The story starts with a young boy. He thought he was the same as me and you, except he was a little different than everybody else. He had autism, and didn’t know until his parents told him before he…
It was the week after Mam had passed away and Codge was still in emergency respite at Beeston while the social services tried to find him somewhere permanent. It was the first time my wife, Julie, and…
I live in two different worlds. One, let’s call this my “home planet,” is the neurotypical, familiar, and comfortable world in which I was raised and conditioned. The other is “planet Ari,” which is…
In the summer of 2003, I had finished high school and was getting ready to start college. My best friend of more than two years was about to leave for the Marines. After I hung out with him one last…
There is a well-known parable floating around the special needs community which describes how it feels when you are first told you are to be the parent of a child with special needs. The story…
Three years ago, my husband and I were facing very difficult questions. Those questions often didn’t have simple answers, and worse, the professional answers we received didn’t always mesh with other…
Handling autism meltdowns can be a constant challenge for parents and caregivers. Children with autism can experience meltdowns, tantrums, and aggression as an inevitable effect of their core…
Attend any surf event for children with autism, and there’s more than what meets the eye. While it may look like a day where children and young adults are simply surfing, there’s actually a powerful…
Cats are lovable and cute, but what most people don’t know is that these furry animals can help children with autism improve their social skills. Cats bond with the children by providing affection and…
Perhaps the single greatest, and most frightening moment of a parent’s life is the birth of a child. As you stare in the innocent and precious eyes of your newborn, the gravity of the task of being a…