Family & Caregiver Wellbeing

Did you know that children diagnosed with autism have a seven percent higher likely chance of becoming obese than those without autism? While this might seem like common sense—after all children with autism are far less likely to participate in team sports, play with other children, or develop an athletic lifestyle—helping your child to become…

A couple weeks back, we talked about the “stages” that follow a parent or parents learning about an autism diagnosis and the psychological steps parents should consider taking before diving headfirst into the treatment of their child’s diagnosis. As we slowly walk through the steps from learning about a diagnosis to the ways that parents…

When raising a child with autism, it is hardly an overstatement that just about every aspect of life has to be looked at in a new life, be it a child’s diet, education, environment at home, and even the very clothes they wear. One primary issue of children with autism and sensory challenges in general…

As we’ve discussed previously, when a family learns that one of their children has been diagnosed with autism, there is often a necessary period for them to psychologically acclimate to their new reality before diving into researching what the best methods are for treating their child. With more and more diagnoses occurring earlier in a…

While therapists and researchers have developed numerous types of treatments and best practices for helping individuals with autism to better overcome difficulties with sociability and communication, the arts provide an undefined but reliable source of therapy that can take on a variety of different forms. To better understand how different art forms—ranging from painting to…

With currently 1 in 68 children in the United States being diagnosed with autism—a number that’s grown due to our better identification of symptoms—more and more families are learning how to best raise a child with autism. While there has been an increase in diagnoses, this has also been met with a greater understanding of…

One of the great joys shared by many families with children is working together to raise the family pet. As many parents will attest, dogs and cats not only help to bring a family together and provide a furry partner for children to play with, but also help young children become more responsible and grow…

With the temperature finally starting to rise and the sun setting later in the evening, it’s spring at last. With warmer weather comes new opportunities to take advantage of the new season and if you have a child or family member with autism, it is a chance to find fun new activities that both your…

In our ongoing weekly round-up of news related to autism, we look at two emerging trends in autism treatment and therapy that indicate how massage therapy and how one interacts with a child with autism can have a significant impact on the development of autism in an individual. Starting with parenting, there are currently ongoing…