It’s easy to want your children to thrive; it’s harder to know exactly how to help them achieve their full potential. Parents, grandparents, and other caregivers aren’t always given the resources to identify and find treatment for mental health issues in kids. The Covid-19 pandemic shone a much-needed spotlight on…
Learning disorders usually present in children at a young age. However, that doesn’t always mean that a diagnosis will be provided promptly. Often, parents wonder if their child’s delays or behaviors are normal (because what’s normal, anyhow?) or think they’ll “grow out of it.” Fortunately, there are other key figures…
You may wonder why handwriting still matters in an era when we’re all typing on smartphones and computer keyboards. Americans aren’t especially known for their great penmanship. In fact, in 1955 the Saturday Evening Post called the US a “nation of scrawlers.” But we do still write: at school, on…
A toddler who gets overwhelmed when she hears a lawnmower. A kindergartner who can’t read your facial expressions. A grade-schooler who repeats the same phrase over and over. A teenager who will only wear one color. These can all be signs of neurodivergence: natural variations in the human brain. At…
Whether your toddler has received an autism diagnosis, or you suspect your young one is on the spectrum, there’s a host of activities you can use at home to keep your child both active and engaged. Homeschooling your autistic toddler may seem complex, but you don’t have to feel overwhelmed…
Autism is a developmental disorder that can affect how one learns, but students with autism can still excel in school. Teachers can help their students with autism by first considering other developmental issues to best understand how the individual learns. Then, educators should offer individualized assistance to each student with…
Autism is defined as a neurological and developmental disorder that hinders one’s communicative and social abilities. Depression, however, is a mood disorder, characterized by severe sadness and a lack of interest in everyday activities; and anxiety comes with fearful feelings as well as racing or unwanted thoughts. While there are…
Autism spectrum disorder is defined as a neurological and developmental disorder that begins in childhood and affects the individual for the duration of his or her life. This disorder can have damaging effects on one’s life from hindering social skills, as well as learning abilities, and overall functioning. The good…
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that typically appears in the first three years of life. It often impacts a person’s social abilities and interactions and can be accompanied by an assortment of learning problems (though, not always). ASD varies in its severity, and some people develop…
Today, I am a self-proclaimed dog enthusiast—I love ‘em all. But when I was a child, I was deathly afraid of them after one stole my snickerdoodle. Sure, it’s comical now, but back then it was the ultimate betrayal and I vowed to never trust another dog again. Instead of…
Max is 8 years old with a heavy interest in bugs and photography. He rarely makes eye contact when he talks to others—including his closest family members—and prefers to keep the conversation short…especially when something’s bothering him, like the bullies at school or a smashed lens on his camera. And…
The Good Doctor, modeled after the South Korean series of the same name, is a television series coming to ABC this fall about a surgeon, Shaun, with autism and savant syndrome. Shaun leaves his troubled town and childhood behind to join the pediatric unit at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital—he…