a time. ~ Jodi Murphy My adult son is on the autism spectrum and from the outside he looked just like any other little boy. But his brain is wired differently. He is autistic. The kids at school thought he was weird, so they teased and taunted him, and never invited him over to play. It’s his story, but sadly it’s a universal experience when you are autistic. And when 1 in 68 children are on the autism spectrum and 70% of them say that they are isolated and bullied in school,…
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Parenting :: Swimming the Tide of Autism
This spring marks two years since my son’s Asperger diagnosis. His younger sister has been professionally diagnosed with Asperger’s and nowhere near the spectrum. I am currently in the midst of a divorce with their father, who is a walking billboard for autistic characteristics but refuses my pleas to get evaluated. When April came celebrating Autism awareness, I felt I was already not only quite aware but drowning in a sea of autism. Somehow, I managed to swim the tides for two years unaware of many frequently vicious debates within the autism community. I naively put a blue bulb on our porch on April second, then read such frightening attacks…
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Parenting: The Importance of Acceptance
As many of you probably already know, April is Autism Awareness Month. As the mother of two children on the Autism Spectrum, I am happy that efforts have been, and continue to be, made to draw attention to this group of disorders which, as a new study suggests, affects 1 in 50 school-aged children in the United States. However… awareness is simply not enough. I’m fairly certain that most everyone in the world has heard of autism. So, while April is Autism AWARENESS Month, I will spend this month promoting ACCEPTANCE. The Importance of Acceptance: It is not enough to just know that my kids have autism. They need you…
