At the Autism Society of North Carolina, we believe that every autistic individual and their family has the right to high quality, person-centered, autism-informed services that recognize and value the individual’s neurodiversity. For individuals and families who pursue applied behavior analysis (ABA), we encourage you to advocate for a provider offering modern ABA. ABA represents…
Eye Exams and Autism
My youngest son, Daniel, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2 years old. Our family was thrown into our own āhow to navigate our autismā journey. Although my son has limited language now, he was essentially non-verbal in those early years. Communication was difficult. Thankfully, here and there, we met wonderful providers,…
Sensory Worlds: The Senses and Sensory Differences
If youāre connected to the autism community, you are likely aware of sensory differences, which are so common in the autistic population that they were added to the most recent diagnostic criteria for autism. Sensory differences are common in people with other diagnoses as well, such as people with developmental disabilities, ADHD, sensory processing disorders,…
Support Groups: Finding Common Ground One Front Porch at a Time
We find common ground through our Support Groups, which continue to meet needs through all seasons of life, mine included, throughout our state. I am from the big city of Greensboro; still, seasons of isolation were pervasive in our family for many years. Having fulfilling relationships and experiences seemed frustratingly close and far all at…
The Tools that Help Me Organize a Neurodivergent Life
I live at the intersection between ADHD and Autism. While I love my neurodivergent brain (most of the time), there is absolutely no doubt that I have to organize my life strategically to stay on top of #adulting. Not going to lie, even though I have extensive coping systems in place, some stuff falls through…
Parenting the Young Adult with Low Support Needs
Iāve entered that phase of motherhood that most of us donāt prepare for ā the parent of a young adult on the spectrum with low support needs. It is a tricky time when we see our young adults have the capacity to become independent, but they need some help, and we may not know as…
He Needed Something More, and We Found It at Camp Royall
As the mom of four Au-Somely unique children, Iām always trying to find the right path, the right therapies, and the right connections for them. Sometimes those connections are obvious and easy to come across, but others arenāt as clear. My 18-year-old son graduated from our homeschool in May 2022, and we began this journey…
New Space and New Energy for ACLE in Greensboro
In 2022, the Autism Society of North Carolinaās Greensboro services moved into a new building. As a result, the Autism Center for Life Enrichment (ACLE), our day program in Greensboro, received a makeover. ACLEās new space includes so many opportunities for participants. There are rooms to practice a variety of skills ā from a model…