As a child with autism, I did not understand my emotions, let alone the emotions of others. It was like being in a tunnel. I could not understand most behaviors of others unless they were very obvious. A person crying was clearly sad. Someone laughing was happy. That was about the extent of my understanding….
Escape into Learning
In the United States, everything shut down in March. Support services, places to go, things to do. Routines and expectations have been taken away from us all. Like most of us, I have been silenced by the change. This is an uncharted territory. We have been figuring out what to do with what little advice…
New Adventures in These Challenging Times
As a Direct Support Professional working with a young adult on the spectrum, I found myself looking for ways to offer fun and engaging structure during this season of unavoidable change. Particularly, I wanted to build a new routine that wouldn’t replace our previous busy schedule of community outings and routine volunteer commitments, but rather…
Addressing School Concerns During COVID-19
By now many of you have found your new normal as you navigate through this unusual and unprecedented time. Among the many life changes that have had to be made across the country, who would have thought that homeschooling would be one of them? All parents of school-age children (K-12) face the task of teaching…
From Awareness, to Acceptance, to Empowerment
Individuals with autism and those who love and support them have a long history of advocating for their community, an undertaking fueled by their fundamental belief that the potential for a person with autism is limitless. From these grassroots advocacy efforts has sprung meaningful, sustainable outcomes that benefit everyone with autism and those who love…
Weekly Update: COVID-19 Policy Changes
Weekly Update: COVID-19 Policy Changes Affecting People with Autism, Families, and Caregivers ASNC will be issuing weekly updates, including calls to action, on policy changes and legislation related to COVID-19 and local, state, and federal emergency orders. For daily updates and information, we recommend the following sources: NC DHHS COVID-19 page CDC COVID-19 page (Raleigh)…
2020 Census: Time to Be Counted!
Note: We recognize that much of our collective attention is on COVID-19 issues. ASNC continues to advocate for people with autism and families across our government and monitor information across all related COVID-19 issues. ASNC is participating on various NC DHHS, emergency preparedness, health and disability services-focused workgroups, continually collecting information, providing feedback, and advocating…
Staying Structured and Engaged in this Challenging Time
Individuals on the autism spectrum may be feeling particularly unsettled during this time. People around them are behaving differently and may be showing anxiety. Routines, on which many are so reliant, may be changing. The adults in their families may be working from home or not at all, and their schools might be closing. Access…