Did you know that sensory integration therapy improves daily function in children with autism? Learn more about this therapy and how it can benefit your autistic child. Presented by Vibha Pathak, OTD, OTR/L. Read more ›
There are 13 categories that guide how disability is defined under the federal special education law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In order to be eligible for special education and related services as a “child with a disability,” a child’s educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability. Read more ›
Sensory rooms are specially created environments created to provide an immersive sensory experience. For children on the autism spectrum, sensory rooms are designed to have a calming effect that reduces anxiety and improves focus.
This video is part of the Schools That Work series from Edutopia featuring Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut and the ways in which the district has redesigned its special education services. Read more ›
Sensory rooms not only help students with special needs feel more comfortable and empowered in the classroom, they may also keep them in their neighborhood schools, according to K-12 administrators.
The carefully designed rooms may include dim lights to help students who are sensitive to light, weighted blankets to give them comfort or a swing they can gently rock on to become calm or spin in a circle for stimulation.
The Council for Exceptional Children says sensory rooms are getting popular in districts to help calm overstimulated or anxious students. Read more ›
Early intervention for children with autism can make a huge difference in their development. In this presentation, CHC expert Gina Baldi discusses the most effective methods of early intervention and how to identify the resources you need. Read more ›
Born in 1992 in Japan, Naoki Higashida was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5. Higashida communicates today by using a letter board and by typing on a computer.
An author of more than twenty works, which include the national bestelling The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism, in an interview with Time he describes what it’s like to be a person with nonverbal autism. Read more ›
One big concern with many children with autism is safety. Not just for themselves but for others around them as well. As a parent of a child with autism, your home more often becomes your fortress. And carefree trips to the zoo or the park? They’re not going to happen — not without major planning and precautions, anyhow. But the biggest issue is getting from Point A to Point B.
So how do you keep you keep yourself and yours child safe in the car? There are a few basic steps that can done to ensure the driver is not distracted or the child tries to escape while the car is in motion. Read more ›
Students on the autism spectrum often find transitioning to new situations challenging. Parents and teachers can minimize the stress with some joint prep before school starts.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 pediatricians committed to the optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In 2009, the AAP launched HealthyChildren.org to provide parents with health information from a trustworthy source.
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How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age.
Check these milestones —published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—that children typically reach by the end of 18 months. Read more ›
