Individuals on the spectrum have gifts and talents they can share with the world when given the appropriate supports and opportunities. In the words of Temple Grandin, “You would not want to get rid of all the autism genes because you wouldn’t have any computers– you wouldn’t have any scientists.”

These four questions will help you self assess your district’s policies, procedures, and practices. If you are looking for third-party help in performing a full audit, proactively understanding any holes in your program, please contact me!

As caregivers, we can get caught in the traps of always giving in to what the child or student wants or our immediate answer is "No, you can’t have that.” Rather than falling into either trap, can we consider a more impactful way to navigate our child’s or student’s request for what they want and then be proactive rather than reactive to their requests?

You, as a parent, have just heard the dreaded words that confirm your greatest fear. “I am sorry to have to tell you, but your child has autism.” Don’t worry, there is light at the end of the tunnel.