Happy New Year to everyone! Whew! I love the holidays. It’s a time to look back at the past year and gratefully reflect on all the blessings in our lives. When the flurry of activities is over, it’s a wonderful time to slow down and reconnect with friends and family. As the last of the…
Holidays on the Spectrum: It Gets Better
This article was contributed by Judy Smithmyer, an ASNC Autism Resource Specialist in the Greensboro region and mom to a daughter with autism. The holiday season can be stressful for most people, but for families who have a loved one on the spectrum, it can be most difficult. This Thanksgiving was an example of one…
ASNC’s Maureen Morrell Honored by NC Council on Developmental Disabilities
Maureen Morrell, State Chapter Director for the Autism Society of North Carolina, was awarded the Helen C. “Holly” Riddle Distinguished Service Award by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities on Nov. 19 in Cary. Morrell has advocated for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families for more than 30 years. She has…
ASNC Advocating for You on Services Issues
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, and Kerri Erb, Chief Program Officer. Federal Guidance on Autism Services under Medicaid “Will Medicaid cover autism services including Applied Behavioral Analysis?” Many families have asked this question since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance earlier this…
“Autism…What Does It Mean to Me?” Brings Understanding
This article was contributed by Jade McWilliams, autistic self-advocate. I first came across “Autism…What Does It Mean to Me?” when I was officially diagnosed with autism, about 4 years ago at the local TEACCH Center. At this time, Catherine Faherty was still working for TEACCH. (I knew I was autistic before that, but being a…
ASNC Clinical Team Going Deeper on Social Skills
This article was contributed by Leica Anzaldo, Training Manager for the Autism Society of North Carolina. Social skills has always been a buzz word in the autism community, but what does this really mean? My colleague and I have recently been tasked with developing a training program that addresses teaching social skills within the…
Fair Doesn’t Have to Mean Equal
This article was contributed by Bobbi Wells, an Autism Resource Specialist and mom to a son with autism. In a world where it seems to be politically correct to treat everyone the same and give everyone the same privileges, we often miss the opportunity to teach our kids (typical and not typical) a very important…
He Has “Mastered” This Skill at Home; Why Doesn’t He Do It Anywhere Else?
Long ago, I worked with a young child who could answer a variety of social questions such as “What’s your name?,” “Where do you live?,” and “What is your mom’s name?,” but he could only answer the questions under certain conditions. When asked the questions at school by others, or when the phrasing of these…