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Special Needs > Autism Spectrum
Sleep and Autism: Evidence-Based Help for Children Who Can't Fall Asleep or Stay Asleep
...approaches alone aren't enough. Here's what the research shows and how to use both. Why Autistic Children Struggle With Sleep. Sleep difficulties in autism aren't one problem. They're a cluster of related challenges: difficulty falling asleep, frequent night wakings, early morning waking, and irregular...
Research > Genetics
Chromosomal Microarray vs. Whole Genome Sequencing: Which Genetic Test Is Right for Your Child?
...enough to identify most chromosome disorders. CMA is the test that finds conditions like 22q11.2 deletion syndrome or Angelman syndrome when a child has autism, developmental delays, or unexplained intellectual disability. Whole exome sequencing (WES) reads the protein-coding portions of your child's genome,...
Research > Funding
Private Foundations Funding Disability Research: A Guide for Advocates and Families
When NIH autism research funding dropped 26% under recent federal...Over the past decade, SFARI (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative) has funded more than 2,100...Simons Foundation SFARI remains the anchor for autism research. Their grants range from exploratory pilot...
Research > Assistive Tech
Choosing AAC Devices Based on Research: What the Evidence Says About Effectiveness
...Consensus Is So Hard to Find. Three factors make AAC research especially difficult to synthesize. First, the populations studied vary widely. A child with autism and intact motor skills faces different communication barriers than a...
News > Research
When Studies Disagree: How to Make Sense of Conflicting Research as a Special Needs Parent
...across nearly every intervention parents consider: gluten-free diets for autism, screen time limits for ADHD, optimal therapy intensity, medication timing,...different people. A study on speech therapy outcomes for three-year-olds with autism who are minimally verbal isn't measuring the same thing as a study on speech...
Health > Treatment
Getting Your Child to Take Medicine: Evidence-Based Strategies That Actually Work
...five-year-old around the kitchen while a liquid antibiotic drips onto the floor. For families with children who have disabilities, particularly those with autism or sensory sensitivities, getting medicine into your child can become a daily battle that impacts treatment outcomes and family stress levels. The...
Global Insights > Healthcare
The Healthcare Transition at 21: How to Prepare Your Child (and Yourself) for the Shift to Adult Care
...doesn't meet you halfway. Why the Gap Exists. Most adults with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, or intellectual disabilities grew up seeing pediatric specialists...medication side effects mattered for this population, and how to adjust care plans for cognitive or communication differences. Adult providers (internists,...
Global Insights > Culture
Person-First or Identity-First? What Parents Should Know About Language in the Disability Community
You learn "person-first language" at your first IEP meeting. A child with autism. A person with Down syndrome. A student with a learning disability. The...read a blog post by an autistic adult who says "Don't call me a person with autism. I'm autistic." You see Deaf community members capitalize the D and talk...
Therapies > Other
Deep Pressure Therapy and Weighted Blankets: What Parents of Children with Special Needs Should Know
...same mechanism that worked for her has been replicated in children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders. A 2020 randomized controlled trial by Gee...and colleagues showed weighted blankets reduced anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder during dental procedures. The evidence for ADHD is less...
Education > Other
Twice Exceptional Students: When Your Child Is Both Gifted and Has a Disability
...can be a learning disability (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia), ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or a physical disability. The giftedness...executive function might excel at abstract problem-solving. The child with autism might have encyclopedic knowledge of a narrow field. Schools aren't...
Therapies > Play
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): What It Is and How It Helps Special Needs Families
...a therapist watching through a one-way mirror and guiding every interaction as it happens. For families raising children with developmental delays, autism, ADHD, or sensory processing challenges, PCIT offers something rare: a short-term intervention, typically 14 to 20 sessions, that treats the parent-child...
Therapies > Other
Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Special Needs Children: What the Research Says
...support. This guide sorts major complementary therapy categories by evidence level, practitioner credentialing, and what research shows for children with autism, cerebral palsy, sensory processing challenges, and other developmental differences. It's not promotional. It's a decision-making framework. Understanding...