Increasing evidence is showing that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are at much higher risk for contracting COVID-19, for being hospitalized with the illness, and an increased mortality rate from the illness. A Johns Hopkins analysis of insurance data indicates people with IDD are three times more likely to die when infected with…
Rapid Response Clinical Consultation: A new telehealth service
Are you an individual with autism in need of targeted, short-term coaching to help you reach your goals? Or, are you a parent/caregiver in need of additional strategies to support your loved one? You might be a good candidate for Rapid Response Clinical Consultation, a new telehealth service offered by the Autism Society of…
Beth Strathern Named 2020 Roman Award Winner
During her career as a special education teacher in Pitt County, Beth Strathern helped countless children with autism. But it’s her special 20-year relationship with Shala Bell that made Beth the 2020 winner of the John and Claudia Roman Direct Service Award. The annual award honors a direct service employee of the Autism Society of…
Planning for School, Step 2: Getting Organized
Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles. Click here to read the first one. By now you should know which plan your school district has selected to begin the school year. If you are not sure, contact your child’s school or check the district website. We do know that every student will…
Planning for School, Step 1: Understand Your Options
Anxiety is running high these days, and one of the big stressors is what the coming school year will look like for our kids. On July 14, Gov. Cooper announced that each of the school districts in North Carolina will operate under their Plan B scenario for reopening under moderate COVID-19 conditions, with the option…
Working through the Challenges of Wearing a Mask
As wearing a mask becomes our new normal, supporting an individual with autism to wear one for any amount of time might feel like a mountain to climb. In this blog, I will discuss potential reasons it can be particularly challenging for individuals with autism to wear masks, some alterations/adaptations to try, and suggestions for…
The Health of Our Aging Adults
Over 30 years ago, after our suspicions were confirmed that our young daughter did indeed have autism, we asked a question that many of you also may have contemplated: “What is the normal life expectancy of someone who has autism?” We were given a fairly encouraging yet vague answer: “We really don’t know for sure,…