Article Library
A comprehensive collection of articles to guide and support you on your journey.
46 articles
IEP vs 504 Plan: What Parents of Autistic Children Need to Know
Understanding the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan helps parents advocate for the right school supports for their autistic child.
Talking to Family About Your Child's Autism Diagnosis
Sharing your child's autism diagnosis with family can be harder than the diagnosis itself. Here is how to approach those conversations.
The First 30 Days After an Autism Diagnosis: A Practical Guide
Receiving your child's autism diagnosis is a lot to process. Here is a practical plan for what to do, and what to skip, in the first month.
Early Signs of Autism by Age: What to Watch For from Infancy Through Early Childhood
Knowing the early signs of autism by age can help parents seek evaluation and support sooner. Here is what to watch for at each stage of development.
Animal-Assisted Therapies for Autism: Dogs, Cats, Farm Animals, and Beyond
Animals can open doors that other therapies cannot. Learn how service dogs, therapy animals, and farm programs support autistic children.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autistic Children: When It Helps and How to Adapt It
Cognitive behavioral therapy can help autistic kids manage anxiety and emotions, but it works best when adapted for the autistic mind.
AAC and PECS for Autism: Giving Every Child a Way to Communicate
When speech is delayed or unreliable, AAC gives autistic children a way to be heard. Learn how AAC and PECS work and why they do not delay speech.
Floortime and the DIR Model: A Relationship-Based Approach to Autism
Floortime centers connection and a child's own interests as the starting point for growth. Learn how this relationship-based therapy works.
Vision Therapy for Autism: When 20/20 Is Not the Whole Story
Many autistic children have visual processing differences that a standard eye exam will miss. Vision therapy addresses how the eyes and brain work together.
Feeding Therapy for Autistic Children: When Picky Eating Is Something More
Many autistic children have significant feeding challenges that go beyond picky eating. Feeding therapy can help address sensory, motor, and behavioral roots.
Co-Occurring Conditions in Autism: What Parents Should Know
Autism rarely comes alone. Understanding common co-occurring conditions helps parents advocate for comprehensive care and the right supports.
Interoception and Autism: The Hidden Sense That Affects Everything
Interoception is the sense that tells us what our body feels. For many autistic children, this signal is quiet or unreliable, and that changes daily life.
Autism in Girls: Why So Many Are Missed and What to Watch For
Autistic girls are often diagnosed late or not at all because autism presents differently in them. Here is what parents need to know.
Executive Function and Autism: Why Simple Tasks Can Feel Impossible
Executive function differences explain why bright autistic kids struggle with everyday tasks. Learn what is happening and how to help.
Exploring Leucovorin as a Treatment for Autism: Tests, Benefits, and Side Effects
Leucovorin may benefit autistic children with cerebral folate deficiency. Learn about testing, who may be a candidate, and what to ask your doctor.
Masking and Camouflaging in Autism: What Every Parent Should Know
Masking helps many autistic children blend in, but the hidden cost can be exhaustion, anxiety, and identity loss. Here is what parents need to understand.
Sensory Processing in Autism: Understanding Your Child's Unique World
Learn how sensory processing differences shape daily life for autistic children and what parents can do to create a more comfortable environment.
Tax Benefits for Autism Families
Autism families may qualify for tax deductions and credits many overlook. Learn about medical deductions, the EITC, ABLE accounts, and maximizing benefits.
Exploring Financial Assistance Programs for Autism Families: A Comprehensive Guide
Financial assistance can offset autism service costs. Explore Medicaid waivers, SSI, state funding, nonprofit grants, and flexible spending accounts.
Mastering Insurance Navigation for Autism Services: A Parent's Complete Guide
Maximizing insurance coverage for autism requires knowing your rights. Learn about prior authorizations, appeals, mandates, and documentation strategies.
Building Your Autism Healthcare Team
Finding medical providers experienced with autism makes a real difference. Learn which specialists to prioritize when building your healthcare team.
Specialized Testing for Autism: A Parent's Guide
Some families pursue specialized testing beyond diagnosis. Learn about common tests, what they may reveal, and how to discuss results with your doctor.
Exploring Nutritional Support for Autism
Dietary approaches and supplements are areas many autism families explore. Learn what research shows and how to work with a knowledgeable nutritionist.
Biomedical Interventions for Autism
Some families explore biomedical approaches alongside traditional therapies. Learn about common interventions and how to find qualified practitioners.
Medicaid Waivers for Autistic Adults: A Parent's Complete Guide
Medicaid waivers fund long-term services for autistic adults but waitlists are long. Learn how waivers work and why applying early is so critical.
From Pediatric to Adult Care: Healthcare Transitions for Autistic Adults
Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare is a critical milestone. Learn how to prepare, find experienced providers, and ensure continuity of care.
Employment & Day Programs for Autistic Adults
Meaningful work and structure are vital for autistic adults. Learn about supported employment, vocational rehabilitation, day programs, and opportunities.
Housing & Living Arrangements for Autistic Adults
Planning housing for an autistic adult involves options from independent to supported care. Learn how to evaluate choices and why planning early matters.
Planning for Tomorrow: Legal & Financial Steps for Your Autistic Loved One
Legal and financial planning for autistic loved ones requires specialized tools. Learn about Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, and how to start today.
School & Support: Finding the Right Educational Fit for Your Autistic Child
Finding the right school is one of the most important decisions for autism families. Learn about IEPs, IDEA rights, and how to advocate effectively.
Navigating the Maze: Understanding Insurance & Funding for Autism Support
Understanding insurance for autism services is challenging. Learn to maximize benefits, appeal denials, and use your state autism insurance mandate.
Beyond Diagnosis: Building Your Child's Core Support Team
After an autism diagnosis, the right support team makes all the difference. Learn which professionals to seek and how to build coordinated care.
Starting Your Journey: How to Get an Autism Diagnosis (and Why It Matters)
Getting an autism diagnosis opens doors to support and services. This parent guide walks through the evaluation process and what to expect at each step.
Equine-Assisted, Art, and Aquatic Therapies for Autism
Equine, art, and aquatic therapies offer unique pathways for autistic children. Learn how these approaches complement traditional therapies.
Social Skills Training for Autistic Children: Building Connection in a World of Unwritten Rules
Social skills training helps autistic children learn unwritten rules of interaction. Learn how structured practice builds confidence in daily life.
Play Therapy for Autistic Children: Speaking Thier Language, Building Thier World
Play therapy meets autistic children in their natural environment to build social and emotional skills. Learn how child-led sessions create real progress.
Music Therapy for Autistic Children: Finding Connections Through Sound and Rhythm
Music therapy uses rhythm and expression to support communication in autistic children. Learn how sessions are structured and what outcomes families see.
Beyond the Common Therapies: Understanding Myofunctional Therapy for Autistic Children
Myofunctional therapy targets oral muscle patterns affecting breathing and speech. Learn how this specialized approach supports autistic children.
Understanding ABA Therapy: What it is Today and How to Choose Wisely
Modern ABA therapy has evolved from its early history. Learn what evidence-based ABA looks like today and what questions to ask before enrolling.
Physical Therapy for Autism: Building Core Strength and Confidence
Physical therapy addresses gross motor skills, strength, and balance in autistic children. Learn why PT is recommended and what sessions involve.
Occupational Therapy: Building Everyday Skills Through Practical Support
Occupational therapy builds daily living skills for autistic children. Learn what OT sessions look like and how they address sensory and motor challenges.
What is Speech Therapy: Understanding How Play Builds Communication
Speech therapy for autistic children goes beyond talking. Learn how play-based techniques build verbal and non-verbal communication from the earliest ages.
Stimming: The Language of Self-Regulation in Autism
Stimming behaviors like hand-flapping and rocking serve an important regulatory purpose. Learn what stimming is and how to respond supportively.
Neurodiversity Explained: What It Is and Why It Matters
Neurodiversity frames autism as a natural brain variation. Learn how this perspective helps families move from fear toward acceptance and support.
What does it mean to be “On the Spectrum”? Is it a scale?
The autism spectrum is not a scale from mild to severe. Learn what it means and why every autistic person has a unique profile of traits and strengths.
What is Autism?
A parent guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Learn what ASD means, how it presents, and what to expect after your child receives an autism diagnosis.