From the moment we get up in the morning, we begin making choices: shower or brush teeth first, coffee or tea, what to eat for breakfast, what to wear, and what’s on the agenda for the day. Not only do we have choices to make throughout each day, there are even bigger ones to think about such as where to… The post Making Choices appeared first on Autism Awareness ..read more

Back in 1996, Martha Leary and David Hill began doing research on the types of challenges that autistic individuals have in regards to communication, challenging behaviors, and in the inability to control one’s movements. They called these challenges movement differences.  Their definition: Movement difference is a difference, interference, or shift in efficient and effective use of movement. A disruption in… The post Autism and Movement Differences appeared first on Autism Awareness ..read more

September is a month of transitions – we move from summer to fall, the days grown shorter, the nights get longer, vacation time ends and school starts again. All of these changes mean altered schedules, dressing in warmer clothes, starting new activities or getting back into old ones, maybe starting a new school, meeting new classmates, and  working with different… The post How can we support an autistic child/student to have a school good day? appeared first on Autism Awareness ..read more

According to Journal of Neurolinguistics, over half of the world’s population is bilingual (people who utilize two languages daily) if not multilingual, speaking 3 or more languages. Some statistics say 43% of the global population is bilingual, 40% is monolingual speaking only one language, and 17% are multilingual speaking several languages. There have been many studies and articles citing the… The post Autism and Bilingualism appeared first on Autism Awareness ..read more

The arrival of summer and good weather allows for more time outdoors and being on the go. The school break means changes in the day’s structure and routine and more free time. Summer camps and activities, field trips, a family vacation, and visitors fill the day. Autistic individuals can find these changes and different demands challenging, even if they are looking forward to them. Let’s explore how best to prepare autistic individuals for a great summer of new routines, activities, exploration, vacationing, and experiencing all that summer has to offer. 10 Tips for Choosing Activities and Sup ..read more

Summer camps offer a safe and support environment for autistic children to learn, have fun, gain independence, and make new friends. Camps provide an opportunity for outdoor adventure, physical challenge, and a change from the typical daily  routines of home or school. The main goal of camps is to create an inclusive and accepting environment where autistic children can develop their social skills, build self-confidence, and explore new interests. Camps should have trained staff members who understand the unique challenges and strengths of neurodiverse children, supporting them in a way t ..read more

The month of June marks the Autism Awareness Centre’s (AACI) 21st anniversary. Another year has just flown by! Over the past 21 years, I’ve had the opportunity to run conferences, workshops, and trainings all over Canada and the UK. Many of the people I’ve met became lifelong friends who have supported me both professionally and personally. You’ve made my life richer, expanded my knowledge, and I feel deeply grateful to have worked with many different people who shared their wisdom, viewpoints, and experience with me.  It has made me a better parent to my two autistic adult children, Marc ..read more

Co-regulation is defined as warm and responsive interactions that provide the support, coaching, and modeling that young children need to understand, express, and module their thoughts, feelings and behaviors (Murray et al 2015, 14). In order for an autistic child to be able to self-regulate, co-regulation has to occur. It is the bridge to self-regulation. Kelly Mahler, OT, explains co-regulation in this simple way: Co-regulation is what we’re all born requiring when we enter this world. We all require the assistance of someone in our world to step in and help us meet our body’s needs, to meet ..read more

Many autistic children are diagnosed in early childhood, but for others their signs and symptoms do not become apparent until adolescence. If a teenager is capable and academically able, they may not receive a diagnosis as a young child. This can sometimes occur more often in girls than in boys because girls are generally more adept at copying neuro-typical behaviors, including verbal and non-verbal communication in order to mask their autism. Some teens may have other co-occurring conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, or behaviors of concern which present as the prevalent need for support. Childr ..read more

Most schools and organizations engage in reflective practice. After an incident occurs, we try to answer some questions about about an incident: What happened? Where did it happen? When did it happen? Who was involved? Why did it happen? How did it happen? How are we going to deal with it if it happens again?  While these are important questions to answer, there is another necessary piece missing – the emotional outcomes that we experience when dealing with behaviors of concern. Behaviors of concern can stir up all kinds of emotions in us such as fear, annoyance, revulsion, frustration or ..read more