Autism spectrum disorders are complex and they are often extraordinarily difficult to understand. The first step to understanding autism is to understand that ALL children with autism are unique. In fact, NO two children with autism are alike. The famous phrase in the world of autism is: "If you know ONE person with autism, you know ONE person with autism." It's impossible to make too many generalizations about people with autism. What Johnny does, little Sally may not. What Johnny excels at, Jimmy may not. What Sally loves, little Jane may hate. What works for one may not work for the next child. Living and working with the autistic child often requires near superhuman abilities on our part. We must constantly be looking for creative ways to not only understand the child with autism but to also help him or her. This section of the website is here to help guide you through what autism is, how that definition has changed over time, what current and potential treatments are for autism spectrum disorders, as well as, what the future holds for autism.

Autism is Not an Island
The moment someone says to you, "Your child has autism" the world suddenly becomes a very lonely place. With four little words life changes in ways that becomes inexplicable to the outsider. For awhile we may be left adrift in a sea of confusion only to wash up on an island insulated from everyone and everything else. It's easy to find yourself alone and intimidated. It's easy to find yourself stranded on Autism Island. Only this time, Ricardo Montalban and Tattoo aren't there to welcome you.

The Yellow Brick Road
“Your child has autism.”

Overwhelmed
As you read through this site and what I have done or tried with my son, I want you to understand that I know that all of this is time consuming. I know you have more things on your daily to-do list than most people have in a year. I know you are frustrated and tired of dealing with different doctors, therapists, educators, and well-meaning advice from friends and neighbors. I know because I’ve been there (I think I’m still there). My family is a busy one. I never really thought of my household as chaotic but when I went to the fe

What Does The 'early' In Early Intervention Mean?
Early Intervention—How early is early? I just want to say at the very beginning just how important reaching your child early is. Getting treatment early can make a world of difference for your child. I don’t work for any early intervention system so I’m not getting paid to say this! It comes from a very personal experience with early intervention and I truly believe that the earlier we can reach children, the better off we all are. Is any early intervention system perfect? Heck no! Just like any other system, there

Autism Defined
Two Worlds CollideOK, I’m assuming that you’ve come to this website because you are a parent/grandparent/caregiver/friend/neighbor of a child that either exhibits characteristics or has recently been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Maybe you’ve just walked out of the doctor’s office and the doctor has suggested your child has a form of Autism. At this point, it’s likely that your eyes have glazed over, your mind is reeling from the possibilities of problems that are likely to come up, and maybe you’re even grieving for t

Our Story
When my son, Ewan, was born, I knew something was just a little bit different about him. I remember my sister and my mom being in the delivery room with my husband and I when he was born. Everyone remarked at how alert he was, even at just a few seconds old. I remember when the nurse took him to clean him up and measure him that he was actually grabbing her stethoscope and nametag and pulling on them (my sister the OT was in awe of that one). Right after he was cleaned up and weighed, I was allowed to nurse him. I was a little nervous because my first child wasn&r