Joshua, the subject of many blog posts, and driving force behind the building of the Orange Effect Foundation, applied for an internship for next summer. I’m super excited about it, although I think the position is for college students and he is only in high school - but still, take a shot, right? During the application process Joshua had to do several things including write a poem - pictured …
autism
Recipient Spotlight: Anthony
Anthony is a kind, caring teenager who is challenged by autism and stuttering. Fortunately, he discovered FACETime Summer Camp at the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center. This special summer speech camp is designed for older children and younger teens who stutter. Camp provides a safe environment where speech skills are practiced in real-life situations at restaurants and other public locations …
Autism and Speech Devices: Helping Kids Advance Skills As They Mature
We think this article from Autism Speaks about autism and speech generating devices is so valuable, we thought we'd share it with you. ------ A parent asks, “Our son is 6 years old, minimally verbal and on the spectrum. We’ve seen him make progress with a speech-generating device – a touch screen with pictures that produce single words. How can we use this approach to keep him making …
Make Halloween a Better Experience
By its very nature, Halloween is scary. Everything from the decorations, horror films, costumes, and the inflated cost of candy. However, perhaps the scariest part of Halloween is trying to understand it through the eyes of our kids with autism. So how do we make this spooky night less of a nightmare? BOO! Take out the surprise factor Talk about Halloween ahead of time so your child will know …
Keeping Children With Autism Safe
Summer months often mean an increase in injuries for all children but the rate of injury for children with autism is higher. Learn more from our friends at the Cleveland Clinic about how to keep children with autism safe. CLEVELAND – According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one out of every 68 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A recent study revealed an …
Could I Be The Luckiest Girl In The World? An Autism Story.
The first Monday in August has been a huge day for our family for the past 12 years. It is the day of our annual golf outing fundraiser. It started because our son received early intervention and was starting out in a regular education classroom. At first the goal of the outing was simply to give back, so we paired with the amazing group at Northeast Ohio Easter Seals and all our profits from the …
Learning About Speech-Language Pathology and Autism
This Autism Speaks article explains how speech-language pathologists can assist children with autism. What is a speech-language pathologist? Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have masters or doctoral training in speech-language pathology. They’ve completed a clinical fellowship and participated in continuing education. They are licensed by the state where they practice or hold teacher …
Assistive Technology for Kids With Autism
We fund speech generating devices for children and young adults who are nonverbal or who have limited communication. For many, access to a speech device opens up a world of opportunity and empowerment. Learn more about one mother's journey to empower her son with speech through use of assistive technology. Finding Cooper's Voice: Assistive Technology For Kids With Autism …
Pets Can Help Autistic Children Learn to Share and Comfort Others
Neuroscience journalist Maia Szalavitz explores the connection between pets and an autistic's child's ability to bond. As demonstrated in a French study of 40 children with autism and their families, whether and when a family acquires a pet can affect a child's ability to bond with humans. Read more in this article written for TIME Magazine. …
Cavaliers Expand Accessibility For Fans With Sensory Issues
It's NBA Playoff Season (Go Cavs!) and whether you prefer to catch the game from your couch or are fortunate enough to have tickets to a game, several arenas have recognized that watching a pro game can be sensory overload for some fans. In fact, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the first to offer a sensory room in a U.S. sports facility in March 2017 (like I said, GO CAVS!) These rooms feature …
When Everything…Even Getting In Trouble…Is AMAZING!
From my UNscientific research*, about 10% of parents have been told that their child will not be able to do something. Maybe they were told their child can’t play a particular sport due to a past injury, or that their child cannot participate in an academic completion due to a learning disorder or walk without assistance due to a birth defect. Whatever it is, no matter the issue, parents just …
Change and the Autistic Teenager
When my son Joshua was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two, I read every book I could get my hands on… (the internet wasn’t quite that big of a thing yet for resources). One of the things I read was that some Autistic teens get moody, even aggressive, as they start having hormonal changes. I kept this in the back of my mind for many years and knock on wood, at age 16 we still haven’t had …