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Autism

Combatting Asperger's: A Losing Proposition

By David Finch on February 20, 2012 in The Journal of Best Practices

When I realized that my marriage was in trouble largely because of my behaviors and detachment from my wife, Kristen, I initially blamed Asperger’s. I thought the only way to save our marriage was to somehow conquer my disorder. Fortunately, Kristen did what she always does when I lose sight of the big picture: She smiled, knowingly, and then showed me a different way. Read More

Providing Contributory Activities for Children with ASD

By Robert Brooks, Ph.D. on February 12, 2012 in Raising Resilient Children

Many years ago while gathering information for my book The Self-Esteem Teacher I asked approximately 1,500 educators to answer a brief questionnaire anonymously. The first question asked, "Please describe briefly one experience that you had with an educator when you were a student that reinforced your self-esteem. Read More

Social Justice and the Autism Spectrum

By Lynne Soraya on February 8, 2012 in Asperger's Diary

As the debate about the DSM 5 proposed revisions rages on, the focus of the media turns more and more to the upsurge in autism diagnoses. What does the increase in autism numbers mean? Are the standards for diagnosis too lax? Is autism really becoming more common? Or, is it that we are getting better at recognizing it? Read More

A Greedy Egomaniac's Problem With Today's Robber Barons

By Dr. Jeremy Sherman on February 8, 2012 in Ambigamy

My friends say the problem with today’s robber barons is that they’re greedy egomaniacs, but I don’t think that nails it. What after all is egomania? It’s some extreme on a continuum I ride too. Read More

Documentation That DSM 5 Publication Must Be Delayed

By Allen J. Frances, M.D. on February 7, 2012 in DSM5 in Distress

I wrote last week that DSM 5 is so far behind schedule it can't possibly produce a usable document in time for its planned publication date in May 2013. My blog stimulated two interesting responses that illustrate the stark contrast between DSM 5 fantasy and DSM 5 reality. Read More

How Can We Help Keep Children, Teens, Adults With Autism Safe?

By Chantal Sicile-Kira on February 6, 2012 in The Autism Advocate

A school environment that strictly enforced a policy of "bullying will not be tolerated" is important and necessary. It is crucial to teach the same safety rules you would to any child, using teaching methods that have been successful for that child. Read More

What Are the Safety Concerns for People on the Autism Spectrum?

By Chantal Sicile-Kira on February 2, 2012 in The Autism Advocate

Children on the autism spectrum are at a higher risk of being hurt, victimized or wandering off, to name a few worries that are high on the list of parental concerns. Read More

Is Asperger's Overdiagnosed?

By Lynne Soraya on February 1, 2012 in Asperger's Diary

In recent months, the New York Times has gotten a lot of positive press in the autism community for Amy Harmon's series of sensitive articles regarding the many issues that impact those with autism and their families. But two recently published pieces are causing a great deal of anger in the very same community. The thrust of these two op-eds: Asperger's is over-diagnosed. Read More

Pathology Be Damned!

By Jeremy Spiegel, MD on February 1, 2012 in Mind Tapas

Yesterday's New York Times featured a personal Op-Ed by Benjamin Nugent, a young man inappropriately diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder. Only years later did it become obvious to him that he was misdiagnosed and that the DSM IV criteria for this high functioning autism spectrum disorder are far too broad and overinclusive to be fair to children like him. Read More

The Need to Believe in the Ability of Disability

By Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman on January 30, 2012 in Beautiful Minds

Our society has clear expectations regarding students who don’t fit the norm. Read More

Understanding the DSM-5 Autism Criteria

By Mark Bertin, M.D. on January 30, 2012 in Child Development Central

As I was preparing to write about the new diagnostic criteria proposed regarding the identification of autistic spectrum disorders, a front page New York Times article created a stir about them. Read More

A Dream That Leads to a Nightmare

By Lynne Soraya on January 24, 2012 in Asperger's Diary

Last night, I had a dream. I was in a store with family, and I had an outburst, what we in the autism community call a meltdown. As the stress and frustration boiled over, I had to get out. So I ran. Read More

How Will the DSM V Changes in Autism Affect People?

By John Elder Robison on January 23, 2012 in My Life With Asperger's

Last week's NY Times and ABC News stories really got people talking, especially when one doctor suggested that 75 percent of today's Asperger population would not qualify for a diagnosis under the new definitions. Let me say at the outset, I think that 75 percent statement is inaccurate, and a substantial overreaction to the available data. Read More

Love, Identity and Disability

By Lynne Soraya on January 21, 2012 in Asperger's Diary

Early this month, the Susan Baer of the Washington Post wrote a wrenching piece about the life of Page and Robert Melton. In 2003, Mr. Melton, a former WP reporter, experienced a stroke which resulted in an anoxic brain injury, and significant cognitive disabilities. Billed as an uplifting story, for me it brought up strong feelings in me which I am still struggling to sort through. Read More

My Two Cents (About My 2 or 3 Autistic Children)

By Sara Konrath, Ph.D. on January 21, 2012 in The Empathy Gap

There is a lot of recent press about autism diagnostics. There is a recent movement to tighten criteria--thereby lessening the number of people placed on the autism spectrum. This post is written by guest blogger Alice Oakes. Read More

Students Traumatized in Special Education Across America, Seclusion, Restraint, and Aversives

By Kymberly Grosso on January 18, 2012 in Autism in Real Life

So I am left wondering, “What exactly needs to happen to our children with autism before America says enough is enough?” In order to get this bill passed, exactly how many kids need to be traumatized? How many kids need to die? I am pleading for America to wake up and end the civil rights injustices that happen to disabled children in the name of education. Read More

Lives Worth Saving

By Steven Reiss, Ph.D. on January 18, 2012 in Who We Are

Linda Jones (a former head of an organ procurement organization) and I (professor, liver post-transplant patient) started "Live Worth Saving" at the Ohio State University Medcial Center to address the national issue of organ transplantation and intellectual disabilities. Here are my thoughts on this topic. . Read More

Amelia Belongs on The Transplant List

By Steven Reiss, Ph.D. on January 16, 2012 in Who We Are

She is only three but her doctors have decided to let her die rather than place her on the list for a kidney transplant. The reason: She has an intellectual disability. Here is some information and how to find our 2006 literature review. Read More

Identifying and Reinforcing "Islands of Competence" in Children with ASD

By Robert Brooks, Ph.D. on January 16, 2012 in Raising Resilient Children

In the beginning of our careers my colleague Dr. Sam Goldstein and I, similar to many psychologists trained in the late 1960s and 1970s, focused on fixing deficits rather than building on strengths. Read More

Two Fallacies Invalidate the DSM-5 Field Trials

By Allen J. Frances, M.D. on January 16, 2012 in DSM5 in Distress

The designer of the DSM-5 field trials has just written a telling commentary in the American Journal of Psychiatry. She makes two very basic errors that reveal the fundamental worthlessness of these field trials and their inability to provide any information that will be useful for DSM-5 decision making. Read More

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Autism Blogs

  • Lynne Soraya

    Asperger's Diary

    Life through the lens of Asperger's Syndrome.
    By Lynne Soraya
  • Kymberly Grosso

    Autism in Real Life

    A Mother's Journey: Hoping, Coping & Succeeding
    By Kymberly Grosso
  • John Elder Robison

    My Life With Asperger's

    How to live a high-functioning life with Asperger's.
    By John Elder Robison
  • Sam Goldstein

    Raising Resilient Children

    Maximizing their strengths, coping with adversity and developing a social mindset.
    By Sam Goldstein Ph.D. and Robert Brooks, Ph.D.
  • Eileen Garvin

    Sister on the Edge of Autism

    A sibling's-eye view of autism in life, family, and culture.
    By Eileen Garvin
  • Stephen Borgman

    Spectrum Solutions

    Personal Growth Development for Children, Teens, and Adults on the Spectrum
    By Stephen Borgman
  • Chantal Sicile-Kira

    The Autism Advocate

    Practical tips and musings on raising children and teens with autism.
    By Chantal Sicile-Kira

  • The Pragmatic Aspie

    Living well with Asperger's Syndrome
    By Liane Holliday Willey, Ed.D.