Balancing summer screen time for kids with autism can be tough during the no-school slump. Chunks of time when kids have the house to themselves. Downtime becomes a void. Hours will slip by as the children disappear into technology. They will meld with the computer and all chance of talk is dropped. Good use of…
The Impact of Nutrition on Physical and Mental Health
Note: This blog was written by Juliette Heim, Autism Resource Specialist, and Kristy Myers, Health Consultant at the Autism Society of North Carolina. Juliette Heim’s reflections on her experience as a parent to a son with autism are in italics. Health is broadly defined as “a state of physical, mental and social well-being, in…
Parent-to-Parent Support – It Will Change Your Life
What is support? As a verb it means: To bear all or a part of the weight of, hold up. Give approval, comfort, or encouragement. When families first call an Autism Resource Specialist, we encourage them to get involved with a local support group, such as the ASNC Chapters. Why do we do this?…
Register to Vote by April 22 for May 17 Primary
The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) is updating and re-publishing its series of articles on elections and voting in North Carolina. ASNC encourages you to understand when and how you can exercise your right to vote. The North Carolina Primary election will be held on May 17, 2022. Primaries determine which candidates will…
Ten Handy Tips to Toilet Training (Without Tears!)
Toilet training can be challenging for many caregivers and professionals, but it should never be stressful or upsetting for the child. Some children are ready to toilet train around the same time as their peers, and others are not. For some children with autism, the process will be fairly quick – they will just “get…
Supporting Someone with Autism in Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
When my son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, sleep was amongst our greatest concerns. From the time he was born, our son had issues falling asleep and staying asleep. Never did we sleep through the night for more than three straight nights (once we went through the circus act of getting…
Join a Family Chapter for Support, Education, and Fun
Now that the kids are settled into the new school year and the holidays are approaching, are you looking for some activities with families that “get it”? Check out our more than 70 Chapters and Support Groups serving families in 73 counties across the state! They are offering many events and meetings – outdoor, online,…
Setting the Record Straight: Medicaid Waivers, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Transformation
Note: The following is a primer on several issues happening at the same time in our Medicaid system. For background information on Medicaid as a whole, and how Medicaid works in North Carolina, please refer to the “Medicaid Basics” information at the end of this post, content re-published from our public policy papers available on…