Videos

Parenting a child with autism means lots of ups and downs, sameness and unpredictability, laughter and tears.

And with each of those  -stories. Lots of stories.

For this series of blogs, we interviewed parents of children on the spectrum about the kindness and unkindness of strangers when in public. If you parent such a child, I bet you too have a library of stories. Join us as our parents share their adventures, big and small, from trips to the grocery store to trips on an airplane. Read full post »

We had a chance to sit down with one of our providers here at Seattle Children’s Autism Center to find out what to consider when contemplating introducing a new pet to your home and to your child with autism. Felice Orlich, mother, PhD and proud owner of a border collie pup named Max, let us into her home to find out just what we need to know to help a pet be successful in it’s new family.

Theautismblog: So how did you choose Max?

Dr. Orlich: Well, first we found a breeder that socialized the puppy in the house, which helps the puppy become accustomed to noise, handling by kids and everyday household activities. We also visited the breeder several times before bringing the dog home, that way the kids could get used to Max and Max could get used to them. The breeder actually helped pick Max out for us after getting to know Jonah and Ellie. Read full post »

Will I Ever Find It? One Mom’s Story of Autism and Acceptance

I’m often asked by other parents, when and how I found acceptance of my daughter’s autism diagnosis. It has been twelve years so I have had to think back. I can’t pinpoint a day nor can I offer up a clear plan for how I got there. I do vividly recall in those early days feeling as if acceptance would never arrive.

The first challenge with accepting an autism diagnosis is that it’s hard to know just what you are accepting. I asked Dr. Cowan if she’d ever talk, if she’d be in a regular classroom, if she’d be able to live independently one day? She was just two at the time and he, in all his wisdom, couldn’t give me the answers I so desperately wanted. Read full post »

I’ll start by saying that the tips in this post can be applied universally, whether or not your child is affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, low sensory thresholds in kids on the spectrum can certainly affect your child’s willingness to take medications. Plus, some of these things really do taste bad, so it’s good to have some tricks in mind.  Read full post »

The Sun Returns.

Wednesday.

It’s late August and there’s a buzz in the air that’s almost palpable. Parents all over town are humming with anticipation of what, for many of us is the most wonderful time of the year. That first day back to school!

In my own family, we just made it through another long summer of not-enough-to-keep-settled, a kid who craves structure and routine. We do our best but school is the sun in her universe and without it, she’s a planet wobbling off course.  Read full post »