Critter Corner: Federal Initiatives for Autism

Dear Commander Bun Bun, My son has Autism Spectrum Disorder. I know there are lots of private initiatives out there to raise money and awareness. What I don't know is whether there are any federal initiatives that may be in … [Read more...]

Top 15 Articles of 2015

From the 50th birthday of Medicaid and Medicare and the 80th birthday of Social Security to the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging, we covered a lot of ground in 2015. It was a year that included a new act being passed … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: New iPhone App Could Transform How We Diagnose Autism

Dear Commander Bun Bun, I heard somewhere that a new app has been developed by Apple that can be used to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using facial expressions. Since you are attuned to what's going on with … [Read more...]

Debunking the Myths About Autism

Image from Pathfindersforautism.org Q. We recently found out that my son, Freddy, has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After accepting the fact that things will be more challenging for him socially and academically … [Read more...]

Self Care for a Special Needs Parent

Dear Angel, My daughter, Valerie, has autism spectrum disorder (formerly known as Asperger's Syndrome, but now under the ASD umbrella). She is very bright, and for the most part is in an inclusive environment at school. … [Read more...]

Straying from Loved Ones

Q. This past summer, I went to Burke Lake Park with a friend, Mary, who has a child with autism. While purchasing a ticket for the carousel for another child, Mary's son wandered off. After searching for a bit, and involving the … [Read more...]

How to Choose Trustees for a Special Needs Trust

Mark is an autistic adult who resides in a Medicaid-funded residential program in upstate New York. Before his parents passed away, his mother established a Special Needs Trust for him, which held in excess of $2 million, with the … [Read more...]

Critter Corner: Apps for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Dear Saki and Alley, My daughter with ASD often gets frustrated when playing on the iPad, because some of the apps are too fast paced, or she doesn't understand them. Do you know of any apps that someone with ASD could … [Read more...]

Can Someone Recover from Autism?

When Tyler was one, his parents began to notice certain behaviors that seemed atypical. He didn't make eye contact or wave hello or goodbye, and he often seemed to be in his own world. As a toddler, he began lining up his toys, … [Read more...]

A New Act to Help Special Needs Families

  Q. My 9-year-old daughter, Noelle, is intellectually disabled. The costs for her therapy and assistive technology are quite high, and we are in the process of applying for government assistance (SSI). Despite our struggles … [Read more...]

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