Special Needs

Articles

When NIH autism research funding dropped 26%...decade, SFARI (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative) has funded...investigators. That's not supplemental support. That's critical infrastructure....funding ecosystem where federal support dominates, and when federal...SFARI remains the anchor for autism research. Their grants range...

...smoke more than their peers without transition support. They're screened for cancer less often. They're...needs aged 12 to 17 receive adequate transition support, according to Got Transition and MACPAC. The primary...the Gap Exists. Most adults with cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, or intellectual disabilities grew...

...services work for kids who need both challenge and support. What Twice Exceptional Means. Twice exceptional...disability (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia), ADHD, autism, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, or a physical...excel at abstract problem-solving. The child with autism might have encyclopedic knowledge of a narrow field....

...credentialed practitioners to approaches with little more than anecdotal support. This guide sorts major complementary therapy categories by evidence level,...level, practitioner credentialing, and what research shows for children with autism, cerebral palsy, sensory processing challenges, and other developmental...

...goals: improving communication, building motor skills, reducing anxiety, or supporting emotional regulation. Sessions are goal-directed and measurable. They're...They might use call-and-response singing to help a nonverbal child with autism practice turn-taking and joint attention. They might use songwriting to...

...difficulty with abstract social cues, and the increased demand for social flexibility in adolescence, and you have a transition that requires intentional support. What Makes Puberty Different for Autistic Children. Autistic children often rely on masking behaviors to navigate social expectations. They memorize...

...40s, maybe 50s. A therapist mentioned autism. Or your child was just diagnosed...the words: Asperger's syndrome, or autism spectrum disorder. Now you're here,...DSM-5 merged Asperger's syndrome into autism spectrum disorder in 2013. If you're...today, it'll say ASD Level 1 (requiring support). Many adults still identify culturally...

You've searched for local support groups in your area and found nothing....don't know where to start. Starting a support group isn't about having professional...mission produces an unfocused group. "Support for special needs families" doesn't...group for parents of children with autism creates immediate common ground. A...

You know you need support. Everyone says...knowing you need a support group and finding...and evaluating support groups for special...mechanics. Types of Support Groups: Who They...Who They Serve. Support groups aren't one-size-fits-all....serves. Parent support groups are the...condition-specific: autism, Down syndrome,...context. Caregiver support groups cast a wider...

Your 8-year-old asks if she caused her brother's autism. Your teenager cancels plans to help with therapy appointments, and you feel relief instead of concern. Your preschooler has started bedwetting again...

...self-soothe once they stop protesting. For children with autism, sensory processing differences, or other developmental...can't shift from alert to calm without external support. When the method doesn't address the root cause,...intervention can work, the sensory environment needs to support nervous system downregulation. That means addressing...

...staff trained in autism support, and environments...trained in autism support, and environments...specifically for autism and sensory needs....who understand autism, sensory processing...are expected and supported These features...certification. Certified Autism Centers (CAC). The...offers Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation...venues that complete autism training and meet...