Month: August 2023

Learning, exploration, and development are just some outcomes of venturing into the world. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can benefit greatly from time spent in nature for their own personal growth and rehabilitation. Outdoor activities can provide a wide range of benefits for children with autism, regardless of their individual needs or preferences. Let’s…

When my son Cooper was diagnosed with autism at age three they told me he was nonverbal. I didn’t even know that was a thing. At age five they told me he might never speak. I didn’t know that was a possibility. At age six the silence was deafening. So we dove into alternate forms…

‘Will his autism go away?’ That’s what the woman asked me. In front of 200 people. Honestly, you could have heard a pin drop as the heads in the room snapped from her to me. And I practiced the pause. I was presenting at a conference down south to a large group of folks who…

The birth of a child is a miraculous event.  Parents look forward to it with excitement and anticipation. The day finally arrives and after the delivery Mom lovingly counts all of the fingers and toes and says a prayer of thanks that he or she is healthy.  Soon Mother and baby are being discharged to…

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, there has been more attention given to problems of mental ill-health including depression than ever before. A new therapeutic option, especially for depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation, is slowly helping to address some of these considerable unmet needs in our community. Research is also exploring the use of transcranial…

With a new school year around the corner, many parents have questions about whether their child is neurodivergent – which can include ADHD, autism, anxiety and other social and learning difficulties. Dr. Emily King, a child psychologist and former school psychologist, said the term neurodivergent — an umbrella term for people identified with a learning…

FINDING PARENTS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES Support for parents of children with autism is “absolutely important and indispensible”, said Dr Lim of CaringSG. “Without loving extended family members, supportive friends, and an understanding and inclusive community, the autistic person and caregivers will suffer tremendously.” Autism affects all aspects of a person’s life and the caregiver’s daily…

Have you had experience with or can you recommend reputable resources to learn more about autism and OCD? When can a child be described instead as spirited? How can parents best advocate for their child when navigating evaluation and diagnosis for the first time? Especially when this is the eldest (i.e. parents do not have…

By Sally Burke, M.S.Ed, BCBA, LABASenior Clinical Director, Early Intervention ABA Discovering that your child has been diagnosed with autism can be an incredibly challenging and emotional experience for parents and caregivers. It can make you feel uncertain, overwhelmed, and worried about what to do next. It’s important to know that early detection and intervention…