In a new report, parents of children with autism describe a broad range of benefits associated with having a specially trained service dog. They feel their child is safer – particularly in terms of curbing the tendency to bolt or wander. They also describe how having a service dog both calms their child and draws a…
“At the end of last summer, our twins – who both have autism – had a terrible time switching back to early wake up and long school days. This year, how can we help them prepare for the transition?” This week’s “Got Questions?” response comes from autism educator Peter Gerhardt. Dr. Gerhardt is world-renowned for…
Pregnant women who live within a mile of spaces where commercial pesticides are applied appear to have an increased risk of having a child with autism, a new study suggests. The risk that a child would develop autism appeared to be highest for women who lived near farms, golf courses and other public spaces that were…
Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, is the vice president of professional services at Rethink, a program whose goal is to improve access to Applied Behavior Analysis treatments for people on the autism spectrum. She works to ensure Rethink’s educational technology is implemented effectively. Prior to joining Rethink, Patricia was the national director of autism services for Easter Seals,…
Being a parent of an ADHD child is a challenge. Here are 30 tips on managing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) at home. Based on 50 Tips on the Classroom Management of Attention Deficit Disorder by Edward M. Hallowell, MD and John J. Ratey, MD These tips are directly from Hallowell and Ratey with only slight modifications in…
A new study from Case Western Reserve University finds mothers tend to be more critical of children with obsessive-compulsive disorder than they are of other children in the family. And, that parental criticism is linked to poorer outcomes for the child after treatment. Parent criticism has been associated with child anxiety in the past, however,…
Parents want their children to willingly obey them. Here’s how to accomplish that. Learning obedience is an important part of child development. This is the tool that allows you, as parents, to train your child. Through obedience, your child will learn self-control and develop other positive character traits that he will need as an adult.…