Summer slump. Chunks of time when kids have the house to themselves. Downtime becomes a void. Hours will slip by as the children disappear into technology. They will meld with the computer and all chance of talk is dropped. Good use of free time? Well, some time to zone out is helpful, and people who…
Public Policy Updates – May 2022
Services in NC Medicaid Plan NC plans to offer additional services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as others, under (i) services plan through the Medicaid program. When Tailored Plans begin operation December 1, 2022 as part of the stateās Medicaid Transformation some of the services that LME-MCOs offered under b(3) such…
The Impact of Nutrition on Physical and Mental Health
Note: This blog was written by Juliette Heim, Autism Resource Specialist, and Kristy Myers, Health Consultant at the Autism Society of North Carolina. Juliette Heimās reflections on her experience as a parent to a son with autism are in italics. Health is broadly defined as āa state of physical, mental and social well-being, in…
āAre Chicken Nuggets a Vegetable?ā and Other Mealtime Musings: Selective Eating in Autism
One of the first jobs of parenting is to keep your child healthy and nourished by ensuring they eat a variety of nutritious foods, alongside the extra treats and occasional Happy Meal that accompanies childhood. Before having children, many of us felt like this would be the easy part. Three meals a day, snacks sprinkled…
Managing End-of-Year Stress at School
Hurray, the school year is ending! Bummer, it is the beginning of state testing! This is the time of year when some children feel like giving up on school because they are mentally checked out. However, this is the time of year when children have to amp it up on both their brainpower and their…
Win-win: Brother wins contest, builds autism acceptance
Colin Maxwell has always had a way of talking to his sister, who has autism. āBecause Kayleigh is 18, and heās 11, he doesnāt know anything else but having a sister who has autism. He does amazing with her,ā says Stephanie Maxwell, their mother. āShe responds so well.ā Colin always has patience and gives Kayleigh…
Early Voting and Voting by Mail
The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) is sharing information about voting in North Carolina during this election year through blog articles, social media posts, and other channels. Much attention will be paid this year to state primaries, US Congressional races, and state legislative races. As a nonprofit organization, ASNC does not become directly involved…
Parent-to-Parent Support ā It Will Change Your Life
What is support? As a verb it means: To bear all or a part of the weight of, hold up. Give approval, comfort, or encouragement. When families first call an Autism Resource Specialist, we encourage them to get involved with a local support group, such as the ASNC Chapters. Why do we do this?…