March 4, 2024,  Rockville, MD – The Autism Society of America is excited to announce multiple collaborations with Ventures ATL, the SASD ASPIRE program in Wisconsin, and Autism Products to stand together in our shared missions of furthering equity for members of the Autism community. The Autism Society secured a mission-critical grant from the Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative (ADVC) to expand its Vaccine Education Initiative (VEI) an initiative that addresses systemic barriers, while promoting vaccine education, confidence, and a ..read more

PBS Introduces First Autistic Lead Character in Kid’s Show, ‘Carl the Collector’ A new animated kid’s show on PBS features the first autistic lead character! Only days ago, PBS announced a new kid’s animated series was in production. Carl the Collector features a lead character who is on the autism spectrum. The new series was created by author Zachariah Ohora, a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator. Carl the Collector features animated stories that will celebrate the diverse way kids act, think, and express themselves while also assisting in building a strong sense of commu ..read more

10 Tips for Preparing Kids with Autism for Halloween Below, you’ll discover ten tips to help prepare kids on the spectrum for Halloween! From kids running around and screaming scary masks, costumes, flashing lights, smoke machines, and costumes, Halloween can be frightening for any child. However, for children with autism, Halloween can be a tricky and challenging event to navigate. Halloween can be a lot of fun for many people, including children, but for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it can be a frightening and unsettling experience. Regardless of whether you’re planning on a ..read more

New Study Finds Some Kids Are ‘Outgrowing’ Autism, but What Does It Mean? What does the new study mean for parents of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder? Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital have found a significant number of children who were diagnosed with autism as babies no longer meet ASD criteria. Whenever a parent is faced with an ASD diagnosis, it’s a traumatic event, with many parents rightfully assuming that it’s something that they’ll need to deal with and manage for the rest of their lives. However, recently, new research has suggested that this may not be the ..read more

Building a Sensory Room for a Child with Autism: A Guide to Creating a Calming Space A sensory room is a dedicated space designed to provide comfort and stimulation for individuals with autism. It offers a controlled environment where sensory experiences can be tailored to meet a child’s unique needs. Creating a sensory room can be a transformative experience for both the child and their family, providing a safe haven for relaxation and sensory exploration. In this blog, we’ll explore the steps involved in building a sensory room for a child with autism. 1. Understanding the Purpose Before you ..read more

Is Autism Hereditary? New genetic clues have revealed more about the hereditary role in autism diagnosis. For many parents, a diagnosis of autism can come with a deep search into family history, looking for any relatives, however far removed they are, with signs of autism.  UCLA Health researchers have recently published one of the most extensive studies ever into autism, looking closely at families with at least two children who have been diagnosed with autism. The study uncovered new risk genes and also provided more insight into how our genes can influence whether someone develops auti ..read more

600 Autism Sensory Kits Donated to UHP Troops Thanks to the Autism Council of Utah, the Utah Highway Patrol Troopers now have sensory kits in every vehicle to help respond to community members during emergencies. Thanks to the generosity of donors and the Autism Council of Utah, UHP troopers now have an autism sensory kit in every one of their Highway Patrol vehicles. Cheryl Smith, founding member of the Autism Council of Utah and longtime advocate, said in an interview with Fox News that the sensory kits will greatly help officers when they come into contact with someone on the autism spectru ..read more

9-Year-Old Boy with Autism Goes Missing and Is Discovered Hours Later Dead A regular shopping trip quickly turned into tragedy for one Brooklyn family. The body of a nine-year-old boy was discovered by search and rescue teams close to the edge of a waterway after he lost contact with his family during a shopping trip at an IKEA store in Red Hook, Brooklyn. In an article published by CNN, local law enforcement officials confirmed that the young boy had autism. During an interview with CBS News, the child’s mother, Abida Sultan, stated that a nanny had been watching the young boy, Nehan, while t ..read more

Police Handcuff Child with Autism and Mother Calls for Change The mother of an autistic child handcuffed by police is seeking not only answers but change after a disturbing incident. A mother in Craven County, New Bern, is protesting and calling for both answers and change after her autistic son was placed in handcuffs following an outburst at a local mall. Sasha Strayhorn attended a recent Board of Alderman meeting demanding answers after the traumatic incident. For Sasha and her son Kayden, a trip to the local mall soon turned into a traumatic incident after an outburst escalated and police ..read more

The Red Cross Says Children with Autism are 160 Times More Likely to Drown Swim schools are working to reduce the risk of children with autism drowning after alarming Red Cross statistic highlights the dangers and risks. As summer reaches its peak, an increased focus on water safety is on everyone’s mind amid some alarming statistics. A recent study found that drowning is the leading cause of death for young children aged between one and four. And further data from the survey also highlighted that children with special needs were at an ever higher risk of drowning. The Autism Society of Florid ..read more