A Preview–What Your Child on the Spectrum Really Needs: Advice From 12 Autistic Adults

Stories That Need To Be Told

I love listening to stories. The idea for this book came from my passion for storytelling and a special interest in the authority of personal experience. I studied the personal essay in graduate school and have continued using the transformative power of storytelling in a variety of different ways. My interest in autistic storytelling comes from living alongside my autistic brother and son.

When my son was diagnosed with autism at four, my husband and I sought the advice of every “expert” we were recommended to: doctors, therapists, psychologists, etc. But there was one problem with these professionals that left a big gap in our pursuit for the best support for our son–they weren’t autistic. I grew tired of the media stories about what I should or should not be doing as a parent of an autistic child. Avoid milk! Extra doses of vitamins! Try this really expensive supplement! Don’t eat broccoli in your first trimester! So…the broccoli reprimand I haven’t actually heard yet, but you get the idea. When I first started this project, I wanted to find out what autistic people thought of the overwhelming amount of therapy, behavioral, and diet advice out there. I soon realized this is where I should have started.

Autism Interview #98 Part 2: Old Lady With Autism on Advocacy and Autism Resources

This is the second part in a two-part interview with the blogger known as ‘Old Lady With Autism.‘ ‘Old Lady With Autism’ is on a mission to advocate for late-diagnosed individuals on the spectrum as well as autistic elderly who may not have received a diagnosis. Last week she offered insight into her difficulties growing up undiagnosed as well as why it was so important for her to receive a formal diagnosis into her sixties. This week she detailed her mission to use her blog to improve understanding of and support older autistic individuals (with or without a diagnosis).

Social Skills for Everyone by Erin Human

Erin Human is an Autistic artist and married mother of two who creates infographics and neurodiversity-themed designs. She sells work on Redbubble in addition to working as the Art Director for the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN). She has created a wonderful illustrated guide on making friends and getting along with people who are different. A description of the guide is reprinted here with her permission. The full guide is also accessible in our resources section.