Autism Always Wins

So I started this post in the morning.

I’m sitting at my desk frustrated and discouraged and self-loathing after an especially difficult weekend and one of those literally-drag-the-kid-to-school mornings.

So I titled the piece “Losing to Autism.”

Because lately that’s what I’ve been feeling like.

Traverse City Walk for Autism

I’ve been involved with the Northwest Michigan Autism Resource Network for the past 4 years. The tricky part about an autism community/support group is that everyone is so busy with their own kids (babysitters are rarely an option) that meetings are difficult and volunteer involvement has to be spread thin across a lot of people. I wish I could be …

The Truth about Autism

A couple big news stories in the world of autism have parents frustrated once again.

First, the infamous Dr. Wakefield was stripped of his license by Britain’s medical council, and then later in the week Reuters published an article suggesting that early intervention may not really make a difference when treating children with autism.

Which is in direct contrast to the only one absolute we’ve ever had… that your best hope is to intervene early.

Six Benefits of LEGO Play for Children with Autism

When my kids were finally old enough for LEGOs, I was glad. Pretty much everything about LEGO is awesome. What was interesting (though not totally surprising) was how beneficial LEGO play seemed to be for my 6-year-old who has autism. Interestingly enough, some serious studies are now being done to develop LEGO-based therapy for children with autism. It makes a …