The Autism Society of North Carolina held its annual conference March 11-12 in Charlotte. We have been sharing information from conference presentations in occasional blog posts. Nancy Nestor and Nancy Popkin, two Charlotte-area Autism Resource Specialists, presented a session titled āStaying Two Steps Ahead: Safety Considerations for Caregivers,ā on the second day of the conference….
Have Your Say on Medicaid Reform in NC
North Carolina is undertaking plans to move forward with Medicaid Reform in our state. Last session, the legislature directed the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to come up with a plan that provides quality care and controls costs for the future. DHHS has created a draft plan outline for the next several years…
Focus on Successful Transitions at ASNC Conference
The Autism Society of North Carolina held its annual conference March 11-12 in Charlotte. We will be sharing information from conference presentations in upcoming blog posts. Dr. Laura Klinger, Executive Director of the UNC TEACCH Autism Program in Chapel Hill, opened the second day of ASNCās 2016 conference with a presentation titled āAutism Grown Up:…
Guidance on Medicaid and EPSDT regarding Autism Treatment
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ASNC. What is EPSDT? It stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT). EPSDT is a child health program in Medicaid to help the physical, developmental and mental health needs of children under the age of 21. The idea…
Focus on Sleep and Feeding Issues at ASNC Conference
The Autism Society of North Carolina held its annual conference March 11-12 in Charlotte. We will be sharing information from conference presentations in upcoming blog posts. Dr. Peter Girolami of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD, opened the first day of ASNCās 2016 conference with a presentation titled āSleep and Feeding Issues in Kids…
Moving from Awareness to Acceptance
This April, for Autism Awareness Month, the Autism Society of North Carolina is focusing on acceptance and inclusion, not just awareness. We want people to know about autismās challenges, so they can be more accommodating. But we also want them to know how their lives can be better when they include people with autism….
Taking Autism to the Doctor
This article was contributed by Judy Smithmyer, an ASNC Autism Resource Specialist in the Greensboro region and mom to a daughter with autism. Attending medical appointments with our children can be difficult, but when our child has autism, we can face a whole new set of challenges. Preparation is the key to making a…
LifeLong Interventions: One Year of Changing Lives
This article was contributed by Whitney Luffman, MA LPA, BCBA, Lead Clinical LPA for the Triangle region. When we first met, I was unsure of Johnās* language abilities, because he remained mostly silent. But I could see him watching others speak and could tell that he was receptively listening and taking in everything around him….
IF/THEN: A Strategy to Motivate Your Child with Autism
Back when my son was little and newly diagnosed with autism, he would play by looking at multiple books at a time spread out on the floor. When he was done, he would leave the books open on the floor and get a few more. Before long, our entire family room floor was carpeted…