This article also appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of Spectrum. I am an individual with a clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. It seems that I do not appear to be autistic, because when I disclose my diagnosis, the response is almost always someone saying that I don’t look like I have autism….
“Are Chicken Nuggets a Vegetable?” 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. “Because Kayleigh is 18, and he’s 11, he doesn’t know anything else but having a sister who has autism. He does amazing with her,” says Stephanie Maxwell, their mother. “She responds so well.” Colin always has patience and gives Kayleigh…
Ten Handy Tips to Toilet Training (Without Tears!)
Toilet training can be challenging for many caregivers and professionals, but it should never be stressful or upsetting for the child. Some children are ready to toilet train around the same time as their peers, and others are not.  For some children with autism, the process will be fairly quick – they will just “get…
Clinic-Based ABA Programming for Early Learners in Wilmington
The Autism Society of North Carolina is now offering clinic-based services for young learners diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through the LifeLong Interventions program in Wilmington. The goals of our program are to encourage engagement and learning through play in a motivating and enriching environment and to support emotional regulation development and skill building….