Selecting the perfect gifts for loved ones is difficult, but selecting the perfect present for an autistic child poses a particular set of challenges. One father has taken the time to compile a set of great gift ideas that may help you when choosing the perfect gift for the young boy or girl on your list. You may also want to check out this Special Needs Holiday Gift Guide for more ideas. Do …
autism
Thanksgiving and Autism: Coping with the Chaos of the Annual Feast
Thanksgiving Day can be a true ordeal for a child with autism and their parents. Visiting relatives' homes, or hosting a multitude of guests may be a challenge for most of us, but for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their parents, the added stress can be unbearable. Eileen Bailey, writing for Healthcentral.com, offers several tips for making Thanksgiving a day that both …
Using Shakespeare for Intervention
Study: Shakespeare Play Helps Children With Autism Communicate Researchers say social interaction, language and facial expression skills improve COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study showed improvement in the social and communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a signature approach pairing the recitation of Shakespeare’s rhythmic language with physical …
Making Halloween a Treat for Children With Autism
Halloween is an exciting holiday for kids, but it may offer certain challenges for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Members of the Autism Parent Advisory Board of the Boone Fetter Clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Autism Treatment Network site partnered with Kathryn Smith, RN, DrPH, nurse care manager in the Boone Fetter Clinic, to provide tips every parent and …
A Look Back at Autism: Denial, Part 2
At the end of part one of this series, I said no more denial for this family. That is mostly true and we began home based therapy for our son pretty quickly after his diagnosis, but it was still hard to talk about. I noticed it in interviews, and in training sessions with tutors that we never once said that he was the “A” word (autistic). I had reached the point where I could say …
Orange Effect Foundation Empowers Children and Young Adults
CLEVELAND - Oct. 3, 2016 -- Strengthened by the tremendously successful annual Golf for Autism event held in August, the Orange Effect Foundation announced today that it has awarded five grants for speech therapy and assistive technology. These grants will empower five more children and young adults, helping them to transform their lives. One eighteen-year-old recipient received funds to …
A Look Back at Autism: Denial
Summer of 2003. I remember it very well. I was a stay-at-home mom and the happiest one that there ever was. I had two boys, 22 months and 4 months old. We attended library story time and play groups. We went to the park where Joshua, the oldest, could swing for hours. We were an active and happy family with great support systems and lots of love. I believed everything anyone would tell me that …
Using a Tablet to Communicate
As part of our mission to empower children and young adults with speech disorders, the Orange Effect Foundation funds augmentative and alternative communication. For some, this is a Dynavox communication device. For others, it is simply a tablet loaded with communication applications. Watch Sesame Street's Abby Cadabby learn more about how children with speech disorders use tablets to …
10 Wonderful Ways to Celebrate Pam Kozelka and Help the Orange Effect Foundation
Today, June 8, is the birthday of Orange Effect Foundation founder and executive director, Pam Kozelka. In honor of Pam, here are 10 wonderful ways to help the Orange Effect Foundation continue to help others. 1. Like the Orange Effect Foundation on Facebook. 2. Follow the Orange Effect Foundation on Twitter. 3. Share something that inspires you from the Orange Effect Foundation …
Registration Now Open for 10th Annual Golf Outing!
THE 10th ANNUAL ORANGE EFFECT GOLF FOR AUTISM August 8, 2016 Elyria Country Club 12:00 pm Shotgun Start $150 per golfer Includes 18 holes of golf with beverage cart cooler, lunch, dinner, gift bag, prizes, raffle, and drinks. ($200 per golfer after July 15) Open to 120 Golfers All funds raised will benefit the Orange Effect Foundation. The Orange Effect Foundation empowers children and …
“You’re Going to End Up Alone, Probably in a Jail Cell, and it’s All Your Fault.” Part 2
Part 2 of the story of one father's journey to reach an appropriate diagnosis for his son. Ages 11-12 By the time TQ turned 11, his academic progress had ceased. My wife valiantly kept trying, she wasn’t about to throw in the towel yet. But he just wasn’t retaining anything long enough to build on. He’s a very bright kid, so learning the concepts themselves wasn’t the problem. But without …
“You’re Going to End Up Alone, Probably in a Jail Cell, and it’s All Your Fault.”
I clearly remember saying those exact words to my then-11-year-old son who I’ll call TQ. Cruel? Absolutely. Disgusting even? For a father to say something like that to his pre-adolescent son while they sit together in the car in a Wal-Mart parking lot… it’s unconscionable. You’re right. But don’t judge me just yet. Let me tell you our story. Routine Beginnings TQ is our firstborn. …