Six-year-old Marshall Wingfield loves people, but he becomes overwhelmed in public and has always been a bit of a homebody, his mom says. āHe wants so much to fit in and have friends,ā said Elaina Wingfield of her son, who was diagnosed with autism last year during his kindergarten year. āBut his challenges make…
Succeeding with a Dedicated, Caring CSI
We are republishing this article from the winter 2016 Spectrum in honor ofĀ National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week.Ā Alex Bagley has won many Special Olympics medals over the years at the county, state, and national levels. The 23-year-old from Fayetteville competes in 5-on-5 basketball, cycling, and aquatics. Alex, who has autism, is a hard worker…
Share Your Public Policy Priorities
This article was contributed by Jennifer Mahan, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ASNC. The Autism Society of North Carolina advocates with policymakers at the General Assembly, state departments and divisions, and LME/MCOsĀ to help create better services and opportunities for people on the autism spectrum. We are developing our public policy targets for…
Acceptance is Best Vacation Memory
This article was contributed by Nancy LaCross, ASNC Autism Resource Specialist in the Raleigh area. This summer, our family went on an eight-day group tour of South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. We visited many beautiful sites: Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, The Little…
Camp Royall: Better than the Beach
This article was written for the 2016 Camp Chronicle, which will be posted online later this month and mailed to campers and their families. To learn more about ASNCās Camp Royall, go to www.camproyall.org. For Scott Lambeth, a day at Camp Royall is better than a day at the beach. Scott, who is 40 years…
Recognize Your ASNC Direct Support Professional
Direct Support Professional: a formal name that doesnāt evoke the dedication and love that our hundreds of staff members show every day. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) carry many more titles; they are Community Skills Instructors, Employment Supports Instructors, General Instructors, Residential Instructors, Camp Counselors, and more. But even these names do not tell the true…
Run/Walk for Autism: A Day āI Can Just Be Me!ā
Two years ago at the 2014 Triangle Run/Walk for Autism, 7-year-old Abigail was in tears after crossing the finish line. She told her worried mother that she was sad because she didnāt win the race. Abigailās parents explained to her that finishing first was not their goal. The little girl with autism took the lesson…
Promoting Healthy Eating
āWhen heās hungry enough, heāll eat.ā How often have we heard this from well-meaning family, friends, and medical providers? While most young children exhibit food preferences and some food selectivity, other children display persistent and highly restrictive eating patterns. Almost 70% of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit selective and restrictive eating patterns. Some childrenās…
Gavinās Gang Walks for Resources and Awareness
Gavin Beale didnāt say his first word and screamed in frustration until after his third birthday. From the time he was about 10 months old, his parents, Jenny and Jason Beale of Greensboro, were very concerned about him. āIt was a very dark time because we didnāt know what was going on with him,ā…